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Airport Operation in the UK - Market Size, Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecasts (2025-2029)

Krasimir Dinev Krasimir Dinev London, United Kingdom Last Updated: August 2025 SIC UK-H5223

Revenue

£77.7bn

2025-26

£80.8bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

£X.Xbn

Employees

543k

Businesses

9,799

Wages

£XX.Xbn

Airport Operation in the UK industry analysis

European airports connect people, business and goods across countries and continents, acting as vital economic drivers and hubs for tourism, commerce and logistics. Airport performance is closely tied to air passenger and freight traffic, evolving travel preferences, regulatory demands and technological advancement. Industry revenue is expected to creep up at a compound annual rate of 0.7% over the five years through 2025 to reach €77.7 billion, including a 1% climb in 2025. The growth rate over the period has been skewed due to the significantly low revenue figure in the base year of 2020, when the COVID-19 outbreak decimated air travel.

Trends and Insights

  • European airport passenger numbers surpass pre-pandemic levels. Strong travel appetite drives airport traffic and fuels revenue growth. However, while major hubs are thriving, smaller airports are still lagging.
  • Non-aeronautical services revenue compensates for fluctuating performance. Non-aeronautical services, like retail and commercial activities, are vital revenue streams for European airports, ensuring sustainability amid fluctuations in aeronautical services.
  • The European airport industry reflects high concentration levels. The European airport industry exhibits high concentration levels, with a few major players dominating the market and influencing industry dynamics.
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Top Questions Answered in this Report

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What is the market size of the Airport Operation industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?

The market size of the Airport Operation industry in the United Kingdom is £77.7bn in 2025.

How many businesses are there in the Airport Operation industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?

There are 9,799 businesses in the Airport Operation industry in the United Kingdom, which has grown at a CAGR of 4.4 % between 2020 and 2025.

Has the Airport Operation industry in the United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Airport Operation industry in the United Kingdom has been growing at a CAGR of 1.8 % between 2020 and 2025.

What is the forecast growth of the Airport Operation industry in the United Kingdom over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Airport Operation industry in the United Kingdom is expected to grow.

What does the Airport Operation industry in the United Kingdom include?

Aeronautical services and Non-aeronautical services are part of the Airport Operation industry in the United Kingdom.

How competitive is the Airport Operation industry in the United Kingdom?

The level of competition is high and steady in the Airport Operation industry in the United Kingdom.

Everything you need in one report

  • Reliable market estimates from 2015-2030
  • Competitive analysis, industry segmentation, financial benchmarks
  • Powerful SWOT, Porter’s Five Forces and risk management frameworks
  • Online membership platform with PDF, Word, Excel and PPT exports

Table of Contents

External Environment

Highlights

Trends
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key Takeaways

The European airport industry navigates a complex regulatory environment. European airports grapple with the challenges of stringent regulations and policies, influencing operations, infrastructure development and overall industry dynamics.

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External Drivers

Analysis

What demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the Airport Operation in the UK industry?

Financial Benchmarks

Highlights

Trends
  • Profit Margin
  • Average Wage
  • Largest Cost

Key Takeaways

Profit rebounds after COVID-19 but faces new headwinds. Although revenue and profit have recovered strongly since the collapse in 2020, profit growth has been limited by severe inflationary pressures and higher operating costs, with airports investing in technology and sustainability.

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Cost Structure

Charts
  • Share of Economy vs. Investment Matrix
  • Industry Cost Structure Benchmarks:
    • Marketing
    • Depreciation
    • Profit
    • Purchases
    • Wages
    • Rent
    • Utilities
    • Other
Analysis

What trends impact cost in the Airport Operation in the UK industry?


Key Ratios

Data tables
  • IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
  • Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
  • Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
  • Average Wage (2015-2030)

Country Benchmarks

European Leaders & Laggards

Data Tables

Top and bottom five countries listed for each:

  • Revenue Growth (2025)
  • Business Growth (2025)
  • Job Growth (2025)

European Country Performance

Data Tables

Rankings available for 37 countries. Statistics ranked include:

  • IVA/Revenue (2025)
  • Imports/Demand (2025)
  • Exports/Revenue (2025)
  • Revenue per Employee (2025)
  • Wages/Revenue (2025)
  • Employees per Establishment (2025)
  • Average Wage (2025)

Structural Comparison

Data Tables

Trends in 37 countries benchmarked against trends in Europe

  • Concentration
  • Competition
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Buyer Power
  • Supplier Power
  • Volatility
  • Capital Intensity
  • Innovation
  • Life Cycle

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2015-2030)
  • IVA (2015-2030)
  • Establishments (2015-2030)
  • Enterprises (2015-2030)
  • Employment (2015-2030)
  • Exports (2015-2030)
  • Imports (2015-2030)
  • Wages (2015-2030)

Methodology

Where does IBISWorld source its data?

IBISWorld is a world-leading provider of business information, with reports on 5,000+ industries in Australia, New Zealand, North America, Europe and China. Our expert industry analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build an accurate picture of each industry.

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and IBISWorld's proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights. 

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