Number of airline passengers per year in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Number of airline passengers per year was 118.95 million in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Number of airline passengers per year in United Kingdom, 1970–2023
Source: International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of airline passengers per year in United Kingdom is 118.95 million, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 24.0% on the previous year and up 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of airline passengers per year in United Kingdom peaked at 165.39 million in 2018 and was at its lowest, 15.57 million, in 1970.
United Kingdom ranks 7th of 183 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 19.12 million | 15.57 million | 25.31 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 29.84 million | 23.38 million | 46.35 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 55.78 million | 42.86 million | 65.74 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 87.55 million | 70.33 million | 104.71 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 130.63 million | 101.52 million | 165.39 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 67.93 million | 26.63 million | 118.95 million | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More reference data data for United Kingdom
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- Autumn temperature anomalies -0.1504 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 1.74 °C (2025)
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Frequently asked questions
- What is number of airline passengers per year in United Kingdom?
- Number of airline passengers per year in United Kingdom was 118.95 million in 2023, according to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of airline passengers per year recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 165.39 million in 2018.
- What is the lowest number of airline passengers per year recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.57 million in 1970.
- How does United Kingdom rank for number of airline passengers per year?
- United Kingdom ranks 7th out of 183 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of airline passengers per year rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of airline passengers per year. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This represents the total rather than unique passenger activity: this means a person who makes multiple trips is counted multiple times.