Heathrow said 23 million passengers used the airport between June and August 2026, covering the peak summer travel period. August passenger traffic was 7.8 million, with the airport’s traffic table recording a more precise total of 7.867 million.
August traffic was 2.1% lower than in the same month a year earlier. Heathrow nevertheless reported its busiest-ever day, saying nearly 272,000 passengers travelled through the airport on 2 August.
Over the 12 months to August 2026, Heathrow recorded 472,617 air transport movements. That was 0.7% lower year on year. Cargo performance moved in the opposite direction during August, with volumes reaching 137,115 tonnes, an increase of 3.1% compared with August 2025.
The airport also published measures covering its summer operations. Heathrow said 98% of passengers waited for less than five minutes at security during the peak period, and that 98% of bags departed as planned. Its description of itself as Europe’s most punctual hub is an airport performance claim rather than an independently established finding in the traffic update.
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Xiamen Airlines became Heathrow’s newest carrier during the week of the 11 September release. Heathrow said more than 40 incumbent and prospective airlines were seeking scarce airport slots, adding that around three quarters of proposed new routes were long-haul. Those figures and route plans are statements from Heathrow and do not independently establish the viability of every proposed service.
The airport also used the update to restate its case for expansion. Heathrow said a proposed expansion could support 108,000 jobs and increase trading capacity by 50%. Both figures are company projections, not confirmed outcomes.
The Government’s consultation on the draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement closed on 1 September 2026. The closure of that consultation did not grant consent for a runway. A future Northwest Runway remains subject to the outstanding policy, planning and development-consent processes.
The August results followed July traffic of 7.859 million passengers, which was also lower year on year despite a high daily peak. Together, the figures show that a particularly busy individual day did not necessarily produce year-on-year growth for the full month.
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