The record-breaking milestone, the likes of which haven’t been since 2019, was awarded to lucky traveller, Deborah Gericke fromEssex ahead of her flight to Gran Canaria, Spain.
To celebrate the breakthrough figure, the airport pulled out all the stops – including a glass of fizz and a Golden Ticket, which includes free parking, free lounge and fast track access – before jetting off on holiday.
When it comes to VIP treatment, London Southend delivers SENsational service every time.
Airport CEO Jude Winstanley was on hand to celebrate the moment.
He said: “2025 continues to be a year of breaking traffic records for London Southend. Hitting half-a-million passengers for the first time in six years shows how much people love starting their adventures with us – whether it’s a beach break or a city escape. We’re the UK’s fastest growing airport for good reason – it’s all about easy, speedy and friendly travel that gets you straight into holiday mode.”
The rapid growth at London’s sixth major airport is set continue as summer turns into winter, states Winstanley.
He added: “With our new easyJet routes to Lanzarote, Barcelona, Berlin, Grenoble, Rovaniemi and Salzburg ready to launch from October there are plenty of new destinations for our passengers to explore later in the year. We also look forward to some of our summer sun routes like Antalya, Enfidha, Palma, Faro, Malta, Tenerife, Las Palmas, Marrakech and Malaga running through into the winter giving people great year-round access to these fabulous hot spots.”
According to official Civil Aviation Authority data, London Southend is leading the pack in terms of increased passenger numbers in 2025, with a whopping 130% growth compared to 2024. That’s way ahead of nearest rivals, City of Derry (+34%) and Bournemouth (+26%).
So whether it’s snow-capped mountains, a Christmas market, or one last blast of winter sun – half a million passengers (and counting) can’t be wrong…
