Is Stansted a busy airport?

London Stansted Airport recorded its busiest ever October as nearly 2.6 million passengers passed through its terminal, surpassing the previous record set in 2018.



London Stansted is indeed a very busy airport, currently serving as the third-busiest in London and the fourth-busiest in the United Kingdom overall. As of early 2026, it has achieved a historic milestone by surpassing 30 million annual passengers, driven largely by its role as the primary base for budget airlines like Ryanair. In January 2026 alone, it handled nearly 1.9 million travelers, reflecting a steady growth trend. While it is renowned for efficiency and has recently upgraded its security halls with next-generation CT scanners (allowing you to keep liquids in your bag), the terminal can feel exceptionally crowded during peak holiday periods and early morning "departure banks." Its popularity stems from its vast network of European and North African routes, making it a critical hub for both leisure and business travel within the UK aviation landscape.

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Security screening at Stansted Airport had an average waiting time of 10.9 minutes. 31 percent of respondents from a 2019 survey reported queuing approximately one to five minutes. Only one percent of respondents stated that they had to wait more than 30 minutes before being able to continue to their gate.

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Gatwick can be quicker to get to from London compared with Stansted. Where are you staying, one block off Holborn can mean anywhere in a large area. Gatwick is a much larger airport and maybe is more expensive to get to and further away. Security isn't really any different at either airport.

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It is the only major London airport with significant runway capacity and offers a European route network which is unrivalled in the UK, providing London with more visitors from Europe than any other airport.

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London Heathrow, which handles over 60 million international passengers annually, is the largest airport in the UK.

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There is only one terminal at Stansted Airport. It is a single-level passenger terminal building, making it very easy to navigate. Before check-in, there are toilets, a few shops, and cafes, and a left luggage and bag-wrap facility. There are ATMs and a currency exchange desk and toilets.

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Stansted Airport recorded its busiest day of the year with 100,561 people passing through the terminal on August 18. Stansted has seen 27.1 million passengers since last year, an increase of 40 per cent, with 8.31 million crossing through between June and August alone.

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But is it worth it? The simple answer is both yes and no. It really depends on what kind of traveler you are and what type of travel experience you're looking for. Fast Track security can be a boon during busy periods, though the regular security queue is just as quick during quieter times.

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London Stansted Airport is now open 24/7, with early morning flights scheduled as usual.

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Dublin Airport has 2 terminals but you can check-in, bag-drop and get all Ryanair flights from terminal 1. Passengers can choose from Standard fares, Plus and Flexi Plus, depending on what add-ons you would like to include in your ticket. These include priority boarding, reserved seats and extra baggage.

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Dublin Airport has two terminals. Terminal 1 is the arrival and departure point for airlines including Ryanair, Air France, Flybe.com, Germanwings, Iberia, Lufthansa, Norwegian and SAS.

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Bournemouth Airport may not be one you've ever actually heard of, but that works to its advantage, serving just 693,798 passengers every year compared to the 61,599,196 that use heathrow. Despite this Bournemouth Airport still flies out to numerous different cities across Europe across three different airlines.

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Heathrow Airport in London is the UK's largest and busiest airport as well as being the busiest airport in Europe and the seventh busiest in the world based on passenger traffic. Located in the west of the city, in the London borough of Hillingdon, Heathrow hosts two runways and four operational terminal buildings.

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