Which is the oldest airport in UK?

Summary : Shoreham is Britain's oldest licensed airport and was also used as a military airfield in both World Wars. Flying began in 1910 and an airport was opened in 1911, then known as Brighton (Shoreham) Airport.



Shoreham Airport (now officially known as Brighton City Airport) holds the title of the oldest continuously operating commercial airport in the United Kingdom and one of the oldest in the world. Established in 1910, it served as a pioneering base for early aviators and was the site of the first commercial flight in Britain. The airport features a stunning Grade II listed terminal building that was opened in 1936, which remains an iconic example of Art Deco architecture. During World War II, it served as a base for the Royal Air Force and was a target for Luftwaffe raids due to its strategic coastal location. In 2026, the airport continues to operate as a hub for general aviation, flight training, and private charters. While larger hubs like Heathrow and Gatwick handle the majority of the country's international traffic, Shoreham remains a cherished piece of aviation history, offering a glimpse into the "Golden Age" of flight while serving the modern needs of the South Coast of England.

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It is not as if the city of London planned where to put each airport. They were there when the need for additional capacity appeared; in some cases the airports initially served local municipalities and cargo airlines, later to be used by charter and other airlines when the airports closer to London were full.

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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.

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1930s. June 1930: The airfield was declared operational. 1930 to 1939: The airfield was first called Harmondsworth Aerodrome, then The Great West Aerodrome, and sometimes Heathrow Aerodrome.

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Monaco, San Marino, Andorra, Liechtenstein and the Vatican are States without airports.

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What is the best airport in the world? Singapore Changi Airport was awarded the title of World's Best Airport in 2023 at the World Airport Awards. Changi Airport also won awards for the World's Best Airport Dining and World's Best Airport Leisure Amenities.

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Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport remains the busiest airport in the world with 5.2 million seats in September 2023. The composition of the Global Top 10 Busiest Airports is also the same as last month but there are a few changes to the rankings.

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The title of world's oldest airport is disputed. Toussus-le-Noble airport near Paris was established in 1907 and has been operating since. College Park Airport in Maryland, US, established in 1909 by Wilbur Wright serves only general aviation traffic.

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A great example of an abandoned airport is in Berlin: Tempelhof Airport. A place with an awful lot of history! It was built by the Nazis during the First and Second World Wars, but they never used it as an airport. Nowadays, it is used as an event space and you will also find the largest refugee camp in Germany.

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'London's largest airport, Heathrow, is hemmed in by the suburbs and limited to just two runways,' he explains. 'Because it can't expand, the demand for air travel is met by smaller, single-runway airports around the South-East: Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and Southend.

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The name Gatwick is said to derive from old English meaning (essentially) “Goat Farm”. The London & Brighton Railway opened on 12th July 1841 and ran close to the Gatwick Manor house. The Jordan family sold the land to the newly established Gatwick Race Course Company in 1890.

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The name Heathrow is named after the ancient hamlet Heath Row, upon where the airport is now built. The settlement, which was largely an agricultural area, was demolished fully in 1944 to make way for the development of the airfield.

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Farnborough (1907-Present) Farnborough became the first airfield in the UK in 1905, base to the Army Balloon Factory. Being the epicentre to British aviation research and innovation there have been many aviation firsts at Farnborough. In 1907, British military's first airship designed and built at Farnborough.

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London Heathrow (LHR) is the busiest airport in the UK, handling almost twice the number of passengers as the next entry on the list.

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