Top Ten UK airports in 2011 by total passenger traffic

The information below contains data from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data for 2011 regarding the top ten busiest airports in the United Kingdom by total passenger traffic.

• Heathrow (LHR)

Heathrow Airport (LHR) in the London Borough of Hillingdon was opened for public use in 1946 and is located 15 miles outside of London. It is one of the best known airports in the world.

Heathrow Airport welcomes traffic from all over the world and provides its UK passengers with access to more than 170 worldwide destinations. In terms of total passenger traffic Heathrow Airport handles more international passengers than any other airport around the globe.

Welcoming over 68 million passengers every year, it is one of the busiest airports in the world and offers all travellers a range of the best facilities around including airport parking, shops, bars, cafes, airport lounges and even an art gallery.

• Gatwick (LGW)

Gatwick Airport (LGW) began life in 1931 as a private airfield but expanded to offer package holidays and access to various worldwide travel destinations in the 1970's.

Gatwick Airport is located just 28 miles outside of London and has excellent transport links that make it an ideal airport to fly from.

Gatwick is the second busiest airport in the UK and one of the busiest airports in Europe. Today, more than 33 million travellers pass through Gatwick airport heading to more than 200 destinations around the world.

• Manchester (MAN)

Manchester Airport (MAN) is one of the UK's largest airports and is incredibly popular with more than 18 million passengers passing through one of its three terminals every single year.
Manchester Airport is located in the Greater Manchester area. The airport was initially a small military airport that opened in 1938. Manchester Airport played a major part in World War II but it has really come into its own since it was renamed from its initial moniker of Ringway Airport in 1986.

• Stansted (STN)

BAA owned Stansted Airport is officially the fourth largest and busiest airport in the UK today.
Around 18 million passengers travel through Stansted Airport every year and the number of these travellers is going up every year.
Stansted was originally a World War II US Airforce bomber base and was opened to commercial passengers in the 1960s after the package holiday became affordable and popular. There is just one terminal at this airport but plans have been submit to expand the site in future.
The facilities at Stansted are fantastic including conference rooms for business, Internet access points, Wi-Fi access, cash points, bureau de change, car hire stands, multi-faith chapel and extensive disabled facilities, including induction loops, wheelchair access and disabled toilets.
There is a train station that goes directly in to the terminal so getting to Stansted airport is easy.

• Luton (LTN)

Luton Airport is located 32 miles outside of Central London. This airport is one of the most popular airports in the UK and a firm favourite with people that do not want to go into London.

Luton Airport has one terminal that offers flights within the UK and Europe with more than 10 airlines. It's no wonder that around 9 million of people pass through this airport every year. Currently, most of who travel on EasyJet planes as the airport is that particular airline's home.

Luton Airport opened in 1938, although few passengers headed through the terminal until the 1950s. The numbers have increased significantly since the 1980's with the popularity of package holidays playing a major part.

• Edinburgh (EDI)

Edinburgh Airport is located about 12km from the city centre. Edinburgh airport is one of the largest and the busiest airport in Scotland.

In 2011 Edinburgh saw just over 9 million travellers pass through. This demand has increased since renovations and expansion that took place in 2001 and Edinburgh Airport has been put to excellent use as a result.

BAA has owned Edinburgh since 1971. Edinburg Airport was actually founded in World War I when it was used as an aerodrome and shortly after the war it was adopted by the RAF to be the home of the Royal Flying Corps. The airport persisted as a military base until the 1970's when it became necessary to use it commercially to take full advantage of the latest traveller trends.

• Birmingham (BHX)

Birmingham Airport is perfectly positioned in the Midlands. It was formerly known as Birmingham International Airport.
The airport opened in 1939 and offers both domestic flights within the UK, and international flights to destinations including Europe, Middle East, Pakistan, America and the Caribbean.

Birmingham Airport handled a record 9.6 million passengers back in 2008 but passenger numbers have declined since then to around 8.5 million travellers in 2011, making Birmingham the seventh busiest UK airport

Birmingham Airport has two terminals. The airport features some great shopping and many eateries with multiple options for cheap airport car parking facilities.

• Glasgow (GLA)

Glasgow Airport is located just 8 miles away from the city centre.
Glasgow Airport has been operational as a commercial airport since 1975 and prior to this was an overspill RAF base for those stationed at Renfrew.
Glasgow Airport have been made big changes in recent years with several expansions having been completed and now the airport is bigger, better and busier than ever with than 6 million travellers heading through Glasgow Airport in 2011. This makes it the second busiest airport in Scotland.

Various travel providers and airlines fly from Glasgow to locations all around the world.

• Bristol (BRS)

Bristol Airport (BRS) is located in North Somerset and has an approximate annual passenger throughput of around 5.5 million people making it one of the smaller airports having only 1 terminal building.
In regards to ownership as of April 2011, the shareholders comprise of Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund and MAp Airports.

Bristol Airport now offers flights to more than 85 destinations using approximately 15 airlines and 80 tour operators.

It has sufficient airport parking facilities including meet and greet services or self-parking options.

• Liverpool (John Lennon) (LPL)

Liverpool John Lennon Airport or simply Liverpool Airport is one of the oldest airports in the UK today founded in 1930. , Liverpool Airport was initially known as Speke Airport and was designed to be a commercial airport from day one.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport is located just a few miles away from the city centre. The airport is currently owned by British Aerospace and offers more than 5 million passengers access to more than 60 destinations around the world.