The incredible £10bn airport that's Europe's busiest and getting even bigger

Europe has many busy airports, but none are quite as crowded as London Heathrow. According to data from travel analysts OAG, Heathrow was the busiest airport in Europe in 2024, with 51.5 million seats available across domestic and international flights.

The airport's own figures show it handled a record 83.9 million passengers last year. That made it the fifth busiest airport in the world by total passenger numbers and the second busiest for international travel. Heathrow also had more international flight connections than any other airport in 2024, based on official reports.

The airport sits just 14 miles west of central London and is the largest of six international airports serving the capital.

It began as a small airfield in the 1930s and grew rapidly after World War 2.

Today, it covers more than 12 square kilometres, with four passenger terminals, two main runways, and a separate cargo terminal.

Heathrow is the main base for both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, and is used by more than 89 airlines flying to 214 destinations in 84 countries.

The airport is run by Heathrow Airport Holdings, which is owned by a group of international investors.

These include Ardian (32.61%), Qatar Investment Authority (20%), Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (15.01%), GIC (11.20%), Australian Retirement Trust (11.18%), and China Investment Corporation (10%), according to Heathrow's website.

Back in 2023, former majority owner Ferrovial agreed to sell its 25% stake in Heathrow for £2.4 billion, according to Fortune. That deal valued the airport at around £10 billion.

Now, plans are being developed to expand the airport further.

Heathrow says a larger airport would create more space for passengers and help meet future travel demand.

The expansion plan includes a third runway, new infrastructure, and upgrades to terminals. It also aims to improve punctuality and reduce delays.

According to Heathrow, a formal proposal will be submitted to the Government in summer 2025.

The airport must then apply for a Development Consent Order, which will be reviewed by the Planning Inspectorate.

The expansion is classed as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, which means it cannot be decided by a local council and must go through a special government process.

No final decision has been made yet. Heathrow says it is still reviewing details and will not move forward until it receives feedback from the Government later this year.