The Civil Aviation Authority’s latest trends report confirms that 2025 was the busiest summer since records began for UK aviation. Over 90m passengers passed through UK airports from July to September, and it will only get busier. UK airports are striving to accommodate this growth, with numerous expansion plans proposed or already underway. These bring a host of opportunities for suppliers, contractors and specialist service providers to be part of the solution.
Third runway and increased supply chain investment for Heathrow
As the UK’s busiest airport, Heathrow’s capacity is increasing to 756,000 flights and 150 million passengers a year. For this reason, plans for a third runway have been backed by Ministers, with the aim to be operational by 2035. The £33bn scheme will involve a new 2.2-mile (3.5km) north-western runway, which will cross a section of the M25 motorway. Full planning permission is anticipated by 2029, provided that this meets the government’s “four tests” that include environmental, economic, noise and air quality considerations.
Furthermore, at Heathrow’s 27th Business Summit, which brought together nearly a thousand SMEs, plans were announced to double supply chain investment to £2 billion per annum for H8, starting in 2027.
Gatwick Airport’s second runway to support capacity
As the UK’s second busiest airport, Gatwick is in urgent need of expansion. Costing an estimated £2.2 billion, a new scheme was announced to bring its emergency runway into routine use. The plan will see the existing emergency runway moved 12 meters to the north, enabling it to be specifically suitable for narrow-bodied planes, such as the Airbus A320 and the Boeing 737. When this second runway is fully operational, Gatwick will be able to accommodate approximately 386,000 flights per year, a considerable increase to current levels.
To support this increased flight and passenger capacity, we expect to see exciting developments across the two terminals, as well as new car parking, road networks and supporting infrastructure.
Luton airport expansion to align with new Universal theme park
Luton’s current annual passenger capacity is 19 million, with approximately 14,000 people employed to support this number. In April 2025, the Government announced approval of the London Luton Airport Expansion Development Consent, which includes new terminal capacity, taxiways and surface access changes. The expansion will also align with Universal building its first European focussed theme park in nearby Bedford. With Luton being the closest airport, there will be a cumulative effect on the local economy and an increase in passenger numbers at the airport, which could increase to 32 million and an additional 11,000 new jobs would need to be created to support this.
Proposed Stansted extension to enhance passenger experience
Stansted Airport is underway with their expansion plans. The scheme will utilise an area of three bays to the rear of the terminal building, to allow the security hall to be extended and the introduction of the latest check-in technology. There will be a more spacious departure lounge, incorporating a diverse variety of new bars, restaurant and retail units. The immigration hall will also be expanded and there will be additional baggage reclaim belts in the arrivals area.
The scheme aims to improve overall passenger experience and will drive greater economic growth in the region; with strong potential of an additional 5,000 jobs created and a doubling of the GVA, to £2 billion per year.
Manchester Airport multi-million-pound revamp project underway
When completed, the new-look Terminal 3 will be bigger, with a new entrance, more facilities, brand new security equipment and new shops and hospitality concessions on offer. It will also provide passengers with 40% more seating.
As works on the decade-long, £1.3 billion project to rebuild and double the size of Terminal 2 conclude, it will become the airport’s main terminal, catering for more than 70% of its passengers. This will enable the airport to close Terminal 1 and some of what would become redundant space to be utilised for the Terminal 3 expansion, as these two terminals are joined.
Bristol Airport set to begin next phase of a £400 million transformation
In July 2025, Bristol Airport opened a £60m Public Transport Interchange, which forms part of its wider transformation programme, that has been designed to improve passenger access. A further £60 million investment will see beneficial improvements to the airport, such as new facilities and twice the number of shops and restaurants, with an additional seventeen new units included in the design. Numerous premium retail brands and dining options, as well as additional seating areas, will provide an enhanced experience for passengers.
Birmingham’s significant investment to boost capacity and drive sustainability
In October 2025, Birmingham Airport announced a £300m investment plan to boost capacity to over 18 million passengers. The focus will be on terminal upgrades specifically for retail, F&B, baggage systems and various airfield improvements, such as to stands and the runway itself. A commitment to sustainability will see a new solar farm being built and better integration with HS2’s Interchange Station, via a new people mover.
How can Aviation Supply Chain help drive opportunities
As a professional, supportive, and forward-thinking facilitator, the aim of Aviation Supply Chain is to bring the airport supply chain together – not just for visibility, but to build meaningful, strategic partnerships. We connect verified suppliers with multiple airport buyers across the UK, without duplicate forms, fragmented outreach, or guesswork. Suppliers only need to showcase their experience once and they are then fully visible to procurement leads across the platform. Buyers gain access to shared intelligence, credentials and supplier performance, which in turn cuts friction and increases trust.
At Aviation Supply Chain, we make it easy to:
- Connect with the right airport contacts
- Discover new project opportunities
- Build partnerships with other aviation businesses
- Increase visibility within the airport and the entire aviation community
Every interaction on our portal is designed to harness opportunity and to deliver tangible value. Aviation Supply Chain is about turning experience into momentum.
