Popular Countries
24/7 Support
Published 23 Jul 2026 · Updated 8 Sept 2026
Belfast City Airport (BHD) is Northern Ireland’s main city-center airport, specializing in high-frequency UK domestic routes. It consistently ranks among the most punctual airports in the UK.
How many passengers pass through Belfast City Airport each year?
Belfast City Airport handles over 2 million passengers annually, reflecting strong post-pandemic recovery while remaining focused on UK domestic travel.
- BHD processed 2.36 million passengers in 2025, a 1.3% decrease from 2.39 million in 2024, reaching 96.3% of 2019 levels.
- Passenger volume stood at 2.45 million in 2019.
- In 2020, traffic fell by 78% to 542,547, impacted by COVID-19 and the collapse of its then-primary airline partner, Flybe.
- Recovery began in 2021 with 812,424 passengers, increased to 1.66 million in 2022, and rose to 2.12 million in 2023.
Domestic vs International Passengers
Belfast City Airport primarily serves the UK domestic market, with international routes forming a small but growing share.
- Domestic passengers totaled 2.24 million in 2025, making up about 95% of all traffic and decreasing by 1.04% year over year.
- International passengers numbered 119,657, or 5% of the total, saw a year-over-year decline of 2.9%.
| Passenger Types: Domestic vs International | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Domestic Passengers | International Passengers |
| 2019 | 2,329,979 | 125,280 |
| 2020 | 529,603 | 12,920 |
| 2021 | 753,736 | 58,661 |
| 2022 | 1,598,710 | 56,446 |
| 2023 | 2,034,855 | 80,298 |
| 2024 | 2,267,711 | 123,217 |
| 2025 | 2,244,059 | 119,657 |
What is the total number of aircraft operations at Belfast City Airport each year?
Belfast City Airport records around 30,000 aircraft movements per year, operating within its regulated capacity limits.
- In 2025, there were 28,635 total movements, a 5.5% decrease from 2024 and reaching 83% of pre-pandemic activity.
- The airport saw 34,625 movements in 2019, before the pandemic.
- Movements dropped to just 10,359 in 2020 due to travel restrictions and Flybe’s shutdown.
- Operations rebounded to 12,819 in 2021 and 25,308 in 2022.
- Activity continued climbing to 29,282 in 2023 and 30,302 in 2024 before easing slightly in 2025.
Which airlines operate the most flights out of Belfast City Airport?
The airline landscape at BHD has changed significantly since Flybe’s collapse in 2020, with full-service carriers now playing a larger role.
- Aer Lingus Regional (operated by Emerald Airlines) is the largest carrier, flying to 11 UK destinations.
- easyJet follows with 8 destinations.
- Loganair and British Airways serve 2 destinations each, while KLM serves 1.
What are the monthly trends in passenger traffic at Belfast City Airport?
Belfast City Airport shows typical seasonal patterns, with higher volumes during peak travel months.
- July and August were the busiest in 2025, with 222,038 and 218,302 passengers, respectively.
- December and June followed with 202,623 and 201,168 passengers.
- January saw the lowest traffic at 165,373, followed by February with 177,746 passengers.
How many routes are there at Belfast City Airport?
Belfast City Airport operates around 24 scheduled routes, emphasizing consistent service over scale.
- Nine of the 10 busiest routes in 2025 were domestic, highlighting the airport’s focus on UK connections.
- The route network includes major business cities like London (multiple airports), Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
- International services are selective, including Amsterdam (via KLM) and seasonal charters.
- Route stability has improved since Flybe’s exit, with airlines offering more reliable, year-round schedules.
Which destinations are the most popular from Belfast City Airport?
Domestic Destinations
- London-Heathrow carried 606,756 passengers in 2025, making it the busiest domestic route.
- London-Gatwick served 285,884 passengers, maintaining its position as the second-busiest domestic route.
- Manchester handled 209,986 passengers, establishing it as the third-busiest domestic destination.
- Birmingham processed 201,768 passengers.
- Leeds Bradford carried 130,756 passengers, completing the top five.
International Destinations
- Amsterdam carried 99,586 passengers in 2025, serving as the busiest international route and primary European hub connection.
- Palma de Mallorca handled 12,178 passengers in 2025, maintaining its position as the second-busiest international destination.
- Verona Villafranca processed 3,803 passengers in 2025, representing the third-busiest international route.
- Bologna served 3,478 passengers in 2025, completing the top leisure destinations.
- Frankfurt carried 119 passengers in 2025, rounding out the top five international routes.
How much cargo does Belfast City Airport handle annually?
Belfast City Airport handles limited cargo due to its passenger-focused operations and space constraints.
- The airport processed just 3 tonnes of freight in 2025, a 62.5% drop from 8 tonnes in 2024 and 82.4% below 17 tonnes in 2023.
- Cargo volumes have fallen consistently since 551 tonnes in 2015.
- Cargo reached 196 tonnes in 2019, dropping to 49 tonnes in 2020.
- By 2021, the figure fell to 29 tonnes, then rose slightly to 35 tonnes in 2022 before dropping in 2023 and further in 2024.
How many cancellations occur at Belfast City Airport annually?
Cancellation rates at Belfast City Airport vary depending on operational and external factors.
- In 2025, the rate was 2.30%, down from 3.32% in 2024 and 3.60% in 2023.
- The rate was just 0.90% in 2019 but jumped to 2.63% in 2020 during the pandemic.
- It declined to 1.23% in 2021, then rose to 3.74% in 2022 before stabilizing in 2023 and 2024.
What are the main causes of flight disruptions at Belfast City Airport?
- Technical issues, such as component failures, are common causes of delays.
- Extreme weather, particularly high winds, often disrupt flights and are typically classed as extraordinary circumstances.
- Air Traffic Control disruptions, due to system failures or staff shortages, are beyond airline control.
- Industrial action, including strikes, can affect operations and are also considered extraordinary with no compensation requirements.
How much revenue has Belfast City Airport generated each year?
Belfast City Airport generates over £20 million in revenue annually.
- Total turnover reached £28.0 million in 2024, a 19.1% increase from 2023 and the highest in the reporting period.
- Revenue stood at £23.5 million in 2023, surpassing the £22.6 million recorded in 2019.
- In 2020, turnover fell sharply to £6.3 million, down 72% from 2019.
- The airport rebounded with £9.5 million in 2021 and £18.7 million in 2022, reflecting steady recovery.
Related Statistics
- Aberdeen Airport Statistics
- Belfast International Airport Statistics
- Birmingham Airport Statistics
- Bristol Airport Statistics
- Edinburgh Airport Statistics
- Glasgow Airport Statistics
- Inverness Airport Statistics
- London Heathrow Airport (LHR) Statistics
- Newcastle Airport Statistics
What are the notable incidents at Belfast City Airport?
- December 22, 2024: An ATR 72 operated by Emerald Airlines made a hard landing in high winds on arrival from Edinburgh. The nose wheel collapsed, leading to a runway closure and holiday travel delays.
- October 31, 2023: An ATR 72 lost its nosewheel during takeoff from Edinburgh. The crew remained unaware and landed safely in Belfast.
- September 19, 2022: An ATR 72 experienced multiple system failures on approach but landed safely due to the crew’s response.
References
- Aberdeen Airport Traffic Data (CAA) · caa.co.uk
- Airlines Flying from Belfast City Airport — FlightConnections · flightconnections.com
- Belfast City Airport Annual Turnover — Companies House filing history (NI016363) · find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk
- GOV.UK · gov.uk
