Global connectivity is essential for the UK’s economic growth, trade and inward investment, and Heathrow, as the UK’s only hub airport, is uniquely placed to deliver that. Not only via an extensive UK-wide supply chain but by facilitating even more cargo to travel internationally – currently 75% of all UK air cargo (by value) was flown through Heathrow.
Expanding Heathrow and building a third runway will help ensure the UK remains globally competitive and connected to key growth markets around the world.
Heathrow is at full capacity and while we are unable to add new destinations or airlines, competitor hubs airports are expanding rapidly and attracting new routes and investment.
Ultimately, expansion at Heathrow will lead to more jobs, more growth, and more investment for the whole of the UK.
Passengers will benefit from expanding Heathrow, with new routes, both global and domestic.
Increased competition between airlines will provide greater choice, which will lead to lower fares than if Heathrow remains at capacity.
Expansion will also contribute to improving terminal facilities, services, and access at the airport, making every journey better for our passengers.
Heathrow is full, and Istanbul is now Europe’s busiest airport. Recent data already shows Heathrow’s passenger growth trailing the wider European average as rival hubs continue to expand, hubs that have the capacity still to grow further.
Without additional capacity to deliver new routes and attract new airlines, Heathrow risks losing routes, trade opportunities and connectivity to better-resourced international competitors. Other competitor hubs are investing heavily and adding capacity to capture global traffic that once flowed through London.
Heathrow’s proposal includes a third runway at 3,500 metres long and 60 meters wide. This size allows it to accommodate all aircraft types for both long- and short-haul flights.
A longer runway, unlike shorter ones, offers vital respite for local communities and also allows us to accommodate all aircraft types. This allows the full economic benefits of expansion to be realised across all the UK, both now and in the future as we look toward potential next-generation aircraft.
Heathrow expansion is a national growth project with benefits that extend across every region and nation of the UK through increased trade, tourism, inward investment and supply chain opportunities. 60% of the economic benefits will, in fact, be felt outside of London and the South-East.
That’s why it’s supported by chambers of commerce, MPs and airports right across the UK.
Heathrow expansion will complement, rather than compete with, other airports around the UK. This is because Heathrow is the UK’s only hub airport, connects passengers and cargo from all over the world. By pooling freight, passenger and business demand through one airport, it boosts trade, tourism and investment across the UK.
Heathrow enables long-haul connectivity that other airports can’t sustain at scale on their own.
In this way, strong regional airports and a strong hub airport both benefit one another.
In fact, Heathrow expansion could open the door to five additional UK routes, enabling more domestic connectivity. These routes, if operating five days a week, could generate around £335 million in extra tourism spend annually.
That means opportunities for small businesses across the UK to sell their goods around the world, and more opportunities for tourism to UK nations and regions.
No. Heathrow expansion is 100% privately financed. No taxpayer money will be used to deliver a third runway, terminal upgrades, or supporting infrastructure.
This will make Heathrow expansion the largest privately financed infrastructure project in Europe and could boost every UK nation and region with more supply chain opportunities, connectivity, investment and tourism.
Heathrow has extensive experience delivering large-scale projects and plans are developed in consultation with communities, local authorities and regulators to manage impacts.
In the past six years, we’ve completed more than 300 major projects on time and on budget - placing us in the top quartile for timely and cost‑effective delivery in the UK, all achieved in a highly constrained airport environment without disrupting operations.
Terminals 2 and 5 were both delivered on time and to budget, despite Terminal 5 being one
Heathrow has a clear, tested plan to keep traffic moving while upgrading the M25.
A new section of motorway will be built offline, 130 metres to the west of the current road, meaning that construction will happen away from live traffic. Once complete, vehicles will switch over during carefully managed overnight closures to keep motorists moving.
The result will be a wider, safer stretch of motorway with improved junctions that reduce congestion, delivered with minimal disruption and fully privately financed.
Heathrow is operating at 99% as demand for flights and cargo through the UK’s only hub airport continues to grow. Expansion is specifically designed to address these constraints by adding a new full-length runway and additional terminal capacity, that will enable us to make every journey better and deliver the service that our passengers and airlines deserve.
Heathrow is one of the best airports in the world, recently climbing six places to number 16 in the Skytrax ranking of the World’s Best Airports – voted for by passengers - and we are Europe’s most punctual hub, despite operating at 99% capacity.
At the heart of all we do is a commitment to excellence at every stage of the airport experience, whether that is through ensuring there are low wait times at security, increasing our night buses to serve passengers and local communities, or progressing with expansion plans that could give consumers more choice and lower prices.
An expanded Heathrow will enable us to continue delivering the level of service that our passengers and airlines deserve.
No. Expansion plans include significant investment in road and public transport connections to make it easier for passengers, colleagues and local communities to access Heathrow. This includes realigning the M25, building two new large and convenient carparks, investing in local bus and coach links, re-developing the central Passenger Terminal Interchange, and a new Southern Road Tunnel.
All of these will help modernise Heathrow and improve access to the airport.
After decades of debate, there is a strong foundation for expansion. The Government has already confirmed its support for Heathrow’s third runway scheme and launched its public consultation on the framework for future decision on a third runway at Heathrow, under the Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement. We are working on a planning application, a significant step forward for this major growth project. While the project remains complex, the key regulatory and policy decisions expected this year are designed to provide the certainty needed to move into the next phase of delivery.
While Britain debates Heathrow expansion, other rival hub airports are moving ahead. We must keep focused on the prize of expansion which will deliver benefits for passengers, workers, airlines and businesses across the UK.
There will be many opportunities for communities to engage and provide feedback during the process, in addition to all the current and previous engagement that Heathrow has carried out for the past few decades. We take our responsibility as a neighbour very seriously and want to hear the views of those most impacted.
Heathrow will undertake public consultation on its expansion proposals in 2026, and local communities will also be able to share their views throughout the planning process.
Heathrow will continue working with organisations including the Council for the Independent Scrutiny of Heathrow Airport (CISHA) and the Local Community Forum (LCF) to ensure engagement is credible, inclusive and accessible.
Separate consultations will also be held on future airspace and flight path proposals.
The Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) is the Government's 2018 policy framework for increasing airport capacity in the South East of England to support the UK's long term connectivity and economic growth. It sets out why additional airport capacity is needed and the requirements that any proposal must meet.
On 18 June 2026, the Government published the draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement (HENPS), an updated version of the ANPS focused specifically on Heathrow expansion. It reflects changes in policy, legislation and environmental requirements since the ANPS was designated in 2018, including the Government's four tests on economic growth, climate change, air quality and noise.
Following consultation and Parliamentary scrutiny, the Government may formally designate the HENPS. Designation means it becomes the planning policy framework used to assess any future application for Heathrow expansion. It does not grant planning permission or approve a third runway.
Any proposal for expansion would still need to go through the Development Consent Order process, including an independent examination by the Planning Inspectorate before a final decision is made by the Secretary of State.
