Summary
- Flights between the United Kingdom and the United States have hit a new record high, with the level of flights growing beyond the post-pandemic numbers.
- British Airways has been the leader on the market between the UK and the US, with Virgin Atlantic, and the big three US airlines, trailing the British airline.
- London Heathrow Airport serves as the primary connection point for transatlantic flights, accounting for over 80% of the total departures from the UK to the US.
According to a new analysis by the aviation analytics company Cirium, flights between the United Kingdom and United States have hit a new record high, with 4,674 one-way flights scheduled between the two countries in July 2024. The market has also grown beyond the pre-pandemic levels.
Up from post-pandemic levels
The company’s statement, shared on July 3, highlighted that on average, a flight departs the UK for the US every 9.5 minutes, while on July 4, which is Independence Day in the US, there are 149 flights scheduled to fly westward across the Atlantic Ocean on the holiday.
Photo: Ceri Breeze | Shutterstock
Meanwhile, flights between the UK and the US are up 1.5% compared to the levels seen in July 2019, with transatlantic flights continuing to rise in popularity following the end of pandemic-related restrictions. Data showed while where there were 1,053 weekly departures on the routes connecting the UK and the US in July 2024, in July 2019, there were 1,040 weekly flights leaving the UK for the US. In addition, over the last ten years, departures from the UK to the US have increased by 21% when comparing July 2024 with July 2014 levels, with demand on the market between the two countries remaining strong.
British Airways dominating the market
Cirium pointed out that ten airlines are scheduled to operate flights from the UK to the US, with British Airways leading the pack, followed by the other UK airline, Virgin Atlantic. The big three US airlines, American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines, respectively, follow the two UK-based carriers.
Photo: Virgin Atlantic
The company’s data also showed that in July, there will be 1,053 weekly departures from the UK to the US, amounting to 284,092 seats and 1.9 billion weekly available seat kilometers (ASK). On average, there are 269.8 seats on a departing flight from the UK to the US. Here is the breakdown of the market between the UK and the US:
Airline |
Weekly flights |
Weekly seats |
Market share (weekly flights, % of total) |
Market share (weekly seats, % of total) |
British Airways |
321 |
93,487 |
30.4% |
33.2% |
Virgin Atlantic |
188 |
54,815 |
17.8% |
19.2% |
American Airlines |
175 |
50,449 |
16.6% |
17.7% |
United Airlines |
166 |
36,202 |
15.7% |
12.7% |
Delta Air Lines |
96 |
22,304 |
9.1% |
7.8% |
JetBlue |
42 |
5,950 |
3.9% |
2.09% |
Norse Atlantic Airways (UK-based AOC) |
34 |
11,492 |
3.2% |
4% |
Aer Lingus |
14 |
4,438 |
1.3% |
1.5% |
TUI Airways |
12 |
3,690 |
1.1% |
1.2% |
Singapore Airlines |
5 |
1,265 |
0.4% |
0.4% |
Total |
1,053 |
284,092 |
100% |
100% |
London Heathrow Airport is the primary connection
Another thing that Cirium data indicated was that London Heathrow Airport (LHR) was the primary airport for transatlantic flights, with 851 weekly departures out of 1,053 (80.8%), leaving the largest airport in the British capital for the US. Another London airport, Gatwick Airport (LGW), has 88 departures, meaning that London accounts for 88.6% of the total departures leaving the UK for the US.
Photo: JetBlue
Other airports on the list include Edinburgh Airport (EDI), Manchester Airport (MAN), Glasgow Airport (GLA), Belfast International Airport (BFS), Newcastle International Airport (NCL), and Birmingham Airport (BHX), with 65, 50, three, two, two, and one departure each, respectively.