A busy Christmas getaway rounded off another transformative year for London Luton Airport (LLA), with 1.2 million passengers passing through the airport in December, taking the total number of passengers in 2023 to 16.2 million.

2023 was another year of significant investment at LLA, including the launch of the Luton Airport Express rail service and the DART shuttle, reducing the journey time to and from Central London to around 30 minutes.

Inside the terminal, the airport welcomed a new executive lounge and 18 shops and restaurants including Italian diner Nolito, conveyor-belt sushi specialist Yo!, Pan-Asian noodle bar Chopstix and Mexican fast-food outlet Benito’s. There were also upgrades to toilet and washroom facilities and children’s play equipment.

Alongside LLA’s focus on providing a simple and friendly passenger experience, the investment has led to the airport’s best ever customer service scores, with four out of five passengers rating their experience at the airport either very good or excellent*. LLA was also named as the UK’s best airport by readers of the prestigious Condé Nast Traveller magazine. 

LLA’s sustainability and community investment also continued in 2023 with the launch of a new Greener Future Fund; a new grant giving initiative designed to support local environmental and biodiversity projects. Ten community projects benefited from the new initiative in 2023, receiving grants totalling £89,000, whilst the airport also continued its backing for local projects via its existing Community Trust Fund (BLCF), benefiting 23 projects across Bedfordshire with grants totalling £185,000.

Alberto Martin, CEO of London Luton Airport said: “2023, the year in which we celebrated our 85th anniversary, was another landmark year for London Luton Airport. With the launch of the Luton Airport Express and DART, Central London has never been closer. The impact of our ongoing investment, together with a drive to be London’s simplest, friendliest airport, is that passengers are really beginning to notice the difference.”

This year, LLA’s continued focus on delivering brilliant passenger service is being realised through the £8 million development of a 500-seat flagship two-storey restaurant featuring a striking mezzanine floor. In addition, a £20 million refurbishment of LLA’s security hall is already underway, which will allow passengers to leave liquids and electrical items in their hand luggage, with completion expected in time for summer 2024.

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Notes to Editors
* Measured as part of ASQ – a globally recognised airport customer service benchmarking programme

About London Luton Airport

London Luton Airport (LLA) is one of the UK’s busiest airports, carrying over 16.2 million passengers in 2023.

The airport is operated by a consortium, of which the majority shareholder is AENA, the world’s largest airport operator, and InfraBridge, a leading infrastructure investment manager. Airlines include easyJet, Wizz Air, Ryanair, Tui, FlyOne, Sun Express and El Al.

The Luton Airport Express is a new dedicated train service that allows passengers to travel from central London to the LLA terminal in around 30 minutes. The Luton Airport Express runs from St Pancras International to Luton Airport Parkway station and connects seamlessly with the DART, an electrically powered people mover that connects to the airport terminal in less than four minutes.

In 2023, LLA was named the UK’s best airport by readers of the prestigious Condé Nast Traveller magazine. 

LLA is only the third major UK airport to achieve Level 4 of the globally recognised Airport Carbon Accreditation scheme, demonstrating that it is ‘transforming its operations to achieve carbon reductions in line with global climate goals’. With a maximum score of 100 and a five-star rating, LLA has been ranked as a sector leader for two consecutive years in the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) benchmark of sustainability governance management and performance of major infrastructure assets worldwide. To learn about the progress London Luton Airport is making across its sustainability programme please click here

Further information on London Luton Airport can be found here: https://www.london-luton.co.uk/

Contact Details:

London Luton Airport Press Office 
T: 01582 395333
E: pressoffice@ltn.aero

London Luton Airport – PR agency:
E: LLA@tinmancomms.com

URL: https://mediahub.london-luton.co.uk/news/09012024/lla-welcomes-16.2-million-passengers-in-2023