London Luton Airport (LLA) is set for its busiest day on record on Friday 29 May. The record figures come as the airport prepares to welcome the final wave of half-term sunshine seekers, alongside thousands of Budapest bound Arsenal FC fans with their sights set on UEFA Champions League glory. 

With additional flights arranged for Budapest, and excitement levels reaching fever pitch, the record-breaking day will see approximately 33,000 passengers depart from LLA. The milestone figure will round off another hugely successful half-term for the airport which is forecast to welcome 600,000 passengers between Friday 22 May and Sunday 31 May. 

While the biggest fixture in European football will ensure Budapest is the star attraction for many, families travelling over half-term are also taking advantage of LLA’s fantastic selection of sunshine destinations. Family favourites Alicante, Malaga and Palma top the list of sunny escapes, while Wizz Air’s recently launched raft of Spanish destinations including Bilbao, Seville and Valencia, are also proving a huge draw. Meanwhile, airport figures reveal that city-breakers are favouring the surrealist skyline of Barcelona, the milk bars of Warsaw and the romance of Paris, Rome and Verona.  

Clare Armstrong, Head of Guest Experience at London Luton Airport, commented: “The London Luton Airport team is well prepared and truly excited for the busiest day in the airport’s history. As you would expect with the airport’s location, we have seen huge demand from Arsenal fans flying out for the UEFA Champions League Final and excitement is already building across the airport. Plans are in place, and our teams are all prepped to ensure a smooth, simple and friendly passenger experience to all those travelling on the day and across the half-term week.” 

Passengers flying from LLA can simplify their trip by capitalising on the airport’s hugely popular free Prebook Security service. The service allows passengers to skip security queues by reserving a 30-minute slot ahead of their arrival at the airport. Reservations can be made from four days before a flight, and up to 60 minutes before arrival at the airport.   

Passengers can also now enjoy another great British tradition at LLA – the meal deal, following the opening of a new landside Sainsbury’s Local, the supermarket’s first airport store in England.  

-Ends- 

Notes to Editors 

How does Prebook Security work? 
1. Book your appointment slot up to 4 days before your travel date.  
2. On arrival at the airport, make your way to the security area and scan your boarding card at one of the signposted “Prebook Security” gates. 
3. Upon entry to the security area, head to the left where you'll find signs for "Prebook Security". A member of our security team will be waiting to welcome you and scan your QR code. 
4. You will then be directed to the front of the line. 

Prebook Security operates on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Fast Track security remains available for those who require more flexibility. 

About London Luton Airport

London Luton Airport (LLA) is one of the UK’s busiest airports, 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 Jet2, easyJet, Wizz Air, Ryanair, Tui, FlyOne, Sun Express and El Al.

The airport is owned for community benefit by Luton Rising, a company wholly-owned by Luton Council, which has invested more than £500m in front-line, voluntary and charitable services since 1998.

The Luton Airport Express allows passengers to travel from central London to the LLA terminal in around 30 minutes. The service 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 2024, LLA was named European Airport of the Year (10-25 million passengers) by ACI EUROPE, and in 2025 LLA received the highest possible rating of 'Very Good' in the annual Airport Accessibility report published by the CAA, assessing assisted travel service performance.

In 2023, LLA also achieved 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 four consecutive years in the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) benchmark of sustainability governance management and performance of major infrastructure assets worldwide.

LLA continues to be a major employer and a key economic driver in Bedfordshire — supporting 28,000 jobs and contributing £830 million per year to the local economy. 

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

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

URL: https://mediahub.london-luton.co.uk/news/21052026/lla-set-to-enjoy-its-busiest-day-on-record