MAG begins 2026 with record January

• 4.1m passengers travelled through a MAG airport in January, a monthly record for the UK’s largest airport group
• It recorded a rolling 12-month total of 66m passengers
• Strong operational performance signalled a positive start to the new year 

Manchester Airports Group (MAG) served a record 4.1m passengers in January, a 3.7% increase on January 2025. 

MAG – which operates Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands - saw a rolling 12-month total of 66.2m passengers, up  2.4% year-on-year.  

The Group’s performance was largely driven by record passenger numbers at Manchester Airport. The Northern hub welcomed 2.0m passengers across January - a 5.5% increase year-on-year. The airport’s rolling 12-month passenger total was 32.2m, a 4.1% increase on January 2025.  

London Stansted welcomed 1.9m passengers in January, a 2.0% increase year-on-year. The airport’s rolling 12-month passenger total was 30.1m, a 1.3% increase on last year.  

Home to the largest pure freight operation in the UK, East Midlands Airport handled more than 32,000 tonnes of cargo in January, a 16% increase compared to the same period last year.  The airport served more than 138,000 passengers across the month, a 1.6% increase year-on-year. 

MAG began the year with strong operational performance across all three of its airports. At East Midlands and London Stansted Airport, 100% of passengers passed through security in 15 minutes or less. The figure was 99% at Manchester Airport.  

 Passengers:  

 Cargo: