Birmingham Airport Targets Long-Haul Growth in North America and Asia
Birmingham Airport (BHX) is on a growth trajectory, with passenger numbers surging to 11.4 million in 2023—a 19.6% increase from the previous year. Situated in England’s Midlands, BHX boasts a strategic location that serves over 10 million people within a 60-minute journey. The completion of the HS2 rail project by the end of the decade will bring BHX just 37 minutes from central London.
The airport currently offers flights to over 130 destinations, with major low-cost and leisure carriers like Ryanair, Jet2.com, TUI, and easyJet maintaining bases at BHX. Full-service European carriers such as KLM, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Air France, and SAS have long served BHX, alongside long-haul operators including Qatar Airways, Emirates, Air India, and Saudia. BHX aims to serve 18 million passengers by 2033 and is expanding its reach to more destinations in Asia and North America.
New and Expanded Routes
In March 2024, easyJet launched a new base at BHX with three aircraft, offering 33 routes. New destinations for winter 2024 include Hurghada (Egypt), Rovaniemi (Finland), Prague (Czech Republic), Marrakech (Morocco), Krakow (Poland), and Reykjavik (Iceland).
Jet2.com will introduce flights to Jerez and Costa de la Luz in the summer 2025 schedule, adding to this year’s new routes to Tivat, Bergen, and Gdansk. SunExpress has increased services to Turkey with up to 25 flights a week to Antalya, Dalaman, and Izmir. Ryanair, which added a seventh aircraft this summer, has introduced new routes to Tirana, Paris, and Derry. Turkish LCC Pegasus has also expanded services to Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen.
New Long-Haul Opportunities
BHX is seeking to strengthen long-haul connections, including unserved routes to:
- New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
- Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)
- Greater Toronto Airports Authority (YYZ)
- Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK)
- Changi Airport Group (SIN)
Additionally, BHX is looking to enhance service on underserved routes to:
- Budapest Airport (BUD)
- Lisbon Airport (LIS)
- Copenhagen Airports A/S (CPH)
- Milan Airports – SEA (MXP)
- Athens International Airport (ATH)
Leveraging Routes 360
As a member of Routes 360, BHX has listed multiple route opportunities. Routes 360 supports route development by providing access to the latest industry information, helping identify new opportunities, and building brand presence. Explore available routes and join the largest network of route planners by requesting a demo today.