Here's what Edinburgh and Glasgow airports' booming passenger numbers did to their profits
Scotland’s busiest terminals handled 10 per cent more travellers last year
Profits at Scotland’s three busiest airports have soared thanks to a continued post-Covid expansion in passenger numbers.
Edinburgh, the country’s dominant airport, saw its profits increase by nearly three quarters to £144 million last year from £88m in 2023, according to newly-published accounts.
Previously announced figures showed its terminal handled a record 15.8m passengers in 2024, nearly 10 per cent more than the 14.4m the previous year, and 7 per cent ahead of pre-Covid levels.
At Glasgow, profits were up by 80 per cent in 2024, from nearly £41m to £73m.
The west coast airport’s accounts revealed the passenger total increased by nearly 10 per cent from 7.4m to 8.1m, but it remained below the pre-pandemic level of 8.8m in 2019.
Meanwhile, Aberdeen’s profits tripled from £4m to £12m, with passenger numbers increasing by nearly 2 per cent to 2.3m.
Edinburgh declined to comment on its profits increase, but it told The Scotsman last year in relation to a previous rise from £79m in 2022: “More airlines, routes and passengers in turn leads to more spend from passengers throughout the airport.”
Edinburgh Airport’s new flights last year included JetBlue to New York, WestJet to Halifax and Pegasus to Istanbul, along with the resumption of Emirates’ route to Dubai - the world’s busiest international hub - for links to Asia and Australia.
They are among 161 destinations served by 36 airlines from Edinburgh, with new flights this year including JetBlue to Boston and the resumed American Airlines link to Philadelphia. Last year’s total fell by nine, partly because Wizz Air switched two routes to Glasgow and axed a third.
Edinburgh said its goal was to “provide a world-class operation by delivering sustainable growth through choice, whilst balancing the needs of its stakeholders and managing risks responsibly”.
Glasgow said its passenger numbers had also been boosted by Jet2, EasyJet and TUI basing more aircraft there.
Edinburgh spent £52m in 2024 (up from £30m in 2023) on upgrades, including on new security scanners, terminal facilities and aircraft taxiways.
The total has been ramped up to £80m this year as part of Edinburgh’s “most ambitious” expansion yet to keep pace with increasing passenger numbers, as The Scotsman revealed in May.
This will include new aircraft parking stands, more flight departure gates and an expansion of the terminal’s south-east pier.
The airport’s loans and debt increased from £1.1 billion to £1.4bn. Glasgow’s were virtually unchanged overall at just over £1bn.
Edinburgh’s owner, Global Infrastructure Partners, sold a majority 50.01 per cent stake to French airports group VINCI in a £1.27bn deal that was confirmed in June last year.
Glasgow’s spending nearly tripled from £5m to nearly £15m, such as on improvements to the terminal, car parks and runway.
It plans a major overhaul of the terminal as part of a £350m package announced by owner AGS Airports in April that will also cover Aberdeen and Southampton.
AGS said the biggest terminal improvements for 11 years would create “best in class operational and retail facilities” to “significantly enhance the passenger experience”.
The firm was sold to airports group AviAlliance in a £1.53bn deal in November last year.
AGS overall made a £6m profit after a £14m loss last year, which it described as “encouraging”.
A spokesperson said the company was in a “robust” position, although Southampton’s losses increased from £10m to £12m.
Passenger numbers increased by nearly 13 per cent to 900,000.
The spokesperson said: “This is an encouraging set of results that reflects our ongoing efforts in attracting new routes and growing passenger numbers across our airports.
"AGS is in a robust position, and we are confident in our ability to build on this momentum, seize new opportunities, and further strengthen the role our airports play in driving the economic and social prosperity of the regions we serve."
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