Teesside Airport has beaten the past 11 years of passenger numbers in just the first nine months of 2023, new figures have revealed.

As 2023’s summer season of flights draws to a close, it was revealed that the award-winning Teesside Airport welcomed 178,523 passengers through its terminal between January and September this year – more than each year’s full 12-month figures since 2011. If the final three months of figures remain the same as last year, the airport will have beaten 2011’s year-end numbers, after seeing 217,000 people use the airport.

September was the best month for over a decade, with 27,178 people flying out of Teesside to get the last of the summer sun.

  • The BUSINESSiQ Awards are back for 2024 - nominate your business heroes HERE

This summer has seen the airport enjoy its busiest period since returning to public ownership in 2019 with passenger numbers up 25% year-on-year and has seen the strongest recovery of any UK airport since the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Northern Echo: There has been plenty of work inside the airportThere has been plenty of work inside the airport (Image: Press release)

Holidaymakers will be able to travel to Alicante, Bulgaria, Corfu, Faro, Majorca and – new for 2024 – the popular destination of Dalaman, Turkey.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “The numbers don’t lie – we’ve consistently been able to shout about our growth, have been recognised by the Civil Aviation Authority thanks to our post-pandemic recovery and now these figures are the icing on the cake.

“Just five short years ago before we bought the airport, many people would have found it unthinkable that our airport could break the 200,000-passenger barrier any more, let alone be successful in scooping an award. These figures show we were right to bring the airport back into public ownership and there’s a huge appetite for local people to fly from Teesside when they travel.

“As we look to the 2024 season, I’ve no doubt we’ll be hitting even more milestones thanks to our popular routes and easy, relaxed and friendly airport experience.”

Elsewhere on the airport site, progress is continuing at pace on the first unit of the Airport Business Park South which, along with the new Link Road, is set to be completed in the coming weeks. Work is now also set to begin on a new 27,000sq ft airport hangar after planning permission for two new structures was granted. Both of these projects are helping the airport grow for businesses, not only passengers, and diversify its revenue streams.

Teesside was also named UK and Irish Airport of the Year at the TTG Travel Industry Awards in London after winning recognition for its growth in flights and delivering a great passenger experience.

It is also in the running for the British Travel Awards for Best UK Airport, and is the only national airport going up against global competition in the International Airport Review’s Airport Experience Award.