NEWCASTLE International airport's passenger numbers are at an all-time high this Christmas.

More passengers are choosing to fly rather than travel by train or car and passenger numbers are increasing on domestic flights from the region.

About 150,000 people will pass through the airport between December 18 and January 3 - a 15 per cent increase on last year.

Chris Sanders, business development manager, said: "We expect an increase of more than ten per cent in domestic passenger numbers compared with last year, as more travellers realise that taking a flight can be the fastest and least expensive option.

"Traffic jams, spiralling train fares and seemingly constant railworks are encouraging people to fly this Christmas. Planes depart from Newcastle International to 13 UK destinations now, since the new Exeter route with flybe began, giving travellers even more choice."

Passengers are also escaping the gloomy UK winter to jet off to sunnier climes - the beach destinations of choice for Newcastle International users this year are Alicante, Malaga, the Canaries and - for the first time - the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheik.

Increasing numbers of people are having a Christmas and New Year with a difference by taking a short European break, with the new destinations of Budapest, Rome and Geneva proving most popular.

EasyJet's new route to Geneva, which began last week, also opens up the winter ski and snow-boarding resorts in France and Switzerland.