UK’s largest airport warns of a “challenging” transatlantic market, citing early signs of weakening business travel due to U.S. economic uncertainty
Jun 30, 2025
Heathrow Airport has issued a cautious outlook for transatlantic travel, citing growing economic uncertainty in the U.S. as a drag on business travel demand. While overall passenger volumes are expected to rise slightly in 2025, early signs of softness on key U.S. routes are raising concerns. The airport, which remains Europe’s busiest, continues to monitor global traffic trends closely and anticipates rising costs may pressure its earnings despite better-than-expected long-haul travel demand.
Key takeaways
- Economic concerns in U.S. impacting travel: Heathrow reports “early signs of softness” in transatlantic business travel, attributing it to economic uncertainty in the U.S. rather than geopolitical tensions.
- Overall growth still expected: Passenger traffic is forecast to rise 0.5% in 2025 to 84.2 million, driven by strong demand in Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.
- Business vs. leisure divergence: While business routes to the U.S. show weakness, leisure travel is proving more resilient.
- Close monitoring of U.S. market: Despite growth in cargo and passengers on North American routes in early 2025, Heathrow calls the transatlantic market “more challenging” and is keeping a close watch on demand trends.
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