Newcastle Airport had a record of 4.9 million passengers pass through its gates in 2023.
It also had record-breaking numbers of passengers travelling to the region’s most popular holiday hotspots, the arrival of two new airline partners and progress towards its Net Zero 2035 goal.
The airport's summer holiday traffic to Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus exceeded pre-pandemic levels by 11 per cent, and to American cities such as Orlando, Las Vegas, Boston, and New York reached 105 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.
This has carved a place for Newcastle Airport as the third strongest recovery of traffic to the USA among UK airports.
Nick Jones, chief executive officer at Newcastle International Airport, said: "Last year was a fantastic 12 months for the business.
"Not only did we see our passenger numbers increase again, but our commitment to providing an exceptional passenger experience was once again recognised through two high-profile ‘Best Airport’ awards – one voted for by the UK travel industry and the other being the ‘Routes World’ award voted for by airlines from across the globe.
"Looking forward to the next 12 months, we’re investing heavily in the terminal with over £20 million worth of redevelopment works ongoing in the security search area and departure lounge – all of which will be completed in time for the summer season.
"I can’t wait for passengers to see it."
Airlines, including SunExpress and Greece's flagship carrier, AEGEAN, began operations at the airport.
SunExpress began in March 2023, with choices to Antalya, Turkey.
Meanwhile, AEGEAN started operating twice-weekly direct flights to Athens in June, providing passengers with the option to travel further to Istanbul, Tirana, Bucharest, or Greek islands like Paros, Milos, and Naxos.
In 2023, the airport switched on the first-phase of their solar farm, investing in electric vehicles (EV), and submitting plans for an advanced EV charging forecourt.
The airport's environmental efforts won recognition as a ‘Sustainability Sector Leader’ in the GRESB Infrastructure Assessment in November 2023.
Passenger numbers are expected to continue rising over the next year, projecting over five million passengers, partly owing to more choice of holiday destinations such as Athens, Milan, Barcelona, and Alicante.
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