London Southend has taken the top spot in the UK’s airport punctuality rankings, with new UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data revealing that 84% of its flights departed within 15 minutes of schedule.
The latest CAA statistics, covering the second quarter of 2026, show London Southend rising from third to first place among UK airports, overtaking Liverpool and Aberdeen to claim the number one position.
The result also strengthens London Southend’s position as London’s most punctual airport. Its 84% on-time performance puts it seven percentage points ahead of its nearest London rival,
London Heathrow – an improvement from a two-point lead in the previous quarter.
The airport’s table-topping performance comes during a period of significant growth. In the first six months of 2026, London Southend has retained its position as the UK’s fastest-growing airport, an accolade it also achieved in 2025.
Airport CEO Jude Winstanley said:
“In a week that has been dominated by air traffic issues across the country, I am incredibly proud to be able to tell passengers across East London, Essex and East Anglia that if they want their holiday to start – and end – on time, London Southend should be their first choice.
“The airport team were simply not prepared to settle for third place in the UK CAA rankings. They have continued to improve our performance quarter on quarter, and that hard work has now taken us to the top of the table.
“What makes this achievement even more special is that we have delivered it while continuing to be the UK’s fastest-growing airport. We’re growing quickly, but we’re doing it while keeping punctuality and the passenger experience firmly at the heart of what we do.”
London Southend is now looking ahead to a strong finish to the summer season, followed by the launch of five new routes from the end of October: Belfast City, Budapest, Edinburgh, Lyon and Sharm El Sheikh.
The airport will also extend its new summer services to Jersey and Munich into the next season, taking its winter network to 26 destinations, and 30 across the whole year.
The latest punctuality figures underline London Southend’s growing appeal for passengers looking for a convenient, reliable alternative to larger London airports – combining strong on-time performance with an expanding choice of destinations.
Easy. Speedy. Friendly.
