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.
11 September 2026 – 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
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About London Southend Airport
London Southend Airport was the UK’s fastest growing airport in 2025, with a 150% increase in passengers compared to 2024. Last year the airport had the best on-time performance in London, and was #4 in the UK, as well as having the second-best average delay time – at just 10 minutes, 24 seconds.
This year, the airport will offer 30 destinations, with new routes to Belfast City, Budapest, Edinburgh, Lyon and Sharm El Sheikh launching later in the year. Our dedicated on-site train station ensures seamless connectivity, with a 10-minute train-to-gate time and direct services from Stratford, London in 43 minutes and London Liverpool Street in just 52 minutes.
Renowned for sensational customer experience, we manage all key operations in-house, delivering an easy, speedy, friendly journey from arrival to departure. easyJet passengers rank us among the UK’s top airports for satisfaction and our own private London Southend Jet Centre is the fastest growing in the country.