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getty imagesThe Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said the number of passengers passing through UK airports would be the highest seen on any Christmas Eve since records began in 1972.
It estimates more than 335,000 people will fly into the UK on Wednesday, up 5% from Christmas Eve in 2024, although minimal disruption is expected.
Britain’s roads are also expected to see one of the busiest Christmas Eves since records began, the RAC said, although another motoring lobby says the traffic peak for the season has passed.
RAC said the worst time to travel on Wednesday is between 1pm and 7pm, as millions of people hit the road to get home ahead of Christmas Day on Thursday, causing delays on major routes.
Manchester Airport said it expected about 75,000 passengers to pass through on Christmas Eve, with 208 flights departing from the UK, but that number would halve on Christmas Day. The most popular destinations for Christmas Eve are Amsterdam, Paris, and Dublin.
it expects its busiest December period ever.
Meanwhile, Heathrow says it expects its busiest December period ever, with 152,000 passengers using it on Christmas Day. EasyJet said 558 flights would depart on Christmas Day, part of its “busiest festive season ever”.
Meanwhile, Stansted Airport said Christmas Day would be relatively quiet.
The busiest day of the festive period for air travel was Friday 19 December.
getty imagesMeanwhile, the RAC said particularly tight spots on the roads will be the clockwise northern and western sections of the M25 from mid-morning and the M5 north from Gloucestershire towards the West Midlands in the late afternoon.
While millions of people will travel by rail, the earlier timing of train departures means many more people may end up on the road, leading to even more crowding.
Over the Christmas period, many rail routes will undergo restrictions or closures for maintenance.
National Rail trains do not run on Christmas Day And very few will run on Boxing Day.
National Express coaches have announced that they will operate to 96 destinations on Christmas Day.
Nick Mullender, RAC’s mobile servicing and repairing team leader, said in 2013 that “2025 will be the busiest holiday period since our records began.”
This year’s Christmas Eve is expected to be the busiest ever, as employees are reserving their annual leave days and taking last-minute time off.
Meanwhile, the AA, which provides traffic updates across the UK, said December 19 was the busiest part of the season.
In the run-up to Christmas Eve, it warned that the M27 will be closed in both directions between Junction 9 (Whiteley/Park Gate) and Junction 11 (Fareham East/Gosport) from 8pm to 4am on January 4 for major works at Junction 10.
The closure affects road travel between Southampton and Portsmouth.
Drivers are advised to check tires, anticipate delays, and ensure their oil and coolant levels are correct. As the weather cools, we expect an increase in breakdowns and 4.2 million journeys on the roads.
you can see: How will the weather affect your Christmas travel plans on the road?
you can see it here. The impact on other modes of transportation, like ferries, is significant.
