London Heathrow expansion could enable five new UK domestic routes, boosting £335m in tourism spend

New research by Frontier Economics suggests that expansion at Heathrow Airport through a third runway could enable up to five new or restored domestic UK routes. The airports identified as the strongest candidates are Belfast International Airport, Cornwall Airport Newquay, Leeds Bradford Airport, Liverpool John Lennon Airport and Teesside International Airport.

According to the study, these new links could generate around £335 million in additional tourism spending and support thousands of jobs in tourism and hospitality. Heathrow’s existing 13 domestic routes already carried nearly five million passengers in 2025 and are estimated to support £1.2 billion in tourism spending across the UK.

The report argues that Heathrow’s long-running capacity constraints have forced airlines to prioritise more profitable long-haul routes, leading to the loss of some domestic services and pushing passengers to connect through foreign hubs instead.

Heathrow Airport Holdings said expansion would create the capacity needed to strengthen links between UK regions and international markets, while regional airports and business groups urged the government to move quickly with the third-runway project.

Industry representatives and government officials said improved domestic connectivity could boost trade, investment and tourism across the UK, while helping the government reach its target of attracting 50 million annual visitors by 2030.