Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and other BAA airports could be closed by a series of strikes in January after workers voted two to one in favour of action in protest at company plans to close a final-salary pension scheme.
However, the union Unite has chosen not to disrupt holiday traffic.
Officials have called 24-hour strikes on January 7 and January 14 and a 48-hour stoppage on January 17-18, declining the opportunity to call action from December 27 onwards.
All seven BAA airports will be affected, the others being Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Southampton.
Unite represents 5,000 airport workers, including firefighters and security staff, and any walk-out by these staff would shutdown traffic despite airline calls for BAA to put contingency plans in place.
The delay in action does leave time for fresh talks and BAA has said it is keen on a negotiated resolution. However, union officials accuse BAA’s Spanish owner Ferrovial of intransigence.