Manchester Airports Group is calling for a new strategy to promote local airports rather than investing in a megahub in the southeast.
Backing regional airports would give the economy a bigger boost, according to the group, which runs Manchester, Stansted, East Midlands and Bournemouth airports.
The group, the second largest UK airport company, said passenger numbers were up by 10.7% last year to a record 48.5 million.
Manchester’s numbers grew by 7.2% to 22.3 million and Stansted’s increased by more than 16% to 20.9 million.
Its annual corporate social responsibility report showed that the group contributed £5.6 billion in economic activity to the country and employed almost 39,000 people at its airports.
Despite the growth, carbon emissions from the four airports are down by 16% while complaints about noise fell by 24%.
MAG said that the successes underlined the importance of creating a nationwide network of competing airports rather than investing all energies – and taxpayer funding – in a hub in the southeast.
The comment comes months before the government is expected to make a final decision on a new runway in the London area, with Heathrow tipped as the likely site over rival Gatwick.
Heathrow claimed this week that the creation of a third runway would provide a significant net benefit to northern England, with the creation of up to 26,400 manufacturing jobs.
But MAG director of corporate responsibility, Neil Robinson, said the expansion of local airports would provide a greater boost to the nation.
“The figures we are releasing today demonstrate the powerful role that airports across the country play in generating wider social and economic benefit for their local communities and the UK economy,” he told the Times.
“People up and down the country, whether they are looking to travel on leisure or business, or find employment, tell us time again how valuable it is to have access to their local airport.
“Not only does a nationwide network of competing airports provide the best solution for customers, but it also provides an important catalyst for rebalancing UK plc.”