UK domestic flights ‘drop by quarter of a million’ over 20 years

A more than halving in UK domestic flights over 20 years pre-dates the collapse of Flybe in 2020, new data suggests.

 

A combination of higher Air Passenger Duty tax, shifting environmental concerns and the ability for airlines to make greater profits from short-haul services beyond the UK could have contributed to the “staggering” decline, according to s study aviation analytics firm Cirium.

 

The results come weeks after Eastern Airways fell into administration.

 

The 213,025 flights scheduled throughout 2025 compare to a peak of 454,375 flights in 2006. 

 

This equates to more than 240,000 fewer flights scheduled this year than 2006, amounting to an average daily reduction of 661 across the UK. 

 

The fall in domestic flights has impacted regional airports with several  closing commercial operations over the past two decades, including Doncaster Sheffield in 2022, Blackpool in 2014 and Plymouth in 2011.

 

Cirium said: “The demise of Flybe, once the UK’s largest domestic operator, during the pandemic in 2020 will also have affected the number of available flights. 

 

“However, the decline was already prevalent prior to Flybe entering administration and a number of routes previously operated by the carrier have since been taken over by other airlines.”

 

The number of available seats has dropped 35% from 39.1 million in 2006 to 25.5 million seats in 2025. This represents 37,000 fewer passengers flying on internal flights each day within the UK.  

 

More recently, flights have decreased since 2024, with almost a million fewer seats available for domestic UK travel this year. 

 

The change in the way people travel throughout the UK coincides with a rise in rail travel, according to the Office of Rail and Road’s passenger rail usage statistics. 

 

The ORR has seen a 50% increase in rail travel from 1.15 billion passengers in 2005-06 to almost 1.73 billion in 2024-05.

 

“The general reduction of internal flights across the UK is driven by a change in customer demand and shifting strategy among airlines which have dropped domestic services following the doubling of Air Passenger Duty rates in 2007,” Cirium noted.

 

Cirium chief executive Jeremy Bowen said: “This reduction over the past two decades shows a staggering change in the way we travel throughout the UK. 

 

“Passengers are looking at more sustainable and affordable ways to travel domestically, so airlines have responded by reducing their internal services and prioritising more popular destinations including Spain, France and Italy.”