Record numbers expected to jet off from Gatwick this Christmas

Passenger numbers at the airport are expected to be 48 per cent higher on December 25 than on Christmas Day last year - with total traffic over the Christmas period up by more than 9 per cent on last year.

Half of the top ten destinations on Christmas Day are long haul flights to locations such as Orlando, Goa and Las Vegas, with Dubai the most popular destination.

Gatwick’s Chief comercial officer Guy Stephenson said: “More and more passengers are wising up to the fact that flying on Christmas Day can bring with it big savings, and we expect to see a huge surge in demand compared to last year.

“Here at Gatwick, we have an incredibly dedicated team of people who will be giving up their own Christmases in order to ensure our passengers go safely on their way, as they would on any other day of the year.

“This has been another record-breaking year for the airport and it seems only fitting that we end it with an equally strong Christmas.”