UK's Best And Worst Airports: What Are The Odds You'll Get Home For Christmas?
Promo Code: BOOKIES
You might hear Chris Rea's dulcet tones this festive period singing about Driving Home For Christmas and wonder what your travel plans are going to look like this Christmas. Given the number of delays on the roads and on the railways in the UK, it makes more sense to hop on a plane to get from one end of the country to the other.
More and more people are doing this to get home that bit quicker to see their family and open up the Baileys. If you're travelling by air, you're at the mercy of airports getting you there on time. But are there any that are more reliable than others?
At Bookies.com, we have analysed the flight data from the Civil Aviation Authority, which controls all UK airports, to find out which airports cancelled the most flights in December last year, and which experienced the longest delays in flights taking off to help you decide on your airport of choice this festive period.
Promo Code: BOOKIESBG150
What Are The Odds Of Not Making Home For Christmas?
No one wants to hear the dreaded PA system announce that your flight has been cancelled, but these things might happen more often than you think. Our research shows that's only the case at some airports, with a few having remarkably few flights cancelled.
Indeed, if you're setting off from Bristol, your confidence should be sky high that your flight will get you home on time if last year's numbers are anything to go by. On the opposite end of the scale, flyers from Southampton airport were left disappointed more than any others in December last year.
Having gone through the numbers of each, we have come up with virtual odds for which airports are more likely to provide the disappointment of cancellations compared to others. These odds were made for entertainment purposes only and are not something you can bet any money on:
| Airport | Likelihood Of Getting A Flight Cancelled |
|---|---|
| Southampton | 7/1 |
| Belfast City | 10/1 |
| London City | 12/1 |
| Glasgow | 16/1 |
| Leeds/Bradford | 16/1 |
| Gatwick | 20/1 |
| Liverpool | 20/1 |
| Heathrow | 22/1 |
| Edinburgh | 25/1 |
| Newcastle | 28/1 |
| Aberdeen | 30/1 |
| Manchester | 35/1 |
| Luton | 40/1 |
| Birmingham | 50/1 |
| Stansted | 50/1 |
| Belfast International | 55/1 |
| East Midlands | 75/1 |
| Bristol | 150/1 |
Give Southampton a Miss, Fly From Bristol Where You Can
Domestic flights, you'd be forgiven for thinking, would be easy flights to put on. But, it turns out, you have just as much chance of having a flight cancelled flying domestically than any other time. If you regularly use Southampton airport to fly from, you might have experienced the frustration of a flight cancellation. The airport, one of the smaller ones in the UK, saw a higher percentage of flight cancellations than any other airport in the UK last December.
Southampton had 1,257 flights take off in the month, and, for one reason or another, 93 (7.3%) had to be cancelled to the frustration of passengers.
Promo Code: BOOKIES
Next on the naughty list for this year's data is Belfast City Airport, where 166 (6.4%) of the 2,437 scheduled flights were cancelled. Those dealing with a flight cancellation at Belfast City Airport, or George Best Airport as it is officially called, could look to find an alternative flight from Belfast International Airport, which is just 21 miles down the M2 and seems to be a much more reliable option.
Bristol did the unthinkable and had a completely blemish-free month from 4,798 flights. So if you're anywhere in the vicinity and needing a flight out, then Bristol would appear to be the obvious choice.
There were four further airports that had a cancellation percentage lower than one percent. You should feel pretty happy if you're flying from Birmingham, Stansted, Belfast International or East Midlands too.
Promo Code: BOOKIES
Bring A Book If You're Flying From Gatwick
We're told to get to the airport in plenty of time to avoid delays, which most of us adhere to. So when we stick to this rule, one of the biggest frustrations is to find out the flight you've turned up two hours early for has been delayed.
So which airports are you most likely to be delayed at? At Bookies.com, we've got you covered.
Gatwick was officially the worst UK airport for average delay time in December 2024. Passengers were still on the ground for an average of 26 minutes when flying from the UK's second most popular airport. Plenty of time to read a newspaper or get a chapter or two in on your book.
Stansted, Belfast International and Bristol might be the best of the best for avoiding cancellations, but you might be left twiddling your thumbs for longer waiting for the planes. Each of those had an average delay time of over 20 minutes.
Promo Code: BOOKIES
East Midlands did an incredible job last December. Not only did they have just 11 flights of 2,555 cancelled, they also had the second-shortest average delay time of 13 minutes. Aberdeen just pipped it to the post with an average delay time of 12 minutes.
Delays are common at airports across the world, but as long as those delays are kept to a minimum, passengers will be prepared to put up with them. And it certainly beats driving home for christmas - the mode of transport, not the song!
About the Author
Caesars Palace Online Casino MI Promo Code BOOKIESLAUNCH: Get $1,000 Bonus (Dec. 2) 
5 Best Real Money Online Casinos & Online Gambling Sites for December 2025 
Hard Rock Bet Promo Code: Bet $5, Get $150 In Bonus Bets (Dec. 2) 
BetMGM Casino No-Deposit Bonus: Sign Up Today to Get $25 Bonus (Dec. 2) 
Caesars Sportsbook Live Streaming: Watch NFL & CFB On Caesars App 
Sweeptastic Casino Review: Get Free SC Coins Bonus For December 2025
Comments