Heathrow Airport saw traffic grow by 6% in 2024 to a new record of 83.9 million passengers, with pre-tax profits increasing by 31%.

Britain's Heathrow Airport reported a jump in annual profit after passenger numbers rose to record levels in 2024, weeks after the government threw its weight behind the hub's expansion project as it seeks boosts to trade and economic growth.

Heathrow airport plans to pay its owners a dividend for the first time since the pandemic, as it reported record passenger numbers ahead of a new tilt at building a third runway. The airport said on Wednesday that it would pay a dividend of £250mn to its shareholders in the coming weeks — its first payout since just before the pandemic struck in February 2020.