First phase of £100m Leeds Bradford expansion to open by summer

The first phase of Leeds Bradford airport’s £100 million regeneration project will be completed in time for summer, with the opening of an extension to the hub’s terminal.

The extra space will accommodate new baggage collection areas, enhanced security facilities, two new customer lounges and more retail and dining options.

The extension will enable the airport to increase its capacity and follows a year of growth in 2024.

Last year saw passenger numbers rise by 5.8% year-on-year to more than 4.2 million.

Alicante remained the airport’s most popular destination in 2024, followed by Dublin and Palma.

The airport has also launched a peaks marketing campaign with the slogan: “Faff Less. Holiday More”.

The campaign will be seen and heard across various platforms, ranging from outdoor advertising to radio, showcasing the benefits of travelling from Leeds Bradford.

After the terminal extension opens, the second phase of the regeneration project will get under way, with a redevelopment of the existing terminal.

Tom Holdsworth, Leeds Bradford’s aviation development manager, said: “It’s great to see numbers of both passengers and flights continue to increase at a good level.

“Our existing partners including easyJet, Jet2, KLM, Ryanair and Wizz Air have continuously increased the number of flights and destination offerings for customers travelling from LBA throughout the year, plus we’ve welcomed SunExpress as a new airline partner.

“2025 is a really exciting year for us as the terminal regeneration really comes to life and we’ll see customers enjoy a new travel experience from LBA in the summer.”