UK-US flights forecast to hit record highs in July

The independence day celebrations have helped bump UK-US travel to record levels in July.

Flight numbers from the UK to the US are expected to reach record levels this month, according to projections from the aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Some 4,670 one-way departures are expected from Britain in July, coming in at an average of one every 9.5 minutes.

The figures are boosted by today’s Independence Day celebrations, with 149 flights scheduled to depart the UK on 4 July alone.

Flights between the UK and US are also up 1.5 per cent on pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Over the last decade, UK to US transatlantic services have increased by more than 21 per cent as demand for travel between the nations soars.

The growing strength of the dollar has prompted US travellers to book trips to Europe in recent years. Revenue from European trips at the likes of Delta Airlines and United Airlines has soared in recent years, alongside a rise in fares.

Richard Evans, Ascend by Cirium’s Senior Consultant, said: “We saw the North Atlantic market leading the long-haul recovery in 2023, driven by the post-Covid travel surge in general, plus favourable exchange rates for US tourists visiting the UK.

“Cirium’s latest schedules data shows that 2024 is turning out to be another record year.”

Heathrow, which recently reported a record year of annual passenger traffic, saw numbers to North America rise 11.7 per cent year-on-year to 20.3m.

Ten airlines are currently offering direct flights from the UK to the US this month, with British Airways taking the lead, followed by Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines, United and Delta.