The UK’s ‘worst’ big airport named – as Stansted comes second last | Travel News | Travel

The UK’s ‘worst’ airport has been named. The Telegraph scored the 30 busiest British airports based on almost 40 metrics.

In last place was Cardiff, which had 874,174 passengers in 2024, with 591 points. Last year, 1.93% of flights were cancelled, an increase from 1.45% in 2023. Delays were also an issue, with only 67.2% of flights leaving on time, with an average delay of 19 minutes. It has among the lowest drop-off charges, at £3, and a middling week-long parking charge, at £99. Cardiff Airport is the sixth lowest for connections, only flying to 12 destinations across seven countries. These include Belfast, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Alicante, Dublin, Tenerife, Malaga, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Antalya, Corfu, Dubrovnik, Kefalonia, Menorca, Majorca, Rhodes, Salzburg, and Zakynthos. It is also badly connected by public transport – despite being only a 28-minute drive from the city of Cardiff, public transport takes 86 minutes.

Cardiff Airport is the only airport offering commercial passenger services and cargo services in Wales. The airport is owned by the Welsh Government, operating it as a commercial business.

In second to last was London Stansted, with 613 points. As the third busiest airport in the UK, it serves over 198 destinations across 39 countries. Last year, it had over 29.6m million passengers.

The airport is well connected, with a car journey to London taking 80 minutes, but public transport taking just 67. Just 63.6% of flights left on time last year, with an average delay of 20 minutes.

The UK’s 10 worst airports

1. Cardiff 

2. London Stansted

3. Glasgow Prestwick

4. Bristol

5. Sumburgh

6. London Southend

7. Exeter

8. Leeds Bradford

9. Bournemouth

10. Guernsey