Flight delays this summer: Manchester worst for delays in UK as European airports face similar chaos

Is my holiday flight likely to be delayed or cancelled? There’s nothing worse than the flight out to our holiday destination to be turned into having to hang around an airport departure lounge eating overpriced sandwiches while looking out the window and just hoping that’s our plane arriving. Some summer flight disruption is inevitable, given the rise in volume, but where do we have more chance of suffering delays?

Manchester Airport topped the charts as Britain’s worst for flight delays throughout all of 2025, with departures running an average of 19 and a half minutes late. New analysis of Civil Aviation Authority figures puts it ahead of every other UK airport for the fourth year running.

Data from the first half of last year showed just 71.5 per cent of flights left on time. Birmingham followed closely with 72.5 per cent on-time performance. Stansted and Bournemouth both sat at 73.5 per cent.

UK airports with the most delays last year

UK airports with the most delays last year.
Here are the main offenders based on official punctuality records:

Passengers have been sharing their experiences online. One regular flyer heading to Malaga posted on X: “Manchester delays are out of control again. Three hours late and no proper explanation. I’m done booking from here in peak season.”

UK airports with highest cancellation rates

Cancellations paint a slightly different picture. Southampton recorded the highest rate at nearly 3 per cent of all flights scrapped last year. Aberdeen and Glasgow also saw more cancellations than average.

European airports causing the most disruption

Across Europe the picture looks eye-rollingly familiar at busy airports. No surprise that London Gatwick posted the highest departure delay rate at 44.2 per cent last year. Barcelona followed at 42.8 per cent, with Paris Orly and Amsterdam also struggling. Lisbon drew particular criticism after departure punctuality dropped sharply to around 49 per cent on-time in some reports.

One traveller caught up in Lisbon queues described the scene on social media: “Absolute chaos at Lisbon today. Stood in line for hours, missed my connection completely. Staff couldn’t cope.”

Airports that performed better across Europe

Some airports managed to keep things moving more reliably. Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm regularly posted stronger on-time numbers than most big European hubs. Istanbul earned top recognition in global punctuality awards for handling complex operations without as many knock-on problems.

What this means if you plan to fly between UK and Spain

Many readers are heading to Malaga, Alicante or Palma from Manchester, Birmingham or Gatwick. Those routes often feel the impact when departure airports run late. Just one little delay at a connecting airport, can have a domino effect. Morning flights tend to suffer fewer knock-on delays than afternoon and evening departures. It’s good to factor this in to expectations. So, take a good book just in case.

Check airline punctuality stats for your specific route before booking, and allow extra time at the airport during July and August. Compensation rules still apply for long delays or cancellations on most UK and EU flights, so keep records of any disruption.
Data like this gives a useful guide, though real-time factors such as weather or air traffic control strikes can change things on any given day. Planning around the airports with better recent records can save a lot of stress on your next trip to Spain.