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London Heathrow Airport has submitted plans for a third runway, aiming to expand the airport’s capacity and possibly welcome low-cost carriers such as easyJet. The proposed two-mile runway would cross a rerouted section of the M25 motorway and could support over 750 additional flights per day across London. If completed, this expansion would nearly double Heathrow's current flight capacity and is projected to create around 100,000 new jobs.
Heathrow’s £21 billion ($27.9 billion) project was outlined in a statement by the airport on August 1, 2025. The airport currently operates at near maximum capacity with almost 84 million passengers passing through in 2024 and close to 474,000 aircraft movements. With government approval secured for the new runway, Heathrow expects its annual passenger capacity could rise to 150 million and accommodate up to 756,000 flights per year.
In addition to the third runway, plans include constructing a new Terminal 5X, three satellite terminals, and expanding Terminal 2. The total investment required for these developments is estimated at nearly £50 billion when including £12 billion for terminal and stand capacity enhancements and £15 billion for modernizing existing infrastructure.
