Exeter Airport, a compact single-runway terminal serving a limited number of destinations including Lanzarote, has been ranked the best airport in the UK for 2025 by Which?.
The annual study, based on passenger feedback, awarded Exeter an impressive overall customer score of 80%. It scored a clean sweep of five-star ratings in the areas that matter most to travellers: short queues at check-in, bag drop, and security, excellent staff service, and clean facilities.
This score places it far ahead of some of the country’s busiest hubs. London Heathrow’s Terminal 3 scored just 54%, while Manchester’s Terminal 3 languished at the bottom of the table with 43%.
Exeter’s performance wasn’t flawless; it recorded a 3.1% rate for last-minute cancellations, the third highest in the UK. However, Which? noted this was likely due to its high volume of flights to the often wind-affected Channel Islands and Isles of Scilly.
Queues and Cancellations
The survey also provided a clear breakdown of which airports to choose – or avoid – for specific pains:
- Worst for Cancellations: Southampton Airport had the highest rate of flights cancelled within 24 hours of departure (3.8%). In contrast, Bournemouth (0.03%) and East Midlands (0.17%) were among the most reliable.
- Best for Queues: The top three airports overall – Exeter, Liverpool John Lennon, and London City – all received five stars for speedy check-in, bag drop, and security.
- Worst for Queues: London Stansted and Manchester (Terminals 1 & 3) were singled out for poor queue times, with the latter receiving a dismal one-star rating for its security wait times.
Year-round Flights to Lanzarote
Earlier this year, Exeter Airport announced that it would offer year-round flights to Lanzarote & Tenerife with TUI Airways.
- Lanzarote – new destination for summer 25 which is now offered as year-round destination
- Tenerife – new destination for summer 25 which is now offered as year-round destination
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