Taylor Swift and Tartan Army help Edinburgh Airport reach record-breaking 15 million passengers

Pop star Taylor Swift and the Tartan Army helped Edinburgh Airport record its busiest-ever year in 2024.

The airport welcomed a record 15 million passengers over the past 12 months – a milestone achieved for the first time at a Scottish airport.

The milestone, reached earlier in December, was partly due to the launch of new routes and several huge set-piece events.

Fans of Swift flew in from all over the world to attend the American singer’s three concerts at Murrayfield in June, while Scotland supporters flew to Germany en masse to support Steve Clarke’s side at Euro 2024.

Furthermore, UAE airline Emirates returned to Edinburgh with a daily service to Dubai and JetBlue entered the Scottish market, providing daily flights to New York during the summer.

WestJet also expanded its presence by adding Toronto and Halifax to its Calgary service.

Edinburgh Airport has already announced new routes and airlines for 2025, including the return of American Airlines and its Philadelphia route, JetBlue adding Boston to its options, and Austrian Airlines entering the Scottish market with its seasonal route to Vienna.

Gordon Dewar, chief executive of Edinburgh Airport, said: “It’s great to hit this major passenger milestone that shows the clear interest that people have in tourism and travel, both to and from Scotland.

“Whether it was supporting Scotland at the Euros, being a Swiftie and singing your heart out at Murrayfield or travelling to a bucket list destination for that special holiday, we’ve been able to facilitate more than 15 million journeys this year at Scotland’s busiest airport.

“That’s an achievement that reflects the incredible spirit of our team, the excitement of our passengers to see the world, and the growing connections we’re proud to foster across Scotland and beyond.

“We’re already planning for 2025 and what it will bring, and we look forward to seeing even more people next year.”