The growing importance of East Midlands Airport to UK global trade saw its contribution to the national economy surge by more than £2bn last year.
The country’s busiest pure freight operation connects the UK to more than 185 international markets, with more than 400,000 tonnes of cargo passing through the airport last year, up 12.5%.
That accounted for more than a third of all cargo growth across the UK, with the average value of items exported through East Midlands 34 times higher than at any other port in the country.
New data – from experts at York Aviation – shows the airport’s economic impact growing to £6.2bn in 2025, driven mainly by its unrivalled freight operation which supports the success of firms in high-value sectors like advanced manufacturing and life sciences. The new findings show:
- East Midlands’ cargo operation was responsible for around half of the total economic impact, driving £3.4bn of freight-related business productivity
- Operational activity accounted for £2.7bn
- Passenger-related business productivity and inbound tourism made up the remaining £0.1bn
- The airport’s operational impact is strongest in the region it serves, supporting £1.5bn in GVA and 15,430 jobs in the East Midlands
- Neighbouring West Midlands also benefits substantially, with £569m in GVA and 6,520 jobs.
The economic analysis measures the direct impact of East Midlands’ operations, through the 7,500 jobs it supports on site, as well as the indirect benefits it delivers by supporting more than 52,000 jobs throughout the UK economy in 2025 – 7,000 more than the previous year. The analysis also includes business productivity, which is significantly enhanced by the airport’s freight operations, along with inbound tourism.
East Midlands Airport is owned by MAG, which also runs Manchester and London Stansted. The overall group has an economic impact of £29bn. East Midlands plays a pivotal role in the region it serves due to its strategic central location placing it within four hours of 90% of the UK population and within 125 miles of 80% of all major warehousing in England and Wales.
As well as being the main UK base for global logistics giants DHL, UPS and FedEx, it has recently attracted seven new cargo operators including China’s YunExpress, which has developed a new handling facility at the airport.
Last year, goods for export worth £13bn passed through the airport, underlining its importance for high-value, time-sensitive and supply-chain-critical goods. More than half of the goods exported via East Midlands Airport are manufactured in the Midlands, whose industrial landscape is dominated by advanced manufacturing, aerospace, the automotive sector, pharmaceuticals and life sciences, including global brands such as Rolls Royce, JCB, Boots, Jaguar Landrover and Toyota.
East Midlands Airport’s Managing Director Steve Griffiths said: “I’m proud of the huge contribution the airport makes to the economy, which increased by £2bn in 2025, driven largely by the growth in our fantastic cargo operation that plays such a vital role in the UK’s international trade.
“We know how critical high-value industries like advanced manufacturing and life sciences are key to the UK’s industrial strategy and that these sectors rely more than most on access to the world. We’re proud to play that vital role to help them ship high value, time critical items to key global markets, and how this supports almost 22,000 jobs at businesses in the Midlands alone.
“Alongside our plans to grow our cargo operation to maximise its potential, we are in ongoing talks with airlines to expand our passenger network. We continue to offer an effortless experience for four million people a year, enhanced by significant investment in our facilities.”
