United Kingdom: Heathrow Airport has warned that its planned third runway could open in 2039, four years later than the UK government’s original 2035 target, as planning and regulatory hurdles continue to affect the project.
The airport stated that securing planning permission by 2029 remains its priority and that its core scenario has always been to open the new runway within a decade of receiving approval. Meeting the 2035 target, however, would require significant changes to regulations and planning policy, according to Heathrow.
Heathrow stated that the 2035 deadline was an ambitious target and that further steps to simplify the planning process would be needed to accelerate the project. The airport also welcomed government efforts to streamline infrastructure development and remove regulatory bottlenecks.
The Department for Transport (DfT) stated that the project’s timeline had always been ambitious and that the government would continue working with Heathrow and other stakeholders to establish the appropriate planning framework. The department also noted that there is currently no live planning application for the third runway.
The proposed runway forms part of a wider £49 billion expansion and modernisation programme at Heathrow. The new runway itself is estimated to cost about £33 billion, while the broader investment includes terminal improvements and other infrastructure work.
The UK government backed the third runway as part of efforts to support economic growth. The project is expected to create tens of thousands of jobs and increase Heathrow’s capacity, although the expansion has faced opposition from environmental groups and local residents.
The expansion would require major infrastructure changes around the airport. Plans include demolishing hundreds of homes, diverting rivers and rerouting the M25 motorway between junctions 14 and 15 through a tunnel beneath the proposed runway.
Heathrow currently has two runways and operates close to full capacity. The proposed expansion could increase the airport’s annual flight limit from about 480,000 to 720,000, equivalent to almost 2,000 flights per day on average.
The airport has argued that additional capacity is necessary to strengthen the UK’s international connectivity and support economic activity. Heathrow previously stated that the project would be privately financed.
Environmental concerns remain a significant issue surrounding the expansion. Critics have raised concerns over aircraft noise, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions associated with increased flights.
The UK’s climate advisers recently stated that the expansion should only proceed if airlines are required to pay for cleaner aviation. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander stated that the advisers had presented one possible approach, while noting that there were multiple pathways for meeting the UK’s climate obligations.
The government published a draft planning framework for the expansion in June 2026 for consultation. Once finalised, the framework is expected to go through parliamentary procedures, with a parliamentary vote potentially taking place in 2027.
The latest timetable adds another delay to a project that has faced political and legal obstacles for years. Heathrow’s third runway was originally approved in principle more than a decade ago but has repeatedly faced changes in government policy and opposition.
Heathrow stated that it would continue working with ministers, airlines and other stakeholders to progress the planning application. The airport maintains that securing planning permission by 2029 would allow the runway to open within a decade of approval.
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