Here are the recent changes at London Stansted Airport that affect how you travel, from new routes and price changes to construction and security rules. This page was last updated in August 2026. It covers what has changed, not today's live status.
Checking live delays and departures today
For today's delays, cancellations and live departure boards, check the official London Stansted Airport website and your airline app, or a flight tracker such as Flightradar24. This page tracks the changes that stick, not minute-by-minute status.
Travel alerts and recent disruption
Live flight arrival and departure status is on the official Stansted Airport website (stanstedairport.com) and via each airline's app. Security queue times and general travel advice are posted on the airport's X/social channels; live road and rail access is on National Highways and the National Rail / Stansted Express feeds.
Passenger records / milestones
- July 2026 to Stansted passed 29 million passengers on a rolling 12-month basis after recording its busiest-ever June (2.9 million passengers in June 2026, up 3.4% year-on-year). The airport projected more than 6.5 million passengers across the peak summer season. (source)
- July 2026 to Industry tracker CAPA confirmed Stansted's record June 2026 traffic and the launch of the next phase of transformation works. (source)
- February 2026 to Stansted reported 1.89 million passengers in January 2026 (up 2% year-on-year), a rolling 12-month total of 30.07 million, and anticipated around 800,000 passengers over the February half-term. (source)
- January 2026 to The airport confirmed it topped 30 million passengers for the first time ever across 2025, a record year. (source)
Construction / terminal works / expansion
- Summer 2026 to The next phase of Stansted's transformation began, building new 'skylink' walkways to connect the main terminal to the satellite buildings and allowing the ageing track transit people-mover to be decommissioned. The wider programme is designed to lift terminal capacity above 40 million passengers a year. (source)
- 2026 to Planning permission was granted to raise Stansted's annual passenger cap to 51 million over the coming two decades, following the airport's application to boost capacity. (source)
- Spring 2026 to An on-site solar farm under construction was due to begin helping power the airport, alongside a security hall extension. (source)
New and ended routes / airlines
- 18 March 2026 to Turkish Airlines began flying from Stansted for the first time, with services to Istanbul up to 15 times a week. (source)
- 5 March 2026 to easyJet launched a new route from Stansted to Paris Charles de Gaulle. (source)
- May-October 2026 to Jet2.com expanded its Stansted summer schedule with new routes to Jerez, Spain (from 1 May), Samos, Greece (from 7 May) and La Palma in the Canary Islands (from 26 October). (source)
- January 2026 to Jet2 marked 15 million Stansted passengers and confirmed further Spain expansion, including a new Almería route from May 2027. (source)
Parking, drop-off or fare price changes
- 19 March 2026 to Stansted raised its Express Set Down (drop-off) charge to £10 for up to 15 minutes, a 40% rise from £7, and introduced a £28 charge for 15-30 minutes. The barrier-free system reads number plates and payment is due online by midnight the next day; missing it triggers a £100 Penalty Charge Notice (£60 if paid within 14 days). The free alternative remains the Mid Stay car park with a shuttle (first 20 minutes free). (source)
Security rule changes
- 2026 to All security lanes now use next-generation CT scanners, so passengers no longer remove liquids or electronics from bags. However, Stansted still applies the 100ml container limit to the 2-litre allowance seen at some UK airports has not been adopted here as of August 2026. (source)
- August 2026 to Coverage of UK airport liquid rules confirmed Stansted keeps the 100ml single-container rule despite its new scanners, unlike Birmingham, Edinburgh and Heathrow which allow up to 2 litres. (source)
More
More: Overview, Taxis, Public transport, Parking, Drop-off, Routes, FAQs.
We recommend a transport partner and may earn a referral fee. It never changes what you pay, and we only list options we would use ourselves.
Last verified August 2026 by the London Stansted Airport Guide editorial team. Prices and timetables change, so confirm the specifics on the official London Stansted Airport website before you travel.