National Express has reported strong passenger growth on its Gatwick Airport services at the start of 2026, with passenger journeys increasing by 14% year-on-year in January.
The continued growth follows a surge during the final quarter of 2025, as more passengers chose to travel by coach for their journeys to and from the airport. On some routes serving the airport, growth reached as high as 17%.
The UK’s largest scheduled coach operator provides frequent services throughout the day and night between Gatwick Airport and destinations including London, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff and Birmingham, alongside many other towns and cities across the country.
Javier Martinez Prieto, Managing Director for National Express UK Coach, said:
“Passengers are clearly rethinking how they get to and from the airport, and coach travel continues to offer an affordable and reliable alternative to car and rail travel.
“Growing demand for our coach services supports more sustainable journeys, helping to reduce congestion on the road network while also supporting London Gatwick’s commitments to sustainability, including increasing the use of public transport to and from the airport.
“Alongside our valued partner operators including Edwards Coaches and Jason Edwards Travel, we run the UK’s largest coach network with airport services that drop passengers right at the terminal door for convenience, removing the need to worry about the hassle or cost of airport parking or drop-off fees.”
Hannah Godfrey, Senior Surface Access Manager at London Gatwick, said:
“Coaches are a very convenient and cost-effective choice for airport travel, especially for families or people carrying luggage, so it is great to see more passengers opting to travel with National Express for their London Gatwick journey.
“Coach travel plays a key role in our aim to increase the proportion of passengers choosing public transport, as part of our Decade of Change commitments to sustainability.
“We are dedicated to providing our passengers with a wide range of transport options when travelling to and from London Gatwick and National Express are a key partner in this.”
National Express’ modern coach services link hundreds of destinations across the country, including all major UK airports, with onboard features including leather reclining seats, free Wi-Fi on selected services, USB power sockets and a generous luggage allowance of up to 20kg.
