Exeter Airport has said its passenger numbers have increased by more than a quarter in the past year.

It said more than 450,000 customers passed through the terminal between April and October 2025, an increase of 100,000 people and a 28% rise year on year.

It estimated the total annual figure would exceed 500,000 for the first time since the demise of Flybe in March 2020.

Stephen Wiltshire, the airport’s managing director, said the increase was down to the re-introduction of some European routes and more holiday aircraft operating out of the east Devon airport.

Mr Wiltshire said he hoped growth would continue in 2026.

“Next year, we have already confirmed that TUI will be operating again with a second Exeter based aircraft,” he said.

He said it was hoped a second daily flight might also be added on the reintroduced Amsterdam Schiphol route.

He said he was aware of competition from Bristol Airport but said that provided an opportunity for Exeter to grow further.

“We know there’s demand to fly from Exeter because we are aware of the passengers passing to fly from Bristol.

” As a result, we got additional capacity on Ryanair to Malaga and Alicante and we hope to get more growth in the future “.