UK airports shared the most on social media

With airports marking the start of a new adventure for many travellers, the tourexperts at Explore Worldwide have revealed which airports around the world are getting tagged the most in passengers’ social media posts each day. 

In their latest research, Explore analysed data for over 130 of the world’s largestand busiest airports to determine the number of times each airport’s location tag isincluded in Instagram posts per day. 

The primary location tag for each airport, as well as a number of secondary locations (such as popular bars, shops and terminals within the airport) were analysed to reveal which airport gets the most daily Instagram tags, creating a ranking of social media’s most famous airports around the world.  

In the UK, Heathrow comes out way in front with over 120 Instagram posts from this airport’s locations being uploaded every day.  Manchester airport comes in second place with 40 posts from here uploaded on average every day, and Birmingham airport ranks third, with 39 tags in Instagram posts taking place each day. 

UK’s 10 Airports Shared On Instagram The Most Each Day:    

It’s no surprise that London Heathrow Airport, the busiest airport in the UK, is at the top of the list. The UK’s capital is a bucket list destination for many travellers, but whether they’re arriving or departing, passengers have plenty of opportunities to share social content at this airport.  While waiting for departure, there are plenty of eating options from British pubs, European cafes and full-service restaurants offering a range of cuisine. A few standout quintessentially British options include, the Perfectionists’ Cafe, Gordon Ramsay Plane Food and the Fortnum & Mason Bar. 

Following in second place is Manchester Airport. Manchester is a popular airport for UK travellers to explore other countries from, with regular flights to 174 destinations all over the world. For anyone who has got a bit more time on their hands, the Runway Visitor Park is one of the North West’s most popular outdoor attractions and right next to the airport. The park offers a raised viewing area, which means you can stand literally just a few metres away from the planes as they are taxiing on the runway.

Another Instagram favourite in the UK is Birmingham Airport with travellers sharing 39 posts from this airport every day. Anyone who is looking to get that pre-holiday glow can book a spa treatment at Aerospa within Birmingham Airport. They offer a variety of treatments, anything from manicures and pedicures to massages. 

Liverpool John Lennon Airport (fourth) and London City Airport (fifth) complete the UK’s top five most tagged airports on Instagram.

In the global rankings, Spain’s Santiago de Compostela Airport is revealed as the airport that travellers share to social media the most each day.  It’sone of three airports located in Europe in the global top 15, along with the UK’s London Heathrow (4th) and Manchester airport (15th). The spacious Santiago de Compostela’s terminal is the second busiest airport in northern Spain, and the building offers a lot a lot of natural light, providing the perfect setting for passengers to grab a quick selfie in a relaxing atmosphere before boarding their flight. Despite a European airport taking the top spot, Explore’s research shows that airports in the USA and Asia are the most popular on Instagram. Six of the top 15 most popular airports on Instagram can be found in the USA (Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, O’Hare, Salt Lake City and JFK), and another popular six out are all located in Asia, including Taiwan, Thailand and South Korea.  

More information on the world’s most loved airports on social media can be found here: www.explore.co.uk/blog/most-popular-airports-on-social-media