Overall, in the last 18 months the Airport has reinvested £10m in the airfield, ground services equipment and security to support its ambitious growth plans.

Three years ago, the GPA board set out a growth strategy focused on customer growth as the driver for change. Since then, it has sought to build on its market strengths, utilising the Airport’s existing assets to support not only core passenger services, but also to capture a larger share of the cargo freighter market, in which the Airport has significant expertise and experience of handling.

The Airport has successfully established Prestwick Airport as an alternative UK cargo gateway for the Asian market. In May 25 two Chinese flagship carriers opened bases at the Airport bringing scheduled daily service to China, which is transformational for the Airport in its scale.

Glasgow Prestwick Airport CEO Ian Forgie said: “Cargo volumes are set to treble in 2025/26 with the Airport currently handling 21 wide bodied freighters a week and more than 3,800 tonnes of cargo a month.

“This has created more than 150 new jobs at the Airport this year, generating new training opportunities and boosting growth for Ayrshire and the wider Scottish economy.

“Additionally, this positions Prestwick Airport as a first-class export gateway for Scottish exports such as high value seafood and whisky which are in high demand in mainland China and Hong Kong.”

He continued: “For the current financial year, the business has exceeded last year’s performance, already achieving its annual operating target in the first six months to Sep 25, and is continuing to build on its success this year. We have also made a significant investment in airfield improvements and new equipment to support our expanding cargo operation.

“The Airport continues to be an important economic driver for the Ayrshire economy, directly employing more than 450 staff and, together with the successful Prestwick Aerospace cluster, supports over 3,300 full time equivalent jobs.

“A recent Economic Impact Assessment undertaken by the Scottish Government estimated that in the Year to 31 March 2023 the Airport generated £26.6m of benefits in GVA terms and unlocked secondary and wider GVA impacts of between £161.4m to £230.8m and £65.4m to £65.8m respectively.”

Prestwick Airport’s reputation for handling military customers from NATO-aligned countries is well known, most notably the RAF, the US Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Its extensive facilities and apron space, and the experience of handling VVIPs was once again proven this summer with the handling of the President of the United States visit to Scotland along with the Prime Minister of the UK, the President of the European Commission and the Vice President of the United States.

In addition, the Royal Navy operating base at the Airport continues to serve as an important location from which to protect the UK’s nuclear deterrent, with the Airport an important strategic partner for the MoD in its plans now and in the future.

Ryanair celebrated their 30th year of passenger operations at Prestwick in 2024 and the Airport enjoyed a successful passenger season with additional frequencies added and a 4% year on year increase in passenger numbers. The Airport remains an important base for Ryanair who operate an Aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facility onsite which employs more than 600 people. In November 2024 Ryanair completed a £5m investment in their training facility on the airport campus, which will create up to 500 new engineer and mechanic training positions.

GPA chair Willie Mackie said: “This is the sixth year in a row the airport has returned a profit, and this momentum is clear evidence that the Airport’s strategic focus is not only working but setting a strong foundation for long-term success.

“The performance this financial year to date has been exceptional. The last six months and in particular the growth in the Airport’s cargo operations has been truly transformational and I would thank our staff for their passion and support in helping to deliver real results not only for the Airport but for the wider Ayrshire economy.”

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “These impressive results show that Glasgow Prestwick Airport continues to be a valuable economic asset for both Ayrshire and Scotland.

“This strong performance would not have been possible without the work of the management team, the board and the workforce, which has established an excellent reputation for service quality in a competitive international market.

“I am determined to see Glasgow Prestwick Airport continue to grow and prosper. The fact the airport has already achieved its revenue targets for 2025/26 six months early is testament to the strengths and strategic direction the airport is developing in an incredibly competitive market.”