A YouGov poll of people in the West of England has found that support for Bristol Airport’s expansion plans is almost twice as high as opposition.
A YouGov poll of people in the West of England has found that support for Bristol Airport’s expansion plans is almost twice as high as opposition.
The survey found that 44% of respondents support proposals to increase the airport’s capacity to 15 million passengers a year, compared with 24% who oppose the plans. The remaining respondents were either neutral or unsure.
The findings come after Bristol Airport submitted proposals to North Somerset Council last month to increase its current passenger cap from 12 million to 15 million passengers a year.
The airport said the plans would allow it to offer more destinations, including more European city routes and a limited number of longer-haul flights to North America and the Middle East, with onward connections to Asia and other global destinations.
The proposals include around £500m of investment in the airport and local infrastructure. This would include extending the runway to accommodate larger aircraft, increasing terminal capacity, improving passenger facilities, adding more retail and restaurant space, and enabling more passengers to walk directly onto aircraft without needing to use a bus.
Dave Lees, CEO of Bristol Airport, said:
This polling shows that people want to travel from their local airport and value connections – whether they’re travelling for business, leisure, or reuniting with loved ones abroad. Our proposals would directly connect our region with new destinations and boost the economy, creating 1,000 on-site jobs for local people.
The survey also found that 60% of people in the West of England had travelled through Bristol Airport in the past two years, while 73% said they were considering using the airport in the next two years.
Bristol Airport said the polling also reflected changing travel patterns, with 28% of respondents reporting having close family members living abroad. The airport said travel to visit family and friends was a growing market for outbound passengers and inbound visitors.
The poll also highlighted growing interest in more sustainable ways of getting to the airport. Among those who had used, or planned to use, Bristol Airport, 43% said they were more likely to consider using public transport to access it.
The airport said public transport use had increased significantly in recent years, with one in five passengers now travelling to the airport by bus or coach.
Under the expansion proposals, this would increase to one in four passengers, supported by more bus routes using the airport’s new £60m Public Transport Interchange and an additional bus lane on the A38.
The YouGov survey questioned 1,124 adults in the West of England between 27 November and 17 December 2025. The survey was carried out online, with figures weighted to be representative of adults living in the local authority areas included.
