Exeter Airport, the regional hub serving Devon and the wider South West, has been named one of the best airports in the country following the latest annual survey from consumer champion Which?.
The recognition, announced in September 2025, saw Exeter crowned a Which? Recommended Provider one of only six airports in the UK to achieve the accolade. It comes after thousands of passengers rated airports across the country on everything from check-in and security queues to food outlets and customer service.
A Survey of Nearly 6,000 Passengers
The Which? survey, conducted over the past 12 months, collected feedback from 5,789 passengers, representing almost 8,000 airport visits. Travellers were asked to score their experiences across a range of categories. These included check-in, security, seating, toilets, baggage reclaim, range of shops, and value for money.
Exeter Airport emerged with an overall customer satisfaction score of 80 per cent — the highest of any airport in the survey. It also secured five-star ratings in several categories, including customer service, check-in, bag drop, and security queues.
Passengers praised the airport’s calm atmosphere, short queues and friendly staff. One respondent described it as offering a “relaxed and stress-free experience,” contrasting sharply with the hustle and long waits often associated with the UK’s larger hubs.
Outperforming Larger Rivals
Exeter’s strong showing meant it finished ahead of much bigger names, including London City, Liverpool John Lennon and Newcastle. While these airports also scored highly, Exeter’s combination of efficiency and customer care pushed it into top position.
Which? analysts noted that Exeter’s smaller scale appears to work in its favour. Handling around half a million passengers each year, the airport avoids the crush of Gatwick or Heathrow while still offering a good choice of destinations.
“Our survey shows that when it comes to airports, bigger is not always better,” said Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel. “Travellers want efficiency, short queues and helpful staff — and that’s exactly what Exeter delivers.”
Recognition as a Recommended Provider
Perhaps the most significant element of Exeter’s win is its new status as a Which? Recommended Provider. This endorsement is only awarded to airports that achieve high satisfaction scores and meet the organisation’s exacting standards.
In 2025 just six airports nationwide made the cut, highlighting how selective the process is. For Exeter, the title is both a badge of honour and a powerful marketing tool as it competes for business in a challenging regional aviation market.
A Regional Success Story
Located just outside the city, Exeter Airport has long played a vital role for travellers across Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset. For many, it offers a convenient alternative to making the long trek to Bristol or London airports.
The airport is currently served by airlines including Ryanair, TUI and Loganair. Perhaps its most significant link is the daily service to Amsterdam with KLM, offering passengers connections to hundreds of destinations worldwide via Schiphol.
In 2025 Exeter Airport served almost 443,000 passengers, slightly below its pre-pandemic highs but still representing a vital gateway for the South West. In total the airport offers flights to 27 destinations, with summer holiday routes to the Mediterranean particularly popular.
The airport employs around 230 people directly, while supporting many more jobs through its supply chain and the local travel industry.
Balancing Strengths and Weaknesses
Although Exeter shone in many categories, the survey highlighted areas where passengers felt there was room for improvement. The range and quality of shops and food outlets, for example, were rated more modestly at three stars. For a small airport, however, such results are unsurprising — the terminal is compact, and choice is necessarily limited compared to the retail malls found in Gatwick or Manchester.
Nevertheless, most respondents saw this as a fair trade-off. “I’d rather get through security in ten minutes and grab a coffee than spend an hour in a queue just to browse duty-free,” one passenger told researchers.
Passenger Numbers in Context
The Which? survey notes Exeter’s relatively modest size, describing it as a “tiny airport” with around 500,000 passengers annually. In reality, figures from the year ending March 2025 put the number at just under 443,000.
While that’s significantly less than Exeter handled before Covid-19, passenger numbers are recovering. Airport management remain optimistic that a strong leisure travel market, combined with ongoing business demand for the Amsterdam link, will push volumes higher over the next few years.
A Welcome Boost for the South West
The award arrives at an important moment for Exeter and for regional airports more broadly. In recent years, many smaller UK airports have struggled to maintain flight schedules, with some even closing. Rising costs, airline consolidation, and the lingering effects of the pandemic have all taken their toll.
For Exeter, being recognised as the best in the country by Which? provides a valuable boost. It may help to attract more airlines and persuade passengers to fly local rather than drive long distances to larger airports.
Stephen Wiltshire, Managing Director of Exeter Airport, said the award was a “fantastic endorsement” of the team’s hard work. “We pride ourselves on making travel as smooth and stress-free as possible. To be recognised by Which? and by the thousands of passengers who took part in the survey is a real honour,” he said.
Why Smaller Airports Appeal
Exeter’s victory also taps into a wider trend: travellers seeking convenience. Smaller airports often provide quicker check-in and security processes, easier parking and shorter walks to departure gates. For families and older travellers in particular, these advantages can outweigh the wider range of destinations at larger hubs.
That said, small airports are not without drawbacks. Limited routes, fewer daily services and higher ticket prices on some flights can make them less practical for frequent flyers or those seeking budget deals. Exeter’s strong customer service scores suggest, however, that many passengers are willing to make that trade-off.
Looking Ahead
As Exeter celebrates its award, attention turns to the future. Passenger numbers are expected to rise gradually, though much depends on airline strategies and the broader economic climate. There is also increasing focus on sustainability, with airports under pressure to reduce carbon emissions and improve environmental performance.
Exeter Airport has said it is committed to supporting the region’s green ambitions. Plans are under discussion to explore more sustainable ground operations and partnerships with airlines investing in cleaner technologies.
For now though, staff and passengers alike can take pride in Exeter’s achievement. For a small airport nestled in the Devon countryside, to beat the likes of London City and Liverpool in a national survey is no small feat.
A Clear Message to Travellers
The message from the Which? survey is clear: good service and smooth experiences matter most. In an era when many travellers dread the airport almost as much as the flight, Exeter shows that small really can be beautiful.
Whether you are flying on holiday from Exeter to the sun-drenched beaches of Spain or making a quick hop to Amsterdam, passengers using Exeter can expect an airport that puts people first.
And with national recognition now secured, Exeter Airport has firmly taken off as one of the UK’s best.
