Gatwick Airport's second runway can proceed to full operational use after the High Court dismissed a legal challenge against the expansion project and refused campaign groups permission to appeal, ending years of planning uncertainty for the London-area hub.
The ruling clears the final legal obstacle to bringing the Northern Runway into full use, with first flights expected to take off from the expanded infrastructure from 2030.
Airlines planning network expansion into Gatwick from 2030 will now have regulatory certainty to proceed with scheduling and fleet planning decisions that had been on hold pending the legal outcome.
Once operational, the runway will support 100,000 additional flights a year, a substantial capacity increase from Gatwick's current network of more than 200 destinations.
For low-cost and regional carriers, the added slot capacity represents a material shift in competitive dynamics at one of the UK's busiest airports, with the additional flight volume expected to widen route choice and put downward pressure on fares as carriers compete for the new capacity.
The government has framed the expansion as delivering 14,000 new jobs across the region and £1 billion in additional economic benefit annually, according to figures cited in the announcement, though these projections have not been independently verified.
Transport secretary Heidi Alexander said, "This is a major milestone for Gatwick for local communities, with expansion unlocking investment and creating thousands of new jobs."
She added, "Around 13 million more passengers and 100,000 more flights will give holidaymakers greater choice and strengthen global links to help make the UK one of the most attractive places in the world to invest."
The government also confirmed £219 million in funding to boost UK sustainable aviation fuel production, alongside a further £43 million allocated to hydrogen-powered and electric flight development.
Both funding commitments were framed as conditions attached to expansion approvals across UK airports, including a proposed third runway at Heathrow, which the government said would need to meet air quality, carbon and noise conditions.
No timeline for construction completion or interim capacity phasing was disclosed alongside the ruling.
