Sunday is set to be the busiest day of the Christmas and New Year getaway at Gatwick as thousands of travellers head overseas.
Bosses at the airport hope the great escape will mark a turnaround in confidence following the September 11 attacks on the United States.
A spokesman said passenger numbers would not be released until January but 19,000 were expected to have flown off on Christmas Day and 46,000 on Boxing Day. The spokesman predicted another 300,000 people would fly out over the New Year period.
Sunday December 30 was expected to be the busiest single day, with about 74,000 passengers jetting off.
BAA Gatwick managing director Roger Cato said: "Christmas is always a busy, exciting time at the airport.
"With people returning home or travelling to see their families and friends for the holidays, there is a special atmosphere here."
The top five destinations over Christmas and New Year have been Orlando, Tenerife, Dublin, Malaga and Amsterdam.
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