Two million passengers are expected to fly from Leeds Bradford International Airport this year - 12 months ahead of schedule.

The target figure was only expected to be reached by the end of next year.

And airport bosses trumpeted LBIA as one of the UK's fastest growing airports.

Managing director Ed Anderson said the increase in passengers was down in part to the emergence of budget airlines offering low cost flights.

"We are now able to offer a wide range of services from low cost carriers including Yorkshire's

Jet 2 and Planet Air," he said. "Thirty-five per cent of Leeds Bradford International Airport passengers are now travelling with budget airline companies."

A total of 207,658 passengers flew from the airport last month, an increase of 37 per cent on the same month last year.

And figures for July and August are predicted to beat those in June due to the school holidays.

Low cost airline Jet 2, which flies out of Leeds Bradford, said its most popular holiday destination is Spain. Flights to Malaga are the most popular, closely followed by Barcelona and Alicante.

Jet 2 plans to increase the number of destinations it offers from the airport next year.

The airport is trying to tap into the increase in numbers by improving facilities. A £5 million catering facility which includes a Burger King, Yates's bar and food village has been opened.

And the surge in the number of passengers has prompted the airport to consider increasing check-in facilities for summer 2004.

But not everyone is escaping to overseas destinations.

Bradford Council is expecting a rise in the number of visitors to the city this summer.

A Council tourism spokesman said: "Over the past few months we have been promoting Bradford as a great place to visit and we have noticed an increasing amount of interest.

"At the Great Yorkshire Show our tourism stand had 1,730 inquiries and gave out more than 500 visitor guides to people thinking about visiting the area."