A 19% year-on-year rise in international passengers in December helped Edinburgh Airport enjoy its busiest year ever in 2015 with more than 11 million passengers.

Edinburgh Airport said it had 11,130,584 passengers in total last year, an increase of over 950,000 from 2014.

International passengers totaled 5,915,166 and domestic passengers totaled 5,215,418.

“Last year we enhanced passenger choice by offering more routes and more destinations — and passengers responded by choosing to fly in and out of Edinburgh Airport in greater numbers than ever before,” said Edinburgh Airport chief executive Gordon Dewar.

“In 2016 we will continue to improve the passenger experience at Edinburgh Airport with a multi-million pound investment in our check-in and baggage systems, an improved retail offering with greater choice products and we aim to expand our range of new routes and destinations in the year ahead.

“I was asked late last year how much more Edinburgh Airport can grow in a country with little over five million people; I explained that it was not the 5 million I was worried about but how the other seven billion across the globe get to visit us.

“Our international passenger figures for December show a 19 per cent year-on-year growth; this is a strong indicator of our global ambitions and gives reason to be optimistic about further growth in the year ahead.”

Scottish Government Minister for Transport and Islands Derek Mackay said: “The airport’s success brings benefits to both the local and national economies.

“By improving our international connectivity, we give Scottish businesses improved access to global markets and make the country even more attractive as a destination for tourists.

“Edinburgh Airport already offers a wide range of destinations, but the Scottish Government’s plan to cut Air Passenger Duty will help encourage airlines to develop new routes as well as help sustain existing ones.”

Meanwhile, Glasgow Airport had its busiest December ever as it reported its largest ever annual increase in passenger numbers.

More than 8.7 million passengers travelled through Glasgow Airport in 2015, an annual increase of 13% – over one million extra passengers.

Glasgow Airport announced 30 new routes and services in the past year and cemented its position as Scotland’s principal long haul airport.

Glasgow’s international traffic rose by 16.8% in 2015.

Amanda McMillan, managing director of Glasgow Airport, said: “Welcoming an additional one million passengers through our doors last year was a huge accomplishment, but by far the most pleasing aspect was the extent to which we bolstered our connections to European cities such as Budapest, Prague, Milan and Bucharest.

“Over the coming months we will welcome two major flag carriers in the form of Air Canada Rouge and Air France, and a new service to Montreal will commence with Air Transat.”