Southampton Airport has one runway. The direction that aircraft land or depart depends on the wind direction at the time. This can change several times in a day. Due to prevailing south west winds, around 60% of aircraft movements arrive from the north and depart to the south. However, the direction of runway use is balanced wherever possible, in order to minimise the impact of noise disturbance on any one part of the community.

If aircraft land from the north or depart to the south i.e. from the Eastleigh end, in aviation terms they are described as using runway 20. If aircraft land from the south or depart to the north i.e. from the Southampton end, they are described as using runway 02. These runway numbers are clearly marked at both ends of the runway, as shown above.