As well as an operational bomber base, Stansted was also an Air Technical Services Command maintenance and supply depot concerned with major overhauls and modification of B-26s.

[8] In November 1946, the recently established British cargo airline, London Aero and Motor Services, equipped with ex-RAF Handley Page Halifaxes, moved into Stansted, using it as a base for its operations until it was wound up in July 1948.

[9] The Ministry of Civil Aviation finally took control of Stansted in 1949 and the airport was then used as a base by several UK charter airlines.

The Inspector's Report was published in 1984 and the decision, announced in a white paper in 1985, was to approve a plan to develop Stansted in two phases, involving both airfield and terminal improvements that would increase the airport's capacity to 15 million passengers per year, but to reject the second runway.

[11] The redevelopment of Stansted into London's third airport began with outline planning permission granted in 1985, for a new terminal building to accommodate up to 15 million passengers annually.

The base of each truss structure is a "utility pillar", which provides indirect uplighting illumination and is the location for air-conditioning, water, telecommunications, and electrical outlets.

The layout of the airport was originally designed to provide an unobstructed flow for passengers to arrive at the short-stay car park, move through the check-in hall, and go through security and on to the departure gates, all on the same level.

[20] In 1999, planning permission was granted for Phase 2 of the terminal expansion, which included extending the width to 15 bays, as well as the addition of the third satellite building.

[14] A major expansion programme to the terminal took place between 2007 and 2009, extending the width by 2 bays, with nearly 5,900 m2 (64,000 sq ft) of floorspace, to give space for additional baggage carousels, a new immigration and passport control hall.

A legal challenge by community campaign group Stop Stansted Expansion was rejected by the High Court in March 2009.

[25] In light of the result, BAA chose not to appeal to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and confirmed on 20 August 2012 that the airport would be sold.

[28] MAG announced on 20 June 2013 as part of a visit to the airport by the Secretary of State for Transport that it would be launching an £80 million terminal redevelopment programme.

[29] The COVID-19 pandemic had a severe impact on London Stansted Airport, leading to a significant reduction in passenger numbers and operational challenges.

[30] As travel restrictions began to ease in July 2021, London Stansted Airport experienced widespread disruption as passenger numbers surged during the summer holidays.

The airport faced staff shortages and increased COVID-19 documentation requirements, leading to long queues and chaotic scenes, with insufficient personnel available to manage the crowds effectively.

[33] In the wake of this recovery, in 2023 Stansted Airport announced a £1.1 billion expansion plan including a £600m extension of the terminal and facilities,[34] to increase its capacity to serve up to 43 million passengers per year.

[citation needed] On 11 March 2008, BAA submitted a planning application (titled "G2") to expand the airport by 3 sq mi (8 km2) and for the construction of a second runway and terminal, etc., in line with a recommendation in the 2003 Air Transport White Paper (ATWP).

Soon after the election, the new government confirmed this, and BAA withdrew its application for planning permission, having spent nearly £200 million preparing for the public inquiry and buying up properties.

On 20 August 2012, after losing a case at the Court of Appeal, BAA agreed to cease challenging the Competition Commission's ruling and to sell Stansted.

On 10 February 2010, Secretary of State John Denham, in an open letter, concluded that the inquiry could not reasonably start until after the general election.

[51] The advocacy group Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE) was formed in 2002, as a working group of the North West Essex and East Herts Preservation Association, in response to the Government's consultation on expanding UK airports and, particularly, runway expansion plans for Stansted Airport subsequently defined in the Air Transport white paper in December 2003.

[53] In July 2023, MAG announced a new proposal for a reconfiguration and three-bay extension to the existing terminal building, which will increase its size by a third.

[55] The new terminal design will incorporate a larger departure lounge, an enlarged security hall, and new amenities, including additional shops, bars, and restaurants.

[57] In December 2016, London Stansted Airport unveiled plans for a new £130 million arrivals terminal aimed to handle increasing passenger numbers and relieve pressure on the existing single-terminal setup,[62] which is the busiest of its kind in the UK.

The principal proposal would have seen the east and west elevations of the terminal clad in two sequences of traditionally mouth-blown, leaded stained glass,[68] along the full 162-metre (531 ft) length of the building.

The artist designed two stained glass friezes and a 6-metre (20 ft) high tower of stained glass[69][70] for a circulation area in the centre of the terminal which, in their composition, echoed elements of Foster's structure; by 1994 the tower had been removed to 'allow greater flow of traffic through the space',[68] and later the friezes were likewise removed.

However, because of the jump in fuel price, weakening economic performance, and worsening credit environment at the time,[164][165][166] all three services to the United States have since been discontinued following the demise of MAXjet Airways in December 2007 and Eos Airlines in April 2008.

Additionally, easyJet, one of the largest operators at the airport at the time, announced the closure of their base at Stansted, which had more than two dozen routes and existed for more than a decade, in August 2020.

[175] The Stansted Airport Transit System connects the terminal to the satellite buildings via a 2 mi (3 km) free automated people mover service, which runs on dual concrete tracks.

The Stansted Express also calls at Tottenham Hale, for the Underground's Victoria line and connections to various destinations in North London and the West End.