Edinburgh Flights
Direct Flights
You save a lot of time and risk of losing your luggage by avoiding an extra flight leg, if you can find a direct flight. Continental Airlines started a long haul route to Edinburgh from New York in 2005, and more long haul routes are beginning to open up. There is now quite a large number of flights from Continental Europe direct to Edinburgh, for example you can fly direct from Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Munich, Copenhagen and Brussels to Edinburgh, amongst others. If your journey begins in the UK, You can fly direct to Edinburgh from London airports, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, Southampton, Inverness and Wick, amongst others. Latest news on direct flights to Edinburgh can be found at www.flightmapping.com.
Alternative Airports
The time spent travelling overland from another airport can be less than the connection time of an indirect flight. Glasgow, Newcastle and Prestwick are all within reasonable travelling distance and offer some extra flight choices.
Glasgow Airport
Glasgow airport is less than 2 hours away from Edinburgh on a motorway road, or by bus (around £5). Direct Long haul flights are available from Dubai and Newark amongst others.
Newcastle Airport
There aren't any additional long haul choices, but Newcastle has flights from a different selection of European airports. Newcastle airport is on a direct road to Edinburgh, about 2 hours drive. Just leave the airport, turn right and keep heading north. You can also get the Metro into Newcastle station and take the train to Edinburgh.
Prestwick Airport
Prestwick is the hub for Ryanair, one of the largest budget airlines. There is a large choice of European destinations. Getting to Edinburgh will take 2-3 hours, either north to Glasgow then follow the M8 to Edinburgh (motorway) or follow the A71 direct to Edinburgh (an "A" class road, a bit slower).
Budget Airlines
Budget airlines have come and gone from Edinburgh airport in the past few years. The gamble is, will it be gone before you have completed your visit and arrived safely home? Personally I trust Easyjet becasue it seems to be financially stable and has been around for a long time. We have used them from Edinburgh and Newcastle on several occasions. Ryanair also appear stable but get some bad press because of the extent of their cost cutting. I used them a few years ago between Edinburgh and Dublin and it was fine (they are adding more Edinburgh flights but most go to Prestwick). The Edinburgh based budget airline Flyglobespan has now been operating for a few years too, and seem to be growing at a steady rate offering flights from a number of airports. However, having seen the collapse in September 2008 of large expanding airlines like Zoom and XL, there can be no guarantees so make sure your payments are insured or underwritten, whoever you fly with, and remember that a last minute replacement flight could cost more than the original one.
Arriving at Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh airport is changing all the time as they never seem to stop adding to it. However, this is what it was like the last time I was there (February 2008)
Customs and Baggage Reclaim
If you got on the plane outside the UK, you will arrive at the international arrivals area at the West end of the terminal for passport control, baggage reclaim then customs clearance. Domestic flights normally take you to the main departure lounges, where you can go downstairs to baggage reclaim in the public part of the airport. This is at the East end of the terminal so if someone's picking you up, better make sure they know where you will arrive. If you began outside the European Union and changed plane at another UK airport such as Heathrow, you will arrive as a "domestic" arrival but your bags will come out on a different belt, in an area slightly separate from the main belts and watched over by a customs official.
Onward travel
Car rental firms have offices in the terminal building. It is cheaper and easier to book your hire in advance. Outside, you can get a taxi (£15-20) or the airport bus (Airlink 100) into the city centre. There is no train but there are plans to build both train and tram links to the airport in the future. If you are going to Fife, Airdirect747 run a bus service from the airport to Inverkeithing Railway Station via Gogarburn Royal Bank of Scotland and Ferrytoll Park and Ride. Their stance is at the West end of the terminal, the opposite end from the Airlink 100 bus. The cheapest and slowest way is the Lothian Buses service 35, which costs the standard £1 flat fare.
Copyright (c) Neil McKenzie 2005-2008
