Airport Guide
Edinburgh International Airport
History of Edinburgh Airport
The Scottish capital boasts one of Europe's most vibrant airports, with plans in place to boost passenger numbers and improve transport links over the next couple of years.
As with many British airports, Edinburgh can trace its roots back to wartime, specifically the First World War when the Turnhouse Aerodrome, just outside of the Scottish capital, was established as the northern base for the newly-formed Royal Flying Corps.
Once again, the airport served in the Second World War, with the runway extended to accommodate planes such as the Spitfire, and it was only in the late 1940s that an airport resembling the modern one came into
being, as civilian flights between Edinburgh and London were launched.
The 1950s saw the further extension of the runway, as well as the construction of a passenger terminal building, while the 60s and 70s saw more upgrades and the launch of more domestic flights.
It was only really in the 1980s, therefore, that modern-day Edinburgh Airport took shape, with the introduction of international flights to Amsterdam and Dublin, with these joined by services to Germany and
France in the early 1990s.
Since the low-cost flights revolution of the new millennium, Edinburgh Airport has gone from strength-to-strength, with a new air traffic control tower and a new terminal extension built in 2005 and 2006
respectively.
In 2008 the airport handled just over nine million passengers.
Travelling to Edinburgh Airport
At present, the only means of getting to Edinburgh Airport is by road, though it is located within easy reach of the Scottish capital, as well as the rest of the country.
From the city centre, regular bus services run to and from the terminals, with the Inverkeithing railway station, Heriot-Watt University and the Gyle Shopping Centre also benefitting from the link.
Meanwhile, passengers getting there on their own steam are able to drive from both Glasgow - on the M8 - or from Edinburgh - on the A8 – with little fuss, while the airport is also well-placed for road connections
to Stirling, Perth and the north of England.
Work is currently underway to link the airport with Edinburgh city centre via a light rail link, with the first road trams travelling between the terminal buildings and Princes Street expected to seen by the end of 2012.
Airlines Flying from Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport has established itself as a bustling international air travel base, welcoming passengers on both low-cost airlines and longer-established carriers from dozens of destinations.
Among the national carriers flying in and out of the city are British Airways, which jets down to London; Air France, which flies to France; and Aer Lingus, which provides links to Dublin and Cork.
Meanwhile, KLM flies to Amsterdam, and Lufthansa offers a direct connection to Frankfurt.
Going further afield, Continental Airlines crosses the Atlantic to Newark Airport, while Air Transat offers a direct link to Toronto.
Both easyJet and Ryanair also use Edinburgh Airport as a base. The former low-cost carrier offers cheap flights to more than a dozen domestic and international destinations, including Amsterdam, Belfast,
Bristol, London, Lyon, Madrid, Munich, Nice and Paris.
Likewise, its Irish rival boasts more than 20 routes out of the Scottish capital, including international flights to Berlin, Bologna, Bratislava, Dublin, Malaga, Paris, Oslo, Rome, Stockholm and Tenerife.
In addition, this pair are joined by fellow low-cost airlines Jet2.com, Flybe, Norwegian Air, German Wings and Climber Sterling in offering budget flights from the airport.
The Scottish capital boasts one of Europe's most vibrant airports, with plans in place to boost passenger numbers and improve transport links over the next couple of years.
As with many British airports, Edinburgh can trace its roots back to wartime, specifically the First World War when the Turnhouse Aerodrome, just outside of the Scottish capital, was established as the northern base for the newly-formed Royal Flying Corps.
Once again, the airport served in the Second World War, with the runway extended to accommodate planes such as the Spitfire, and it was only in the late 1940s that an airport resembling the modern one came into
being, as civilian flights between Edinburgh and London were launched.
The 1950s saw the further extension of the runway, as well as the construction of a passenger terminal building, while the 60s and 70s saw more upgrades and the launch of more domestic flights.
It was only really in the 1980s, therefore, that modern-day Edinburgh Airport took shape, with the introduction of international flights to Amsterdam and Dublin, with these joined by services to Germany and
France in the early 1990s.
Since the low-cost flights revolution of the new millennium, Edinburgh Airport has gone from strength-to-strength, with a new air traffic control tower and a new terminal extension built in 2005 and 2006
respectively.
In 2008 the airport handled just over nine million passengers.
Travelling to Edinburgh Airport
At present, the only means of getting to Edinburgh Airport is by road, though it is located within easy reach of the Scottish capital, as well as the rest of the country.
From the city centre, regular bus services run to and from the terminals, with the Inverkeithing railway station, Heriot-Watt University and the Gyle Shopping Centre also benefitting from the link.
Meanwhile, passengers getting there on their own steam are able to drive from both Glasgow - on the M8 - or from Edinburgh - on the A8 – with little fuss, while the airport is also well-placed for road connections
to Stirling, Perth and the north of England.
Work is currently underway to link the airport with Edinburgh city centre via a light rail link, with the first road trams travelling between the terminal buildings and Princes Street expected to seen by the end of 2012.
Airlines Flying from Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport has established itself as a bustling international air travel base, welcoming passengers on both low-cost airlines and longer-established carriers from dozens of destinations.
Among the national carriers flying in and out of the city are British Airways, which jets down to London; Air France, which flies to France; and Aer Lingus, which provides links to Dublin and Cork.
Meanwhile, KLM flies to Amsterdam, and Lufthansa offers a direct connection to Frankfurt.
Going further afield, Continental Airlines crosses the Atlantic to Newark Airport, while Air Transat offers a direct link to Toronto.
Both easyJet and Ryanair also use Edinburgh Airport as a base. The former low-cost carrier offers cheap flights to more than a dozen domestic and international destinations, including Amsterdam, Belfast,
Bristol, London, Lyon, Madrid, Munich, Nice and Paris.
Likewise, its Irish rival boasts more than 20 routes out of the Scottish capital, including international flights to Berlin, Bologna, Bratislava, Dublin, Malaga, Paris, Oslo, Rome, Stockholm and Tenerife.
In addition, this pair are joined by fellow low-cost airlines Jet2.com, Flybe, Norwegian Air, German Wings and Climber Sterling in offering budget flights from the airport.
Find flights today with the Flights Network here to make searching for you easier.
Another article in this series is on London Heathrow Airport or you could use our search for more help