Glasgow International Airport

Glasgow International Airport is the second largest airport in Scotland by passenger numbers and is Glasgow’s main airport. Not to be confused with Glasgow Prestwick Airport (which is used almost exclusively by Ryanair.)

There are direct flights to more than 70 destinations in the UK and worldwide from Glasgow Airport which is used as a base by budget airlines easyJet and Jet2 as well as the major package operators (Thomas Cook and Thomson Fly.)

British Airways and bmi both operate flights to a number of London airports where you can connect to the rest of their international network. There is a daily Emirates flight to Dubai connecting to flights all over Asia, Africa and Australasia. Another handy route from Glasgow International is the twice weekly Iberia service to Madrid. Depending on connections this can allow you to access Iberia’s extensive South American routes without having to transit London when travelling to Madrid.

Other long-haul routes operating from Glasgow Airport include New York (Continental) and Philadelphia (US Airways) as well as a number of Canadian cities (with Canadian Affair.)
 

Getting to Glasgow Airport

By Car

Glasgow Airport is located near Paisley which is around 8 miles south west of Glasgow. Just off junction 28 of the M8 Glasgow Airport is easily accessible by car. The Glasgow Airport postcode for your SatNav or for the AA route planner is PA3 2SW.

As well as serving much of Scotland, Glasgow International is actually just as easy to reach as Manchester Airport from parts of the North West of England, less than 1.5 hours from Carlisle. It isn’t motorway driving all the way though, after following the M74 to its end in Glasgow, you will need to travel through the outskirts of the city to pick up the M8.

With most airports you can save money by parking a little further from the airport, but when it comes to Glasgow Airport parking the difference can be more pronounced. For ease of transfer probably the easiest place to park is in the short stay car park which is a short walk from the terminal. At £21 per 24 hours though, the cost can add up massively. Compare this to the Airparks Glasgow service which charges just £17.99 for a week, and it is clear that it really is worth the 10 minute bus transfer for the £129 saving! If you really want to park within walking distance of the terminal, it is actually cheaper to book a night at the Holiday Inn Express with Holiday Extras. Your overnight accommodation, a hot breakfast in the morning and parking for one week comes to £93.99 and still works out cheaper than paying for the short stay car park! Save more than £50 and have a leisurely start to your holiday.

By Train

There is no train station at Glasgow Airport; the nearest station is Paisley Gilmour Street which is just a mile away.

There are 8 trains per hour from Glasgow Central to Paisley Gilmour Street (5 per hour on Sundays) taking just 15 minutes. This makes Glasgow Airport very accessible by train from all over Scotland and the north of England. There are hourly direct services from Birmingham to Glasgow Central which stop at a number of train stations in the North West that are less than 2 hours from Glasgow.

From Paisley Gilmour Street station to the airport there are regular bus services (number 66 and 300). Remember to buy your ticket all the way through to Glasgow Airport and this bus service will be included in your ticket price. If you would rather take a taxi to the airport, this will cost around £5. From Glasgow Central train station taxi fares are around £18 – £20, alternatively you could take the Glasgow Airport bus.

By Coach

The Glasgow Airport Bus (route number 500) operates 24 hours a day from both of the city’s main train stations as well as the Buchanan Bus Station to Glasgow Airport. The journey takes 25 minutes and an open return ticket costs £7 (one way £4.50).

National Express and Megabus do not sell through tickets to Glasgow Airport, if you want to travel by coach simply book a ticket with either company to Buchanan Bus Station and connect there to the Glasgow Airport Bus. You can’t pre-book tickets for the Glasgow Airport bus itself, just buy them on the vehicle.

 

Staying at the Airport: Glasgow Airport Hotels

As Glasgow Airport is Scotland’s second largest airport and operates a number of long-haul routes you may find yourself travelling a reasonable distance to get to the airport. If you have an early flight or a long journey you may want to consider staying in a Glasgow Airport hotel.

If you are spending a night at the airport, the following two hotels are the number 1 and 2 rated hotels at Glasgow Airport (from independent traveller reviews.)

Premier Inn at Glasgow Airport

As well as being really good value (at £55 per night), the Premier Inn is also very conveniently located. The walk from the hotel to the airport terminal is an easy one (around 5 minutes) and there are often trolleys from the airport outside the hotel.

If you don’t want to walk then the hotel also operates a shuttle bus to the airport (the bus departs on the hour and half past the hour, 24 hours per day.) You will need to book your bus on check-in, the night before your journey to the airport. The shuttle bus to Glasgow Airport costs £2 per person and children travel free. Do consider whether you need the bus though, it stops at the far side of the terminal and frankly the walk to check-in is roughly the same as if you just walk from the hotel. It is still worth considering if you have reduced mobility as you will be able to get airport assistance from the bus stop, but not from the hotel.

Holiday Inn Express at Glasgow Airport

The Holiday Express is actually in Glasgow Airport, so it really can’t get any more convenient. They also include breakfast which is served from 4am so if you have an early flight you don’t need to miss out.

With this hotel it isn’t all about the location though, the service is often complimented on traveller review sites and the price is very reasonable. This hotel offers particularly good deals with parking so if you are planning on parking at the airport it really is worth thinking about staying the night too. You can stay the night at the Holiday Inn Express, park for a week and actually spend less than just paying for airport parking.

Glasgow Airport Lounges

The Sky Lounge at Glasgow airport is arguably one of the most family friendly in the country. Kids aren’t just allowed in on sufferance, they have their own ‘kids zone’ with toys, DVDs and games consoles, all the sorts of things you need to keep them happy and out of mischief at the airport. This can be a very stress free way to start a family holiday.

The lounge isn’t just for the kids though, there are a choice of snacks, drinks (including alcoholic) and entertainment for adults too. There is also an adult only area to the lounge, so if you aren’t travelling with kids you don’t need to be disturbed by other people’s!

Where can you fly to from Glasgow Airport?