Flying Within the UK and Ireland

UK Regional Airports and the Domestic Network

The United Kingdom has an extensive network of regional airports, many of which handle significant passenger volumes despite their geographic distance from London. Manchester Airport (MAN) is the UK's busiest outside London, handling over 25 million passengers annually and offering long-haul services to North America, the Middle East, and South Asia that were historically available only from Heathrow. Edinburgh (EDI), Glasgow (GLA), Birmingham (BHX), Bristol (BRS), Newcastle (NCL), Leeds Bradford (LBA), Liverpool John Lennon (LPL), Stansted (STN), Luton (LTN), and Gatwick (LGW) complete the main regional network.

London's aviation capacity is served by five airports. Heathrow (LHR) is the primary long-haul hub and the UK's busiest airport. Gatwick (LGW), 45 km south of London, is the world's busiest single-runway airport and serves primarily European, short-haul, and charter routes alongside some long-haul services. Stansted (STN), 48 km northeast of London, is Ryanair's primary UK base. Luton (LTN) serves easyJet, Wizz Air, and Ryanair operations. London City (LCY), uniquely situated 12 km from the financial district, operates with steep approach procedures and serves mainly European business destinations.

British Airways, the UK's dominant full-service carrier, operates its hub at Heathrow Terminal 5—widely regarded as one of the world's finest airline terminals. BA's regional partner Loganair operates the UK's most extensive domestic network from Scottish cities, serving the Western Isles, Orkney, Shetland, and Highland communities where sea conditions make surface travel impractical or impossible. Loganair's Westray to Papa Westray route in Orkney is the world's shortest scheduled commercial flight at approximately 90 seconds of air time.

Budget Carriers and Pricing Dynamics

easyJet operates from multiple UK bases including Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Edinburgh, and Belfast and is the dominant carrier on UK domestic and short-haul European routes. Its orange-uniformed crew and distinctive livery are ubiquitous at British airports. easyJet's FLEXI fares include a larger cabin bag in the overhead locker; standard fares include only an underseat bag. The additional cost for cabin bag overhead placement varies by route and booking time—always check the total fare including bags before comparing.

Ryanair operates primarily from Stansted, Glasgow Prestwick (PIK), and several English regional airports. Its UK domestic network is limited compared to its European reach—Ryanair focuses more on UK–European routes than UK domestic services. Jet2 operates holiday package flights primarily to Mediterranean destinations and the Canary Islands from northern English and Scottish airports.

UK domestic air fares are highly dynamic, ranging from under £30 for advance-booked promotional fares on the Edinburgh–London route to over £200 for last-minute peak travel. The key variable is whether you are flying into Heathrow (where BA and occasionally bmi British Midland operate) or into Gatwick, Stansted, or Luton (where budget carriers dominate). Business travelers needing Heathrow for onward long-haul connections should book early; leisure travelers connecting to Stansted for easyJet European departures have more flexibility.

Alternatives to Flying Within the UK

For many UK journey pairs, train travel is faster, cheaper, or more convenient than flying. The London–Edinburgh rail journey on LNER's Azuma trains takes 4 hours 20 minutes from King's Cross to Waverley—faster city-centre to city-centre than flying when airport transit time is included. The London–Manchester journey via Avanti West Coast takes approximately 2 hours 8 minutes. Advance tickets on these routes can cost as little as £35 and include guaranteed seating without security queuing.

High Speed 2 (HS2) Phase 1, connecting London Euston to Birmingham Curzon Street, is under construction and will reduce Birmingham journey time to approximately 45 minutes when operational. The political and financial uncertainty surrounding HS2 completion beyond Birmingham means its full impact on UK aviation remains to be seen. In the interim, London–Birmingham by Avanti or Chiltern Railways takes approximately 75–90 minutes.

Bus services (National Express, Megabus) and their premium equivalent (FlixBus) are the cheapest option for many UK city pairs, particularly Edinburgh–Glasgow, Manchester–Leeds, and London to various southern cities. Journey times are longer but fares can be under £5 on advance booking. These options are rarely faster than train but serve passengers with flexible schedules and tight budgets.

Ireland: Dublin, Cork, and Connectivity

Dublin Airport (DUB) is Ireland's primary international gateway, handling over 30 million passengers annually and operating from two terminals. Terminal 1 serves legacy and regional carriers; Terminal 2, opened in 2010, handles the majority of long-haul traffic and Aer Lingus mainline operations. Dublin has US Customs and Border Pre-Clearance, allowing passengers flying to US destinations to complete US immigration before boarding—arriving in the US via domestic arrivals rather than international queues.

Aer Lingus, now part of the International Airlines Group (alongside British Airways, Iberia, and Vueling), positions Dublin as a transatlantic gateway with connections from UK and European cities via Dublin to North America. Passengers can check through from Birmingham, Manchester, or Edinburgh to JFK or Boston with a brief Dublin connection, clearing US customs in Ireland. This routing is particularly convenient for passengers in northern England and Scotland who would otherwise face a longer transit through Heathrow.

Cork Airport (ORK) serves direct flights to the UK, mainland Europe, and a limited number of transatlantic charter routes. Shannon Airport (SNN) in County Clare operates a small but strategically important hub, including its own US Customs pre-clearance facility—the world's first, established in 1986. Shannon handles transatlantic charters and a small number of scheduled services. Ireland West Airport Knock (NOC) serves the west of Ireland primarily with Ryanair services to the UK and Continental Europe.