Belfast is blessed with two airports, Belfast International and Belfast City. As you might expect, Belfast City Airport is much closer to the city than the competition.

Bombardier (originally Short Brothers) built the airport to support their aircraft manufacturing business at the site. Commercial traffic commenced in 1983 and the airport is served by a number of airlines.

Belfast City or Belfast International?

Interestingly, Belfast International Airport is served by low cost carriers such as Ryanair and easyJet. These are the two main carriers at that airport.

On the other hand, Belfast City is served by full service carriers such as KLM, British Airways and Aer Lingus. Flybe serve a number of regional UK destinations also.

Transfers by Rail

Sydenham Train Station is a short walk from the terminal at Belfast City Airport. Catching the train from Belfast Central Station is the cheapest way to get to the airport, with a one way fare costing just £1.90.


People all over Northern Ireland can take the train from their home to this airport. It is very convenient though passengers with a lot of luggage may prefer another option.

Transfers by Taxi

Hailing a taxi from the city centre of Belfast and going to the airport will cost around £10.00. This would be a good option for people who are a party of a few people or those with hefty luggage.

As the airport is so close to the middle of town, the taxi fare reflects that. Taxis to Belfast International are much pricier due to it being 21 kilometres or 13 miles away.

Transfers by Bus

The Europa Bus Centre is located in the centre of town behind the Europa Hotel. The 600 bus runs to and from the airport every 30 minutes. This costs £2.50 for a single ticket or £3.80 for a return.

It is a big pink bus which is very hard to miss when it pulls in to the bus centre. You pay the driver as you board into an interior which continues the pink theme. Journey time is around 10 minutes.

Overall Thoughts

It is quite easy to get to Belfast City Airport thanks to its excellent location virtually within the city itself. The fact it is served by trains, buses and taxis makes getting to or from the airport simple. Full service carriers use the airport to cater for their corporate passengers due to the attractive location.

Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.

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Sydenham Railway Station image by Wilson Adams via Wikimedia Commons.