It’s the starting point for many great Galway city visits, Wild Atlantic Way road trips and holidays abroad so let’s dive into the top reasons why you should be flying in/out of Ireland West Airport this year.
Ireland West Airport (formerly known as Knock Airport), is Ireland’s 4th largest international airport and the international gateway for departures and arrivals to Galway and the West of Ireland. Flying to 22 international destinations including the largest selection of flights to and from the UK outside of Dublin, holidays are calling and we (like you) are eager to plan our next, so for reasons we are about to get into, here’s why you should opt to travel via Ireland West Airport…
Location, Location, Location!
Situated in the midst of Ireland’s idyllic West, this airport is conveniently located for everyone travelling to and from Galway, and is only an hour away from Galway city. If you’re travelling to Galway for a hen/stag weekend or planning your visit to all of this county’s famous attractions on a family holiday, then Ireland West Airport will take you directly into the heart of all the fun. This airport will allow you to cut out the hours of travel that are involved in journeying from alternative Irish airports and get you into Galway city in just an hour! It really doesn’t get better than that! Additionally, if you’re living in Galway or anywhere along the Irish West Coast and are planning your sun holiday or great city break, Ireland West Airport is easily accessible from the main N17 North-South road, halfway between Galway and Sligo, with the bonus of 5 daily bus services with Bus Eireann to Ireland West Airport on Route 64, getting to your dream holiday destination has never been easier. But there are loads more reasons why you should fly from Ireland West Airport so keep reading to find out more!
Affordable Onsite Parking Rates
Amazingly, not only is parking at Ireland West Airport easy to navigate but it’s also incredibly affordable with excellent discounted parking rates when you pre-book online - talk about a win-win situation! When you book your parking directly through the Ireland West Airport you’ll save up to 20% compared to the gate prices and if you are simply dropping off someone for their flight, you can enjoy 15 minutes of free parking. To pre-book your parking space, please tap here. With over 1,800 accessible car parking spaces within minutes walking distance of the main terminal, and a number of parking spaces for passengers with reduced mobility available, the first step in your journey with Ireland West Airport is always guaranteed to be a stress-free experience.
Hassle-free Security
Getting through the security process at Ireland West Airport is a breeze thanks to its new next-generation cabin baggage screening system which is now fully operational at the airport. These new machines remove the need for passengers to remove laptops and liquids from cabin bags and further speed up queue times. With this new system, all liquids, gels, aerosols, creams, pastes, baby food, medicines and special dietary products that would previously have to be put into clear, sealed plastic bags and presented separately to hand luggage, can now remain packed in your hand luggage. Additionally, the restriction on liquids of more than 100ml no longer applies, and passengers can travel with larger quantities of liquids if they fit into a cabin bag. Recently Ireland West Airport shared their top airport security tips to get you from car to bar in the fastest time possible so we thought we should share them here; 1. Leave your gels, liquids and electronic devices in your bag. 2. Take off coats, jackets and large hoodies. 3. Remove belts, boots and wedged heels. 4. Empty your pockets. That’s it - simple! You’ll be through to your departure gate in record time.
It’s Family-friendly
I’m sure you all know that it can be difficult and stressful to travel with young children and in groups, thankfully Ireland West Airport has managed to help ease the transition from arrival to boarding and halved the time it usually would take to get through an airport. Last year it ranked 6th Best Airport in Europe and Top ranked UK and Irish Airport for passenger queue times so you don’t have to take our word for it we have studies backing us! On top of being a small and easily navigated terminal, there are a number of facilities here that really help families relax and enjoy their airport experience, including a kids play area, changing places facilities, short security queues, ample sit down areas and café/restaurants, all these can be enjoyed a mere minutes' walk from the departure gates ensuring that there is no last minute rushing and stressed out parents!
Fantastic Pre and Post Flight Facilities
During your time at Ireland West Airport we highly recommend checking out its fab facilities which include; Visitor Discovery Centre, Aviation Gallery, Executive Lounge and the bar and restaurants. Before your departure you can book time in the Ireland West Executive Lounge and enjoy a peaceful respite ahead of your trip. Here you can enjoy complimentary refreshments, free Wi-Fi, live flight updates and more. To pre-book the lounge tap here. Located adjacent to Sláinte Café, the new Ireland West Aviation Gallery is a playground for aviation enthusiasts, here you can check out the video wall and see the photo wall which depicts memories from over the last 39 years at the airport. For new arrivals to Galway the state-of-the-art Visitor Discovery Centre features information on attractions, activities, events and visitor experiences from across the region. It also facilitates musical performances from local musicians throughout the year.
Flights to Sun Holiday Hotspots
Flying to 22 international destinations, Ireland West Airport makes getting to a sunny place that bit easier. With cheap flights from Galway to all your favourite summer holiday destinations with Aer Lingus and Ryanair every week, your dream holiday is only a few clicks away. From Ireland West Airport you can travel to; Barcelona, Lanzarote, Malaga, Faro, Milan, Palma (Majorca), Tenerife and Alicante, just to name a few. To see the full list of places you can visit from Ireland West Airport please tap here.
Escape on City Breaks
Whether you are flying to Galway city or leaving Ireland for a city break away, rest assured that awesome adventures await you from Ireland West Airport. With Ryanair and Aer Lingus you can enjoy flights to a number of popular UK cities, such as Bristol, London, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Birmingham and Manchester. Affordably priced and short travel times - really what more could you ask for on a great city break?! To see the full list of cities you can visit from Ireland West Airport please tap here.
Daily Flight to London (Heathrow)
If you are planning a flight to London soon, the good news continues because Aer Lingus operates daily flights to London Heathrow from Ireland West Airport. Heathrow is London’s biggest, most well-connected, and closest airport to central London. On top of enjoying a seamless travel experience into the centre of London, passengers can also take full advantage of connecting flights via London Heathrow Airport to North America, Canada and other global destinations. Aer Lingus currently has partnerships with a number of airlines out of Heathrow Airport, giving their passengers access to an ever-growing number of routes and benefits. For more information on all this please tap here.
To stay up-to-date on all news regarding Ireland West Airport follow them on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. To begin booking your next holiday with Ireland West Airport tap here to select your next holiday destination and happy flying!
All photos courtesy of Ireland West Airport
