10 tips for finding flights to Scotland

Scotland is one of the most popular destinations for UK domestic flights. Here are a few tips to make the most of your trip:

1. Edinburgh or Glasgow?

Most domestic flights to Scotland arrive into either Edinburgh Airport or Glasgow International. For example, 80% of all flights from London to Scotland use these airports.

Generally there is plenty of choice and good value, with most airports serving Glasgow and Edinburgh as a pair. However, there are a few UK airports which only offer flights to Edinburgh.

If you are trying to reach a destination situated between Edinburgh and Glasgow, Edinburgh airport is generally the best option as it is to the west of Edinburgh, whereas Glasgow International, being to the west of Glasgow is less practical. Sometimes there can be small differences between the prices of flights to Glasgow and Edinburgh, especially at peak times or if there is a major event in either city, so if you cannot find a cheap deal to one, it is worth checking the other.

2. What about Glasgow Prestwick?

Unfortunately, with the withdrawal of Ryanair's flights from Stansted, Glasgow Prestwick airport no longer offers any domestic flights, apart from those originating in Northern Ireland.

3. Aberdeen is extremely well connected too

If you are heading north, Aberdeen airport has an extremely wide selection of domestic flights, whereas the range of flights to Inverness has also expanded massively in recent years. It is certainly worth checking if a direct flight is available, but as these flights are often operated using smaller aircraft, they can sometimes be quite a bit more expensive when compared with flights to Glasgow or Edinburgh.

4. Drive then fly or fly then drive?

Generally, if your local airport doesn't offer flights to Aberdeen or Inverness, it is usually easier to travel to one that does, rather than to fly to Edinburgh or Glasgow and then drive or take the train up. However, there are many scenic points between Scotland's central belt and destinations further north, and the Highland Line to Inverness is particularly scenic.

5. If you want to go to Dundee, why not fly to Dundee?

Don't forget that Dundee has an airport too, although flights to Dundee are only available from a very small selection of other UK airports. Expect to pay quite a bit more for these flights, as Dundee airport only handles very small aircraft. Having said that, the views of the Tay Estuary are stunning, and Dundee Airport is extremely close to the city centre. Despite this, the vast majority of people going to Dundee will fly into Edinburgh instead. There are various options for getting between Edinburgh airport and Dundee, all of which will include crossing one of the spectacular Forth bridges. See travel Scotland for further advice.

6. Get beyond Edinburgh - and return from somewhere else

By far and away the most popular tourist city in Scotland is Edinburgh, but don't overlook the many delights of Glasgow as well. Edinburgh might be famous for its castle, but nearby Stirling is equally impressive, and a climb up to the Wallace Monument is also well worth it. It is easy to arrange one-way flights with most of the airlines offering flights to Scotland, so for example you can fly into Edinburgh and out from Glasgow.

7. Grab a window seat

A window seat is a must for all flights to Scotland -- you will usually approach Edinburgh airport from the east, affording panoramic views of Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile and the New Town on the left and then equally impressive vista of the Firth of Forth on the right.

8. Escape to the Highlands & Islands

There are many airports serving the Highlands and Islands. For novelty value, you can't beat landing on the beach in Barra, where flight timetables are adjusted according to the tide, or the short two-minute hop between Westray and Papa Westray in the Orkney Islands, which is the shortest scheduled flight in the world.

9. Flights from Europe to Scotland & long haul flights

Although flightmapping.com is aimed primarily at users taking flights from the UK and Ireland, our listings also show all direct international routes into Scotland, so most of the advice would apply equally for international tourists.

Glasgow International airport is the main long-haul gateway for flights to Scotland, and it also offers a good selection of European flights, as does Edinburgh airport. Although Prestwick airport has struggled in recent years, it still offers a few budget routes, particularly from Eastern Europe. Aberdeen airport has a handful of international routes, primarily serving the oil trade, but also including connections via the main European hubs.

Whilst Inverness airport lacked scheduled international flights for a long time, it too has recently opened up flights from major European hub airports like Amsterdam Schiphol, Frankfurt International and Zürich. You can also fly from Bergen in Norway to Lerwick in Shetland Islands.

10. Train v Plane

And finally, although plenty of good value flights to Scotland are usually available, don't forget the train either. The fastest train between London King's Cross and Edinburgh Waverley is the daily Flying Scotsman service, which takes exactly 4 hours. Allow around 4 1/2 hours for most trains from London to Edinburgh or Glasgow. Pricewise, the train will usually beat flying, as you don't have to pay two doses of Air Passenger Duty (APD), nor do you have to pay airport handling charges or the exorbitant cost of the so-called express trains from the three main London airports. The train can also be much more convenient if you have an intercity station nearby, and it is usually the greener option. I personally love the east coast route, as it passes York and Durham Cathedrals before crossing the Tyne on the way into Newcastle. The coastal stretch between Berwick and Dunbar is up there with the best of the Scottish Highland routes.