AirAdvisor’s Best UK Airports for a 24-Hour Getaway

Following the latest TikTok trend, travellers are choosing a city to visit for a quick, 24-hour holiday. If you’re eager to take part in this extreme daytripping trend or just want details about some of the UKs most convenient airports, then you’re definitely in the right place. 

Well, we analysed 26 of the biggest airports in the UK to see which ones are the best and worst to fly to (or from) for a quick, 24-hour escape. For each one, we looked closely at:

• The number of airlines you could find at each
• The average delay time based on data from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) 
• The time it takes to get through security, 
• The number of lounges, shops, restaurants, and 
• How far each airport is from the city centre 

With this knowledge, you’ll have a better idea about which airports can help you hit the ground running and which ones might hamper your plans. Let’s look at the 3 best airports and the 3 you’ll want to avoid.

The 3 Best UK Airports for a 24-Hour Trip

1 London Heathrow (LHR) - Total Score 66

Of the 26 airports we studied, London Heathrow comes in at number one as the best UK airport for quick trips. Even though its average delays and security wait times are on the high side, it makes up for it with 347 shops and restaurants; the most of all the airports in our study. 

Also, you’ll have your pick of 78 different airlines - perfect if you want a large selection of destinations to fly to. Plus, with 7 lounges, you’ll have a chance to relax before departure so you can arrive ready to start your adventures. Heathrow is 18 miles outside London city centre, but you can easily jump on the Heathrow Express or London Underground which can add to the overall experience.

#2 George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD) - Total Score 50.7

The second best UK airport for a whirlwind getaway is Belfast City Airport. What it doesn’t have in size, it makes up for with convenience. Just 5 miles outside Belfast’s city centre, you can get to or from this airport in no time. Being smaller also means it’s just a short, 6 minute wait at the security checkpoint, and flight delays only last an average of only 12 minutes. So, while there may only be 5 choices for shops and restaurants and 1 lounge, you probably won’t have a lot of time to kill anyway.

#3 Manchester Airport (MAN) - Total Score 50.6

Coming in at #3 is Manchester Airport, which also happens to be the 3rd busiest airport in the UK behind Gatwick and Heathrow. If you want a quick escape with plenty of options, MAN is the hub you’ve been looking for. You can choose from 49 different airlines and 120 restaurants and shops to keep you occupied while you wait. If you want a more relaxing atmosphere, you can certainly find it in one of the airport’s 8 lounges. 

On the down side, Manchester Airport ties with Birmingham (#15 on our list) for having the longest average security wait time of 24 minutes. Also, the average flight delay lasts 20 minutes, but thanks to the plentiful amenities, you’ll have lots to do to keep you occupied. And did we mention that MAN is only 8 miles from the city centre? Being this close, it won’t take you long to get your 24-hour holiday started.

The Worst UK Airports for Quick Trips

#1 City of Derry Airport (LDY) - Total Score 26.6

Some airports are well suited for quick trips, but City of Derry Airport . . . not so much. It’s small, served by only 3 airlines, and it only has 3 shops and restaurants and 1 lounge. You might get through security quickly, but you won’t have much to do if your flight is delayed. And the average delay time? A very long 27 minutes . . . the highest of all the UK airports we analysed. Not good if you’re trying to make the most of a 24-hour trip.

LDY is only about 9 miles from Derry city centre, but there aren’t many transport options as you would find at bigger and busier hubs. So, it might be better to use Derry Airport for a more slow-paced and relaxing holiday, and skip it for the whirlwind tour.

#2 London Stansted Airport (STN) - Total Score 28

Our second least suitable airport for 24-hour tours is London Stansted, which is only served by 11 airlines. So, if you’re flying from London, you won’t have a great selection of destinations to choose from. On the other hand, it does have 50 shops and restaurants to give you something to do during delays that last, on average, about 20 minutes.

The biggest problem with STN is that it’s located a whopping 35 miles outside central London, which means that if you’re flying in for a quick trip, a good chunk of your time will be spent in transit instead of at restaurants or sightseeing. 

#3 London Luton Airport (LTN) - Total Score 28.2

Rounding out the 3 least suitable airports for speedy getaways is London Luton. The upside of LTN is that it has 40 shops and restaurants plus 2 lounges, but because it only has 8 airlines to choose from, you’ll have fewer destinations to explore. 

Like Stansted, Luton is quite a distance from central London. In fact, it’s 34 miles away, and it can easily take an hour to get there. Another negative is the longer security wait time . . . 19 minutes on average, with the average flight delay lasting about the same amount of time. Luton might be better saved for longer, more budget-minded trips, but you’ll want to skip it for action packed holidays.

Summary

So there you have it. London Heathrow is the best UK airport for action packed, 24-hour escapes. It’s got plenty of airlines for amazing connectivity, plus hundreds of restaurants and shops. Not only that, but you can get to central London pretty easily. 

If you’re going to or from Ireland, consider George Best Belfast Airport. With short security queues and a smaller, more personal feel it’s perfect if you’re trying to save time. And, for an outstanding mix of destination choices and amenities, Manchester Airport fits the bill for ease and connectivity.

But if you’re really wanting to do and see as much as possible in a 24-hour period, you’ll want to steer clear of City of Derry Airport. It’s great if you’re into the quiet travel trend, but you won’t be able to make the most of a day-long trip. London Stansted and Luton are also not the best choices, particularly if you want to squeeze in as much activity as possible. 

Want to see the full list? Check out the full breakdown below:

AirAdvisor.com

Use this code to embed our table to your website:

<div class="flourish-embed flourish-table" data-src="visualisation/23490693">
<script src="https://public.flourish.studio/resources/embed.js"></script>
<noscript>
<img src="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/23490693/thumbnail" width="100%" alt="table visualization" />
</noscript>
</div>

<p style="margin-top: 12px;">
<a href="https://airadvisor.com/en/blog/best-airports-for-24-hour-trips" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AirAdvisor.com
</a>
</p>

No feedback