In the United Kingdom, London dominates all aviation. It’s easy to see how this came to be: the travel infrastructure in this UK capital is almost second to none, and the volume of luxury and HNW travel that moves through and returns to this city is one of the highest anywhere in the world. Even the most modernised and thoroughly thought-out transport infrastructure will buckle, however, when faced with a much higher volume of traffic than it is used to handling. This isn’t to say that the greater UK or London’s infrastructures are in danger of collapse- far from it. In fact, they are thriving, but that is because modern travellers are making the smart choice to utilize not just London but the well-appointed regional airports that dot the map of the UK.
Moving Away from Centralized Commercial Hubs
Even the most well-equipped travel infrastructure has constraints. In one of the busiest air travel cities in the world. Things are often congested: not only the airports themselves but the need for last- and first-mile travel, accommodations in the city, and the like. The UK government has stated recently that Heathrow is almost always operating at what they consider to be full capacity, which is enormous for an airport of its size and popularity. Reduced connectivity and massive delays result from even operating at capacity in many cases, but to exceed it would be a travel disaster. The solution? Decentralizing business and luxury travel.
For passengers who book private jet travel, the solution is one that makes life so much simpler. The option to use regional and private airports is one that will require no shifting of plans or rebooking of tickets. Traveling into or out of London simply to use an airport becomes a thing of the past, and a whole new way to move from place to place opens up. Journeys can be begun or concluded far closer to points of origin or terminal destinations, saving the traveller
- Time. Whether it’s business or pleasure you’re travelling for, saving time is saving money and giving yourself more time to work with: be it researching for a presentation or taking a stroll on a sun-drenched promenade.
- Stress. London is a busy city on a good day, and Heathrow is a never-ending sea of strangers all hurrying to get to where they need to be on time. Getting into or out of the airport and moving around such an enormous set of buildings shoulder to shoulder with thousands of strangers, never mind the ones you’ll need to share a flight with. This can cause stress for even the most seasoned travellers and exacerbate social anxiety. Avoid all of this stress by using smaller or private airports and having a jet cabin to yourself.
- Fatigue. Not having to fight through London traffic, not having to hurtle through the airport to make your flight, being able to access privacy and peace during flight time: all of these add up to you arriving at your destination instead of being frazzled and completely exhausted.
The question stops being “How am I going to get through Heathrow or London City?” and “Which airport is going to make my life the easiest?”
What Are Your Options?
Here are some of the key regional airports you could consider based on their location and proximity to you and your destination. Bear in mind there are many more than the ones listed here; these are simply the more well-travelled ones or the ones most likely to be of use.
England
- Manchester Airport (MAN)
- Birmingham Airport (BHX)
- Bristol Airport (BRS)
- Newcastle International Airport (NCL)
- Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LPL)
- East Midlands Airport (EMA)
- Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA)
- Bournemouth Airport (BOH)
- Exeter Airport (EXT)
Scotland
- Edinburgh Airport (EDI)
- Glasgow Airport (GLA)
- Aberdeen Airport (ABZ)
- Inverness Airport (INV)
Wales & Northern Ireland
- Cardiff Airport (CWL) (Wales)
- Belfast International Airport (BFS) (Northern Ireland)
- George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD) (Northern Ireland)
- City of Derry Airport (LDY) (Northern Ireland)
Let’s take a closer look at a few.
- London Oxford. This is a particularly important and practical option for those traveling to or from Oxfordshire, the Cotswolds, the M40 Corridor and the Thames Valley. The airport is perfectly positioned as a business/ luxury gateway to make traveling much easier.
- Birmingham. This is a great choice for any Midlands travel thanks to its convenient, central location.
- Edinburgh. Instead of needlessly funneling a journey through London, choose to explore private aviation in Scotland.
What To Remember
Re-routing your travel from major centers is only practical if your private jet flight will be on a medium- to smaller-class jet. While many of the regional airports around the UK can handle heavier jet classes, that is not the case with all of them. If you are traveling with a large party on a large class of jet, you may need to pick and choose a little bit more carefully.
Travel Your Way
If a major hub makes the most sense for your UK business or luxury trips, by all means make use of these well-travelled and excellently appointed major hubs. If not, consider decentralizing your travel and treating yourself to a smooth, seamless and stress-free travel experience.
