It’s the big travel mistake millions of travellers make every year – booking an ultra-cheap flight from the UK to Europe, only to discover that the airport they’re flying to is dozens of miles away from the city it’s named after.
The worst culprits, mainly used by airlines including Ryanair and Wizz Air, have been picked out by airport transfer firm SCSChauffeurs and presented here in a series of maps to lessen the shock for flyers when they land and help them plan their transfers.
Hadleigh Diamond, director of SCSChauffeurs, says: ‘Many budget airlines leave travellers working out how to get an airport transfer to the real destination. Though this does have benefits, with the airlines able to offer cheap flights.’
Scroll down to find out which airports should be avoided for short weekend breaks or extreme day trips…
Oslo-Torp Airport (TRF) – 110km (68 miles) southwest of Oslo
Time to the actual city: 1 hour 45 minutes by train to Oslo Central Station.
Transfer fares: £14-21 each way.
Airlines: Ryanair, Wizz Air, and other airlines.
Memmingen Airport (FMM) (often marketed as ‘Munich West’) – 116km (72 miles) from Munich
Time to the actual city: 1 hour 30 minutes to Munich Central Station (ZOB).
Transfer fares: £12.50-£18.
Airlines: Ryanair, Wizz Air, and some other smaller airlines.
Stockholm Skavsta Airport (NYO) – 100km (62 miles) southwest of Stockholm
Stockholm Skavsta Airport is 100km (62 miles) south of Stockholm
Time to the actual city: 1 hour 20 minutes.
Transfer fares: £12-16.
Airlines: Ryanair, Wizz Air, and other budget airlines.
Barcelona-Reus Airport (REU) – 100km (62 miles) southwest of Barcelona
Time to the actual city: 1 hour 30 minutes.
Transfer fares: £12-16.
Airlines: Ryanair, Wizz Air, and other airlines during tourist season.
Paris–Beauvais Airport (BVA) – 85km (53 miles) from Paris
Paris–Beauvais Airport (above) is 85km (53 miles) from Paris
Time to the actual city: 1 hour 15 minutes.
Transfer fares: £14-16.
Airlines: Ryanair, Wizz Air, and other budget airlines.
Dusseldorf-Weeze Airport (NRN) – approximately 80km (50 miles) from Dusseldorf and on the border with Holland
Time to the actual city: 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes.
Transfer fares: £12-16.
Airlines: Ryanair, Wizz Air, and other budget airlines.
Frankfurt-Hahn Airport (HHN) – 126km (78 miles) from Frankfurt (closer to Luxembourg)
Time to the actual city: 1 hour 45 minutes to Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof (central station).
Transfer fares: From around €18.99/£15.73.
Airlines: Primarily Ryanair and Wizz Air.
Frankfurt-Hahn Airport is 126km (78 miles) from Frankfurt
Above is Munich West airport, which is 116km (72 miles) from Munich