Glasgow Airport (GLA)

Glasgow, GB 🇬🇧 Large International Airport Scheduled Service

ICAO

EGPF

IATA

GLA

Elevation

26 ft

Region

GB-SCT

Local Time

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Airport Information

GPS Code: EGPF

Local Code: Not available

Location: 55.871899° N, -4.43306° E

Continent: EU

Type: Large International Airport

Keywords: Port-adhair Eadar-nàiseanta Ghlaschu RAF Abbotsinch RAF Ayr

Nearby Points of Interest

What Travelers Say

AI-Generated Summary Based on web research

Recent traveler reviews for Glasgow Airport (GLA) show a mixed to largely negative sentiment. While some independent assessments highlight operational efficiencies and accessibility, direct passenger experiences often point to significant frustrations with facilities, wait times, and costs.

What Travelers Love
  • Improved Accessibility: Glasgow Airport received a "very good" rating in the UK Civil Aviation Authority's annual accessibility report in August 2024, recognizing efforts to assist passengers with reduced mobility and disabilities.
  • Recent Facility Upgrades: A £3.7 million investment completed in September 2025 introduced new dining options like Primo Volo and refreshed existing ones, along with new retail units such as Accessorize and a refurbished Boots.
  • Generally Good Long Stay Parking: The Long Stay Parking facility is often praised for being easy to find, offering ample spaces, and providing frequent shuttle buses to the terminal with a quick 5-minute transfer.
  • Competitive Flight Delays: An independent study for Summer 2025 named Glasgow Airport as the best in the UK for fast and affordable travel, citing an average flight delay of just 9.6 minutes.
Common Complaints
  • Excessive Parking Fees: A recurring and strong complaint is the "extortionate parking fees," especially for drop-off and short-stay options. Valet parking has also been described as "shambolic," with reports of vehicle damage.
  • Filthy and Inadequate Toilets: Many travelers express dismay over the cleanliness of the toilet facilities, with descriptions ranging from "disgusting" to "filthy after security" with human waste.
  • Long Security Wait Times and Baggage Delays: Passengers frequently report security queues of an hour or more, with some experiencing delays even with priority passes. New security scanners installed in early 2025, while intended for long-term improvement, initially caused significant slowdowns. There are also consistent complaints about baggage handling delays.
  • Uncomfortable Overnight Stays: For those facing layovers or early flights, the airport is described as having bright lights and a lack of comfortable, armrest-free seating for sleeping.
  • Issues with Passport Control: Some travelers reported "nonsense 'family' channels" causing longer waits for solo travelers and faulty passport machines leading to "ridiculous" lines.

Overall, while Glasgow Airport has made strides in accessibility and boasts competitive flight delay times, recent traveler experiences highlight significant drawbacks in areas such as parking costs, cleanliness, and efficiency of security and baggage handling, indicating a need for continued improvement in core passenger services.

Generated True weeks ago
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This summary is automatically generated by AI based on web research of traveler reviews and experiences. AI-generated content may not always be 100% accurate.

Current Weather Conditions

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Airport Routes

Popular Flight Routes
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Top Airlines

Operating at Glasgow Airport
Airlines by Flight Activity
Based on observed flight operations and route network
Airline Routes Flights Destinations Last Activity
Jet2
EXS / LS
27 108 27 Oct 21, 2025
easyJet
EZY / U2
20 70 20 Oct 21, 2025
Loganair
LOG / LM
11 64 11 Oct 21, 2025
TUI Airways
TOM / BY
18 47 18 Oct 21, 2025
1 42 1 Oct 21, 2025
2 22 2 Oct 21, 2025
1 22 1 Oct 21, 2025
Ryanair
RYR / FR
5 21 5 Oct 21, 2025
Lufthansa
DLH / LH
1 18 1 Sep 6, 2025
For Pilots

Designation Length Width Surface Status
05/23 8730 ft 148 ft ASP Active Lighted
09/27 3622 ft 151 ft ASP Closed Lighted

Type Description Frequency
ACC SHANWICK OCEANIC 120.35 MHz
APP APP 119.105 MHz
ATIS ATIS 129.58 MHz
Everything - 455.837 MHz
GND GND 121.705 MHz
TWR Glasgow Tower 118.805 MHz

Ident Name Type Frequency
GLW Glasgow NDB 331 kHz
GOW Glasgow VOR-DME 115400 kHz

Ground Transportation

Last updated: Nov 21, 2025
Taxis

Official, licensed taxis are available 24/7 from the rank directly outside the main terminal building. The journey to Glasgow city centre takes approximately 20 minutes, is metered, and drivers accept both cash and card payments. Private hire vehicles can also be pre-booked.

Rental Cars

Major car rental companies, including Avis, Hertz, Europcar, and Sixt, have desks located in the domestic arrivals hall. Pre-booking is highly recommended, especially during peak seasons. Some off-site rental companies also offer shuttle services from the airport.

Public Transportation

The main public transport option is the Glasgow Airport Express bus service (500), which runs frequently to Glasgow's city centre (Buchanan Bus Station) in about 15-20 minutes. Local buses also connect to nearby areas like Paisley Gilmour Street, which is the closest train station for onward rail travel to Glasgow Central and other destinations.

Nearby Airports

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~42 km away
Edinburgh Airport
EDI • EGPH
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Oban Airport
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Campbeltown Airport
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Dundee Airport
DND • EGPN
Dundee, GB
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~109 km away
Colonsay Airstrip
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~115 km away
Islay Airport
ILY • EGPI
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Edinburgh Airport
EDI • EGPH
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~67 km away
Glasgow Prestwick Airport
PIK • EGPK
Prestwick, South Ayrshire, GB
Medium Airport Scheduled Service
~42 km away
Campbeltown Airport
CAL • EGEC
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~93 km away
Dundee Airport
DND • EGPN
Dundee, GB
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~109 km away
Leuchars Station Airfield
ADX • EGQL
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~112 km away
Islay Airport
ILY • EGPI
Isle of Islay, Argyll and Bute, GB
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~116 km away
Carlisle Lake District Airport
CAX • EGNC
Carlisle, Cumbria, GB
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~146 km away
South Barnbeth Farm Airstrip
GB-1078
NoneGB
Small Airport
~12 km away
Nethershields Farm Airstrip
GB-0741
Chapelton (Lanarkshire), GB
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~29 km away
Buchlyvie Airstrip
GB-1062
NoneGB
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~29 km away
Kier Garden Airstrip
GB-1067
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Small Airport
~29 km away
Strathaven Airfield
GB-0180
Strathaven, South Lanarkshire, GB
Small Airport
~29 km away
Cumbernauld Airport
EGPG
Cumbernauld, GB
Small Airport
~31 km away
Mayfield Farm Airstrip
GB-0670
NoneGB
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~33 km away
Carlung Farm
GB-1312
NoneGB
Small Airport
~34 km away
Golden Jubilee Hospital
GB-1288
NoneGB
Heliport
~4 km away
Royal Alexandria Hospital Paisley
GB-1294
NoneGB
Heliport
~4 km away
Queen Elizabeth Hospital
GB-1287
NoneGB
Heliport
~6 km away
Clyde Heliport
GB-0743
Glasco, GB
Heliport
~6 km away
Glasgow City Heliport
EGEG
Glasgow, GB
Heliport
~9 km away
Dunroaming Heliport
GB-0738
NoneGB
Heliport
~22 km away
Crosshouse University Hospital
GB-1299
NoneGB
Heliport
~30 km away
Wishaw Hospital
GB-1301
NoneGB
Heliport
~33 km away
Distances are approximate and calculated as straight-line distances.