Belfast Aldergrove International Airport Departures (BFS)

Belfast International Airport is located approximately 23km, or 13.2 miles northwest of Belfast city, and is the largest airport in Northern Ireland. It is often still referred to as the Aldergrove Airport, due to its close proximity to the Aldergrove village, and has the official airport code of BFS. The facilities within the Belfast International Airport departure area are modern and more than adequate for the needs of airport passengers, and several important airline companies offer departure flights to a wide variety of local and international destinations. A number of transport options are available as well, in order to reach your departure flight from Belfast International Airport.

Belfast International Airport is a hub for the airline company of Aer Lingus, and the destinations offered by this airline carrier include Barcelona, Faro, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, the London-Heathrow Airport, Rome, Malaga and Tenerife. Some of these flights are seasonal. Easyjet is another very important airline carrier at Belfast International, and their departures fly to Alicante, Amsterdam, Glasgow-International, Liverpool, the London airports of Stansted, Luton and Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle and Paris-Charles de Gaulle. Easyjet has seasonal flights to Ibiza, Nice and Geneva as well, and chartered seasonal flights to Brescia and Verona. A variety of destinations can be reached on Jet2.com flights, such as Jersey, Leeds/Bradford and Blackpool, and Thomas Cook Airlines has flights to Mahon, Reus, Rhodes, Fuerteventura, Toulouse and Heraklion. Additional airline companies offering departure flights from Belfast International Airport include Air Australia, Austrian Airlines, BH Air and Thomson Airways.

Departing passengers can also fly with Aer Lingus to London-Heathrow Airport, and make connections to a variety of popular worldwide destinations. From London-Heathrow Airport there are flights available to Hong Kong, Dubai, Singapore, Sydney, Auckland, Tokyo and even Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa. Some of the busiest international routes from Belfast International include Malaga (Spain), Paris (France) and Faro (Portugal), while the busiest domestic routes include those to Liverpool, London Gatwick, London Stansted and London Heathrow. Edinburgh and Glasgow-International are popular destinations as well. Approximately 60% of passengers depart on domestic flights, while 40 % fly on international flights. Only 13% of the airport’s traffic is of a charter variety. Passenger traffic at Belfast International Airport has almost steadily increased from 1997, when the airport had almost 2.5 million passengers. Traffic peaked at 5.2 million in 2006 and 2007, but dropped to just over four million in 2010. However, 2011 looked more promising with passenger traffic over 4.1 million.

Belfast International Airport is located to west of Belfast, Newtownabby and Bangor, to the south of Ballymena and to the north/north-west of Newry and Lisburn. The airport is also far north of Dublin. It is particularly nearby Crumlin, Antrim and Templepatrick. The road network to and nearby the airport is very good, allowing departing passengers to easily reach the airport in their own vehicles, and there is a choice of a few parking areas at Belfast International. Short and long-term parking lots are available, at reasonable costs. Passengers can also reach Belfast International Airport by bus or taxi, but not directly by rail, as there is no train station at the airport. The Airport Express 300 bus service takes departing passengers to the airport from the Belfast Europa Buscentre, and the Ulsterbus 109A service is available from the Antrim Buscentre and from the Lisburn railway station. A private coach service known as the Airporter is also available from Londonderry/Derry. The buses run at frequent intervals, ensuring that you get to the airport in good time for your departure flight. Taxis are operated by the company ‘International Airport Taxis’, and can be called to collect you from any nearby location.

Belfast International Airport consists of one large and well-equipped terminal building, and has two levels. The ground floor has the baggage reclaim areas for arriving passengers, and the upper floor is mainly for Belfast International Airport departures. The business lounge of the airport is a welcoming area for clients who are looking for a more peaceful and relaxing environment. It is located in between the domestic and international boarding gates, and can be used by passengers of any airline company. Complimentary internet access is provided, as well as refreshments and a range of snacks. Children under the age of twelve are not permitted in the lounge. Additional airport facilities include currency exchange, cash machines, airport information desks, a range of shops and restaurants, including Burger King, the Strangford Grill and Starbucks, and WiFi connections. The airport welcomes families with young children/babies, as there are baby-changing facilities available in the check-in hall and the departure lounges, and children’s menus are offered at many of the food outlets. Highchairs and facilities for warming baby bottles can be arranged, and the Boots retail outlet stocks a selection of essential items for travelling with children, for example, nappies and medicines. The Aelia Duty Free shop sells a variety of games, soft toys and dolls, and WH Smith has colouring books, children’s magazines and activity books. Belfast International Airport is accessible to passengers with disabilities as well.

Ensure that you arrive early for your Belfast International Airport departure. The check-in desks usually open two hours before most scheduled flights, but even three hours before a transatlantic flight. They could close between forty minutes and an hour before the flight is due for departure. The specific times are indicated on your airline ticket. Self check-in kiosks and online check-in options could be available for certain flights. Ensure that any liquids carried in hand luggage meet the requirements of the new regulations, and that your hold baggage is within the maximum weight and size limitations as set by your airline company. A pre-check-in luggage weighing system is available in the check-in hall.

Live Belfast International Airport departures can be found on various websites online, or the airport can be contacted at +44 (0) 28 9448 48 48.