Edinburgh Airport Parking

Edinburgh Airport Guide:

A Small Airport With a Lot of Heart

Edinburgh Airport is hailed as the busiest air travel hub in Scotland, and the 5th busiest in the entire UK. It was actually named as one of the best 3 airports in Europe during a 2012 Airport Service Quality review. 

What Makes Edinburgh Shine?

In stark contrast to the mega-airports found across the world, Edinburgh offers a small, cozy airport environment. Don't let the shoddy interior design fool you; the airport ambiance is warming, friendly, and peaceful. 

Edinburgh's staff is known to be friendly and knowledgeable. Security officers have a similar reputation for being good-natured and accommodating. 

Travellers passing through here won't have to worry that the smaller size means less space and amenities. The airport's layout leaves enough room to move around freely, and there is ample seating. There is also a good selection of shops for purchasing some last minute souvenirs. 

Getting in and out of the security checkpoint tends to be pretty quick. Therefore, if you feel like venturing to the pre-security area, you shouldn't have much trouble trying to get back to your gate in a timely fashion. 

Whether you need the Internet for entertainment or business, the airport offers free Wi-Fi for a two-hour period. You'll find some dead zones, but generally it is easy to connect and stay connected. 

Some Difficulties You Might Encounter

The airport floor plan is not very logical. It is easy to get twisted around while walking through it, but fortunately its small size makes it difficult to get hopelessly lost. 

As mentioned before, Edinburgh is not a fancy airport. Those who like the glam and endless concessions found at larger airports might feel a little depressed here. If that sounds like you, be prepared to spend some time without 5 star restaurants and high-end shopping. The good news is that you should be able to manage with what Edinburgh has to offer if your layover is only a couple of hours. 

Spending Time During a Layover

As you might expect for an airport of this size, the most interesting thing to do is to browse the Scottish gift shops. Thinking Scotland is a good place to go if you want some uniquely Scottish trinkets. The Liquorice Tree also offers locally themed gifts, as well as small clothing items, bath and body products and toys for kids. 

If you need some last minute convenience items, Boots is the best choice. This chemist has a variety of health and beauty items and also sells snacks and medicine. 

How to Find a Decent Meal

Eat is a popular cafe style eatery at Edinburgh. It is known for its fresh sandwiches and soups, along with a good variety of caffeinated beverages. A solid choice here is a serving of the vegetable gyoza. You can also get a hearty breakfast here, or indulge in a filling bowl of porridge. 

Yo Sushi is another frequently visited restaurant. It offers the convenience of being able to dine in, or order takeout. If you decide to sit at the sushi bar, you can choose different sushi combos at will from the conveyor belt service system. They also serve Japanese favorites like Yakisoba Noodles and Chicken Katsu. You might assume sushi at an airport is rather expensive, but the prices here are pretty reasonable. 

At this point, it's worth mentioning Boots again because it sells some pretty appetizing meal deals. They also sell bottled water at a cheap price so you'll have something to wash it all down with. 

One Last Advice 

Caffe Nero (open 24 hours) is the only option for late night dining; however, it can also be an option for sleeping. Sometimes the staff there lets travellers stretch out on the chairs and benches to catch some shut-eye. In the past, the staff didn't even hassle travelers to be a paying customer. If you're lucky enough to get some sleep here, stick around for breakfast because it's actually quite scrumptious!