Overseas Travel & Flights to Scotland

Scotland's international airports - Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Glasgow Prestwick and Inverness - are all served by flights from a growing number of European and long haul destinations.

Many European airport hubs also provide fantastic onward connections to Scotland, including airports in London, Amsterdam, Paris, Madrid, Reykjavik and Frankfurt.

Read the UK Government advice on faster travel through the UK border

Flights from Europe

Scotland's international airports enjoy excellent year-round air links with most European and Scandinavian countries. There are also seasonal flights from Sumburgh Airport in Shetland to Norway, and from Inverness Airport to Switzerland.

For those flying to Scotland via a connecting airport in Europe, the major European hubs are London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Reykjavik-Keflavik Airport, Frankfurt am Main, Amsterdam Schiphol and Madrid Barajas airports.

We advise to check routes and air fares directly with the airlines.

• AirBaltic (seasonal)
• Air France
• Brussels Airlines
• easyJet
• edelweiss (seasonal)
• Eurowings
• Icelandair
• Jet2.com
• KLM
• Lufthansa
• Loganair
• Norwegian
• Ryanair
• SAS Scandinavian
• Transavia
• Vueling
• Turkish Airlines
• Finnair
• British Airways (seasonal)
• Iberia Express (seasonal)
• Wizz Air
• PLAY
• Wideroe

Read more about visiting the UK after Brexit

People travelling to the UK without a visa will soon need to get an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). This will give you permission to travel to the UK, and it is electronically linked to your passport.

Who will need an ETA

You’ll need an ETA if you are:

• Visiting the UK for up to 6 months for tourism, visiting family and friends, business or study
• Visiting the UK for up to 3 months on the Creative Worker visa concession
• Transiting through a UK airport – including if you’re not going through UK border control

You will not need an ETA if you have either:

• A British or Irish passport
• Permission to live, work or study in the UK
• A visa to enter the UK

Check if you’re eligible for a UK visa

Find out more about the ETA scheme

Get more information about the ETA scheme from the UK Government website

Direct ferry services run between Scotland and Northern Ireland or you can travel from a number of European countries to seaports in England, which are all just a short drive, train ride or bus journey away from Scotland.

We advise to check timetables and fares directly with the ferry companies:

• From Rotterdam to Hull or from Calais to Dover with P&O Ferries (Hull is around four hours' drive and Dover around seven hours’ drive to the Scottish border).
• From Amsterdam (Ijmuiden) to Newcastle and from Calais, Dunkirk or Dieppe to Dover/Newhaven with DFDS Seaways (Newcastle is just over an hour's drive and Dover around seven hours’ drive to the Scottish border).
• From France or Spain to Portsmouth, Plymouth or Poole with Brittany Ferries (all roughly 6 hours 30 minutes drive to the Scottish border)
• From Hoek Van Holland or Rotterdam to Harwich with Stena Line (Harwich is around 6 hours’ drive to the Scottish Border)