Cheap Flights to Ireland

The Republic of Ireland is always a great choice for a holiday from the U.K., not least because you will not need to learn another language (although that probably depends on where in Ireland you will be going!). This green and gorgeous country might feel close to home, or it might feel like a world away - at best, it will feel like a combination of the two, giving you the best of both.

Dublin is obviously an excellent destination for a city break, with fantastic beer and nightlife, and you can find out more about airfare to Dublin if you want to make a long weekend of it. Should you want to explore a bit further afield in Ireland, however, there are other airports you can fly into to get your holiday started.

• Cork Airport (airport code ORK) is in Ballygarvan, near Cork City, and is Aer Arann's busiest hub. It is also one of the three busiest airports in Ireland. There are several daily flights to and from Cork from cities throughout the United Kingdom on both regularly scheduled and charter airlines, so you should have no trouble finding a flight that suits your schedule and your purse. Aer Arann and Aer Lingus have the busiest schedules from Cork, and here is the complete list of airlines serving this airport. From Cork Airport, you have many options for ground transit, including taxi, train and bus - all of which are listed here.


• Galway Airport (airport code GWY) is roughly four miles from Galway City in Carnmore. In addition to the few regularly scheduled flights, there hare been a recent increase in the number of chartered aircraft flying into Galway. Both Aer Arann and Flybe - the only airlines to serve Galway - fly from several cities in the U.K. Information about ground transport is here.


• Kerry Airport (airport code KIR), sometimes called Farranfore Airport, is a short 15 minute drive from Killarney and just over an hour to Cork or Limerick. It is Ireland's only airport from which you can walk to a rail station, making it easy to access nearby towns. Aer Arann and Ryanair are the only airlines operating scheduled flights to and from Kerry, and information about getting to and from the airport is here.


• Ireland West Airport Knock (airport code NOC) in County Mayo has service not only in the EU but also now to the United States, giving it increased importance as an Irish airport. The airlines with service from the U.K. are bmibaby and Ryanair, and the various methods of ground transport are listed here.


• Shannon Airport (airport code SNN) is the second busiest airport in Ireland, after Dublin, and a major destination for many discount carriers. It is in County Clare, approximately nine miles from Limerick City. Most of the airlines with service to Shannon fly to cities outside the EU, but Ryanair has a busy schedule to several U.K. airports, including Bristol, Edinburgh, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Nottingham. All airlines serving Shannon are listed here, and you will find information about public transport (including local buses and car hire options) here.

If you have not been to Ireland recently, it is high time you paid your neighbour a visit. And with so many ways to spend your time on holiday, you will certainly not be bored! Have an excellent time in Ireland, and if you need further information before your trip, see our Ireland Travel Guide.