Flying from Nottingham is refreshingly simple. East Midlands Airport sits near Castle Donington, about 13 miles or 21 kilometers from the city, with a straightforward drive along the A453 that typically takes around 24 minutes, traffic permitting. You get the practicality of a regional base with the reach of a much larger hub.
The airport’s single terminal keeps everything compact and quick to navigate for both domestic and international departures. Recent enhancements have focused on smoothing the passenger journey, from security to shopping, and there is a paid drop off zone close to departures that has been in place since 2010. It all adds up to an easy launchpad for weekend flights from Nottingham or a longer sunshine break.
Range is the draw. From year round European city hops to summer beach routes and occasional long haul leisure services, Nottingham’s home airport gives you plenty of choice, and it is especially strong for cheap flights from Nottingham to classic Mediterranean and Canary Island favorites. If you like to keep options open, you can also explore self transfer itineraries with Virtual Interlining on Kiwi.com, which join flights from different carriers into one trip, expanding where you can go in a single booking.
Short haul classics are popular for quick getaways and family holidays. Typical nonstop times include Alicante at about 2 hours 40 minutes, Málaga around 2 hours 40 minutes, Palma de Mallorca about 2 hours 25 minutes, Faro in about 2 hours 55 minutes, and a zippy hop to Dublin in roughly 1 hour 5 minutes, all subject to change. City breaks to places like Dublin remain favorites for culture, food, and live music.
Sun chasers head south and east. Tenerife South is usually around 4 hours 30 minutes nonstop and Lanzarote about 4 hours 20 minutes, both subject to change. In the eastern Mediterranean, Rhodes is around 4 hours 30 minutes and Antalya about 4 hours 25 minutes, subject to change. Carriers on these routes include a mix of leisure and low cost operators such as Jet2.com, TUI Airways, and Ryanair, with schedules varying by season. Summer adds variety across the Adriatic and Nordics too, with options like Pula and Dubrovnik in Croatia and Bergen in Norway appearing in some seasons.
For a compact city break, Dublin is a perennial favorite, with multiple weekly services making last minute flights from Nottingham to Dublin an easy win. Beach bound travelers lean toward Faro for the Algarve in Portugal, Mediterranean islands such as Rhodes in Greece, and the dependable sunshine of the Canary Islands. When winter arrives, occasional long haul leisure services to Egypt or the Caribbean broaden the map, all subject to seasonal schedules and change.
Prices move with school holidays and major events. For many short haul routes, shoulder seasons in spring and autumn often see lower fares and calmer airports, while peak summer usually requires booking further ahead. A common window for short haul value is around 4 to 6 weeks before departure, whereas peak season sunshine routes can benefit from securing seats earlier, all of which varies by route.
Use Kiwi’s tools to time your move. Set a Price Alert to track a route and get notified when fares change so you can book when you see a price you like. If you are flexible on where to go, search Everywhere to compare dozens of destinations from Nottingham and pounce when something looks right. For multi stop adventures, the Nomad Search Tool helps you input three or more destinations with your stays and dates, then finds a cheap sequence automatically. You can also explore Travel Hacks like self transfer, hidden cities, and throwaway ticketing when appropriate to unlock options that traditional searches might miss, always with the usual caveats and rules of each fare.
Try starting with a broad view and then setting alerts. Search broadly across dates to spot patterns, then add a Set a Price Alert for the dates you can travel. If you are building a bigger itinerary, Nomad can sort the order of your cities to keep costs down. And when a deal pops up, being ready to book quickly often makes the difference.
East Midlands Airport is Nottingham’s primary gateway. Its IATA code is EMA, and it is around 21 kilometers from the city via the A453 with a typical 24 minute drive, subject to traffic. A single terminal handles all flights, with improved security and an expanded mix of shops and food options. There is a paid drop off area close to departures, and standard short stay and long stay parking options are available. Taxis and regional buses and coaches serve the terminal, with journey times dependent on traffic and timetables.
Airlines combine low cost and leisure specialists. Expect a mix of carriers, including budget operators and tour focused airlines. Ryanair is a key low cost player on several European routes, while Jet2.com and TUI Airways often cover popular holiday destinations, with additional services from Aer Lingus and Blue Islands on select routes. Baggage, seat selection, and onboard services vary by airline and fare type, so always check what is included before you book. Kiwi.com can connect separate carriers into one itinerary using Virtual Interlining, which is our self transfer hack. If a carrier changes disrupt your trip, the Kiwi.com Guarantee is designed to cover you when changes stop your journey in its tracks, with 24 by 7 instant chat support and automatic check in on your flights. Disruption Protection offers instant Kiwi.com Credit toward replacement flights or assistance with airline refunds if carrier changes affect your trip, so you can sort it all online without waiting in call queues.
Think compact and connected. EMA’s single terminal makes for easy navigation, with a range of low cost and leisure airlines operating across Europe and beyond in season. Road access via the A453 keeps transfers simple, and public transport links cover the wider East Midlands. It is a practical starting point for cheap one way flights from Nottingham, a quick city break, or a longer beach holiday across the United Kingdom and Europe.