Flying to Donegal or Derry
Dec 4th, 2011, 10:04 PM
#1
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Flying to Donegal or Derry
We are going to Ireland next year, visiting relatives in the north. I haven't been able to find who might fly into Donegal or Derry and if it is better to fly to Shannon and get a connection or to Dublin.
Does anyone have experience with this?
Thanks,
Tdiddy
Does anyone have experience with this?
Thanks,
Tdiddy
Dec 5th, 2011, 05:00 AM
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This map shows the destinations served by Derry airport - RyanAir is the main (perhaps only) carrier. Aer Arann used to fly from Dublin to Derry but they have now been subsumed by Aer Lingus and I don't think they do the Derry route any more.
http://www.cityofderryairport.com/fl...tion/route-map
Derry airport is convenient for Donegal. I don't think there's an airport in Donegal that's anything more than a private airstrip.
http://www.cityofderryairport.com/fl...tion/route-map
Derry airport is convenient for Donegal. I don't think there's an airport in Donegal that's anything more than a private airstrip.
Dec 5th, 2011, 05:54 AM
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Donegal airport has flights from Dublin and Glasgow by Loganair, the Flybe franchisee on this route. Derry has Ryanair flights from Birmingham. There are no other flights to Derry or Donegal from airports with transatlantic flights, and neither Flybe nor Ryanair have interline baggage agreements with anyone else, so you have to come through UK/Irish immigration, collect your bags, then checkin landside 40 mins before departure, adding up to a bloody lengthy connection time for onward flights than go very infrequently indeed.
Aer Arann no longer flies from Ireland's north west (or, apparently, the Galway region, though it does fly from London to the Isle of Man)
All of which said, it's probably easiest (and least likely to involve missing a connection) to fly to Dublin, or via a UK major airport to one of the Belfast airports, then drive.
Aer Arann no longer flies from Ireland's north west (or, apparently, the Galway region, though it does fly from London to the Isle of Man)
All of which said, it's probably easiest (and least likely to involve missing a connection) to fly to Dublin, or via a UK major airport to one of the Belfast airports, then drive.
Dec 6th, 2011, 06:05 AM
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Hi, I'm always looking for an easy way to get to NW Ireland (there isn't one 
I'm assuming that you're coming from the US, and that you're renting a car?
If you are able to fly direct to Belfast from US, that would be best option. I've looked into connecting to Belfast from London, but it was less expensive to just fly directly to Ireland. If you do want to connect, Aer Lingus has several flights daily from LHR to BFI, which may mesh well with your transatlantic arrival time.
I would fly directly to Dublin, and drive to Derry - this is about 3 hrs drive, if you can manage it on your arrival day. Or drive to Letterkenny - bit longer of a drive, I think. Dublin to Donegal town is longer drive (4-5 hrs)- I wouldn't do this on arrival day.
Just my opinion - I think the drive from Shannon to Donegal is longer & slower, too tiring for arrival day.
There is a daily Flybe flight from DUB to Donegal airport, at 9:25 AM - this may work for you if you have an early-AM arrival. You can rent a car from Enterprise at Donegal airport.
I'm assuming that you're coming from the US, and that you're renting a car? If you are able to fly direct to Belfast from US, that would be best option. I've looked into connecting to Belfast from London, but it was less expensive to just fly directly to Ireland. If you do want to connect, Aer Lingus has several flights daily from LHR to BFI, which may mesh well with your transatlantic arrival time.
I would fly directly to Dublin, and drive to Derry - this is about 3 hrs drive, if you can manage it on your arrival day. Or drive to Letterkenny - bit longer of a drive, I think. Dublin to Donegal town is longer drive (4-5 hrs)- I wouldn't do this on arrival day.
Just my opinion - I think the drive from Shannon to Donegal is longer & slower, too tiring for arrival day.
There is a daily Flybe flight from DUB to Donegal airport, at 9:25 AM - this may work for you if you have an early-AM arrival. You can rent a car from Enterprise at Donegal airport.
