East Midlands Airport: Size, Scale, And Significance

East Midlands Airport is an international airport in the East Midlands of England, located near Castle Donington in northwestern Leicestershire. The airport serves the cities of Nottingham, Leicester, Derby and the East Midlands region of England generally. It is one of the largest airports in the UK outside of London, with excellent connections to the motorway network, including the M1, A42, and A50. The airport has established itself as a hub for low-fare airlines such as Jet2.com and Ryanair, as well as tour operators like TUI Airways. In addition, it is a significant hub for freight operations throughout Europe, serving as a base for DHL Aviation and UPS Airlines.

East Midlands Airport's location

East Midlands Airport is located in Castle Donington, England. The airport is situated between Loughborough (10 miles or 16 km away), Derby (12.5 miles or 20 km away), and Nottingham (14 miles or 23 km away). Leicester is 20 miles (32 km) to the south, and Lincoln is 43 miles (69 km) to the northeast. The airport serves the majority of the East Midlands region, including the counties of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Rutland, and Derbyshire.

The airport is conveniently located near the intersection of the M1, A42, and A50 at Donington Park, providing easy access to major population centres in the Midlands. The A46 is also within reach for journeys to other parts of the East Midlands. East Midlands Airport is not directly connected to the passenger rail network or the Nottingham Express Transit tram network. However, a dedicated railway station at the airport has been proposed, which would offer direct services to nearby cities. The nearest railway station is East Midlands Parkway, approximately four miles (six kilometres) away, with regular services to Leicester, Derby, Sheffield, Lincoln, Nottingham, and London St Pancras.

East Midlands Airport is a significant hub for freight operations throughout Europe due to its central location within the United Kingdom. The East Midlands Gateway rail-served inland port is located immediately north of the airport and is accessible by air, road, and rail cargo. The airport serves as a base for DHL Aviation, UPS Airlines, and their subcontractors, facilitating domestic, European, and intercontinental cargo operations.

The East Midlands Aeropark, located in the northwest corner of the airport, features a variety of static aircraft on public display, most of which are from British manufacturers. The museum is managed by the Aeropark Volunteers Association (AVA) and offers viewing mounds for aircraft enthusiasts to observe arrivals and departures from the main runway.

Transport links to and from the airport

East Midlands Airport is conveniently located near the intersection of the M1, A42, and A50 at Donington Park, with the A46 also within reach. This makes the airport easily accessible by car from various parts of the Midlands and the East Midlands region. The airport offers a variety of parking options, including dedicated car parks and a car park shuttle bus service.

While the airport does not have direct access to the passenger rail network, the nearest railway station, East Midlands Parkway, is just four miles (six kilometres) away. This station provides regular services to nearby cities, including Leicester, Derby, Sheffield, Lincoln, Nottingham, and London St Pancras. A shuttle bus service connects the airport and the railway station, operating hourly by Elite Cars. Additionally, the airport is served by the RailLink service, connecting it to nearby train stations.

Several bus services provide convenient connections to and from the airport. The Skylink bus service, operated by Kinchbus and trentbarton, offers frequent and round-the-clock transportation to Nottingham, Long Eaton, Shepshed, Coalville, Derby, Leicester, and Loughborough. The my15 bus service is another option, running hourly to destinations such as Ilkeston, Castle Donington, and Sandiacre. These bus services provide connections to nearby train stations, including Long Eaton and Nottingham.

East Midlands Airport is also accessible by coach, with National Express providing cost-effective travel options. Additionally, the airport can be reached via taxi, with taxi services available from nearby train stations and destinations.

The airport's history

East Midlands Airport (EMA) is an international airport in Castle Donington, England. The airfield was originally built as a Royal Air Force station known as RAF Castle Donington in 1943, before being decommissioned in 1946 and subsequently redeveloped as a civilian airport in 1965.

In 1963, the East Midlands Airport Joint Committee was formed to find a site to replace Burnaston Aerodrome. The following year, the committee bought Castle Donington Airfield for £37,500, and planning permission to build a new airport was approved. Construction began in 1964, and East Midlands Airport was officially opened by the Duke of Edinburgh on 21 July 1965. Derby Airways, which later became British Midland, relocated to the new airport from Burnaston.

In March 1970, the runway was extended to 7,480ft to accommodate larger aircraft. This was followed by the opening of a second terminal, Cargo Terminal 2, in March 1973, allowing the airport to expand its freight operations. Five years later, in 1978, the first Boeing 747 jumbo jet landed at EMA.

In 1984, the number of passengers using the airport surpassed one million. ELAN (now DHL) began freight operations at the airport in the same year and established their UK base there in 1989. On 5 December 1986, Princess Anne opened a £3 million passenger terminal extension.

In 1993, the airport was privatised and purchased by the National Express Group. Three years later, in 1996, a new departures building opened in the East Apron as part of a £14.5 million project. The airport welcomed its 25 millionth passenger in 1996 and was acquired by the Manchester Airports Group in 2001.

In 2004, the airport was renamed Nottingham East Midlands Airport, a decision that proved controversial as the airport is located in Leicestershire, with the nearest city being Derby. The name was changed back to East Midlands Airport in 2006, with an additional subtitle, "Nottingham, Leicester, Derby".

In 2010, EasyJet ceased operations from the airport, but in 2013, Flybe, Monarch Airlines, and Jet2.com expanded their operations from EMA with new routes and additional aircraft. In 2020, cargo operations at the airport increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, with overall annual freight and mail increasing by 13% from 2019 to 2020.

Today, East Midlands Airport is a major hub for freight operations in Europe and serves as a base for DHL Aviation, UPS Airlines, and several other cargo carriers. It has also established itself as a hub for low-fare airlines such as Ryanair, Jet2.com, and TUI Airways, serving a range of domestic and European short-haul destinations.

Airlines and destinations

East Midlands Airport (EMA) is an international airport in Castle Donington, England. The airport serves the cities of Nottingham, Leicester, Derby and the East Midlands region of England generally. It is also a major hub for freight operations throughout Europe. The airport is a hub for low-fare airlines such as Jet2.com, Ryanair and tour operators like TUI Airways, serving a range of domestic and European short-haul destinations.

The airport has excellent road connections, being situated near the intersection of the M1, A42 and A50 at Donington Park. The nearest railway station is East Midlands Parkway, four miles away, with regular services to Leicester, Derby, Sheffield, Lincoln, Nottingham and London St Pancras. A dedicated railway station at the airport is proposed, which would offer direct services to nearby cities.

East Midlands Airport offers flights to dozens of destinations across Europe and beyond, including over 80 direct destinations. These include:

• Naples, Italy
• Tenerife, Spain
• Florida, USA
• Paris Orly, France (from April 2023)
• Belfast, Northern Ireland
• Izmir, Turkey (from May 2022)

The airport is also served by Skylink bus services, which operate 24/7.

The airport's climate

East Midlands Airport experiences a Temperate Marine climate or Oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb). This results in moderately cool summers and comparatively warm winters, with a temperature range of only 14 °C. Prevailing south-westerly winds blow in from the Atlantic Ocean.

Historical weather data for the airport since 1940 can be purchased from MeteoBlue, with variables such as temperature, wind speed, cloud cover, and precipitation available as CSV files. The "mean daily maximum" shows the maximum temperature of an average day for every month, while the "mean daily minimum" shows the average minimum. MeteoBlue also provides data on the hottest and coldest days of each month over the last 30 years.

The wind rose diagram for East Midlands Airport illustrates the direction and frequency of winds throughout the year. For example, Cape Horn, the southernmost point of South America, experiences strong west-winds that make east-to-west crossings challenging for sailing boats.

The airport's location in the United Kingdom exposes it to outbreaks of rain, especially near the Lincolnshire coasts. Windy conditions are common, and temperatures can drop to 5 °C, with frost, icy stretches, and freezing fog developing.

East Midlands Airport's central location within the UK and excellent motorway connections have made it a significant hub for freight operations across Europe. The East Midlands Gateway rail-served inland port, located north of the airport, further enhances its cargo capabilities.

Frequently asked questions