
East Midlands Airport is an international airport located in Castle Donington, England. Despite being 14 miles (23 km) from Nottingham, the airport was renamed Nottingham East Midlands Airport in 2004. This decision was deemed controversial as the airport is not based in or near Nottingham. The name change was short-lived, and on 8 December 2006, the airport reverted to its original name, East Midlands Airport. Today, the airport is easily accessible from Nottingham and other major cities in the Midlands via car, train, and bus.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Castle Donington, Leicestershire |
| Nearest City | Derby, Derbyshire |
| Distance from Nottingham | 14 miles (23 km) |
| Distance from Loughborough | 10 miles (16 km) |
| Distance from Leicester | 20 miles (32 km) |
| Distance from Lincoln | 43 miles (69 km) |
| Serves | The majority of the East Midlands region, including Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Rutland, and Derbyshire |
| Public Transport Connections | No direct access to the passenger rail network or the Nottingham Express Transit tram network. Nearest railway station is East Midlands Parkway, 4 miles (6 km) away. Hourly minibus service available. |
| Former Names | RAF Castle Donington, Nottingham East Midlands Airport (NEMA) |
| Year of Rename to NEMA | 2004 |
| Year of Rename back to East Midlands Airport | 2006 |
| Airlines | Jet2.com, Ryanair, TUI Airways, Flybe, Monarch Airlines, EasyJet |
| Yearly Passenger Traffic Ranking (UK) | 14th in 2022 |
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What You'll Learn

East Midlands Airport is 14 miles from Nottingham
The airport serves the majority of the East Midlands region, covering the counties of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Rutland, and Derbyshire. It is easily accessible from the M1, A42, and A50, and offers fast and frequent bus services to and from Nottingham and other major cities in the region.
In 2004, the airport was briefly renamed Nottingham East Midlands Airport, despite not being located in or near the city of Nottingham. This decision was made to reflect the input of the surrounding cities, including Nottingham, in its operations and management. The name change was also intended to make it easier for foreign travellers to identify the airport's location, as Nottingham is the most well-known city internationally in the East Midlands.
However, the move proved to be highly controversial and was met with criticism from locals. As a result, the airport's name was changed back to East Midlands Airport in December 2006.
Today, the airport continues to serve as a hub for low-fare airlines and tour operators, offering flights to a range of domestic and European short-haul destinations. It is also easily accessible by train, with the nearest railway station being East Midlands Parkway, located just four miles away and offering regular services to Nottingham and other nearby cities.
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The airport was renamed Nottingham East Midlands Airport in 2004
East Midlands Airport is located in Castle Donington, Leicestershire, 14 miles (23 km) from Nottingham. In 2004, the airport was renamed Nottingham East Midlands Airport, despite not being in or near the city of Nottingham.
The decision to change the name was made by airport bosses, who deemed it necessary to enable foreign travellers to identify with where the airport was situated. Nottingham is the most well-known city internationally in the East Midlands, and it was believed that using the city's name would boost overseas visits to the region. Penny Coates, the then-managing director of the airport, defended the decision, stating that it reflected the input of the three cities (Leicester, Derby, and Nottingham) in its running.
The name change, however, proved to be controversial. Many locals felt that the airport should not be named after a city it was not located in or near. The new name did not last long, and on December 8, 2006, the airport's name was reverted to East Midlands Airport.
Despite the name change back to East Midlands Airport, some sources and flight trackers still refer to the airport as Nottingham East Midlands Airport or use the acronym NEMA. This is likely due to the airport's close association with the city of Nottingham and its role as a gateway to the East Midlands region.
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The airport is in Castle Donington, Leicestershire
East Midlands Airport is located in Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England. Loughborough is 10 miles away, Derby is 12.5 miles away, Nottingham is 14 miles away, and Leicester is 20 miles away. The airport is 4 miles from the East Midlands Parkway railway station, which has regular services to Leicester, Derby, Sheffield, Lincoln, Nottingham, and London St Pancras.
The airport was originally built as a Royal Air Force station known as RAF Castle Donington in 1943. It was then redeveloped as a civilian airport in 1965. In 2004, the airport was renamed Nottingham East Midlands Airport, despite not being in or near the city of Nottingham. This decision was deemed "necessary" by airport chiefs as a way to enable foreign travellers to identify with where the airport was situated, with Nottingham being the best-known city internationally in the East Midlands. The name change proved to be controversial, and on 8 December 2006, the airport reverted to its original name, East Midlands Airport.
East Midlands Airport has excellent connections to the motorway network, with easy access to the M1, A42, and A50 at Donington Park. The airport introduced a charge for dropping off car passengers near the departure lounge in 2010. There is also a bus service to and from Nottingham, Leicester, Derby, and beyond.
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The nearest railway station is East Midlands Parkway
East Midlands Airport is located in Castle Donington, Leicestershire, with the nearest city being Derby in Derbyshire. However, in 2004, the airport was renamed Nottingham East Midlands Airport, despite not being located in or near the city of Nottingham. This decision was made by airport management to increase the number of overseas visitors to the East Midlands, as Nottingham is the most well-known city in the region internationally.
The nearest railway station to East Midlands Airport is East Midlands Parkway, located near the village of Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire, close to the River Trent. The station is approximately 5 miles from the airport and offers hourly minibus services to and from the airport throughout the day. East Midlands Parkway is a modern and environmentally friendly station, having been constructed with locally sourced and recycled materials and featuring a ground-source heating system. The station is staffed and includes a ticket office, four platforms, and various other amenities for passengers.
East Midlands Parkway is on the Midland Main Line, which runs from London to Nottingham and Sheffield. The station is located 118 miles and 20 chains (approximately 190.30 km) from the London terminus at London St Pancras International. Trains to London typically depart from platform 2, while trains to Sheffield and Nottingham depart from platform 1. In addition to these destinations, passengers can connect at East Midlands Parkway to destinations within and outside the East Midlands region.
In 2021, the UK government announced the cancellation of the HS2 East Midlands Hub station as part of the Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands (IRP). Instead, the eastern leg of HS2 will connect to the Midland Line near East Midlands Parkway, allowing for direct HS2 services to Derby and Nottingham.
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The airport is served by Skylink bus services
East Midlands Airport is located in Castle Donington, Leicestershire, with the nearest city being Derby in Derbyshire. In 2004, the airport was renamed Nottingham East Midlands Airport (NEMA) despite not being in or near the city of Nottingham. The decision was deemed "necessary" by airport management to enable foreign travellers to identify with where the airport was situated, as Nottingham is the most well-known city in the East Midlands internationally.
Additionally, the Skylink Derby service provides connections to Derby, Leicester, and Loughborough, while the Skylink Express service offers a fast connection from Nottingham, departing from Canal Street every 30 minutes. These Skylink services provide convenient and reliable transport options for travellers to and from the airport, ensuring easy accessibility to and from various locations across the region.
Other bus services also operate from the airport, such as the my15 bus, which runs every 30 minutes from Monday to Saturday, connecting the airport to Ilkeston, Castle Donington, Old Sawley, and other locations. Furthermore, the Airline 9 bus provides hourly connections to Melbourne, Ashby, Swadlincote, Newhall, and Burton, operating from 4:20 am to 11:00 pm daily. These additional bus services enhance the overall connectivity of the airport, providing travellers with a range of transport options to reach their desired destinations.
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Frequently asked questions
East Midlands Airport is located in Castle Donington, Leicestershire, 14 miles (23 km) from Nottingham. In 2004, the airport was renamed Nottingham East Midlands Airport, but this decision proved controversial and its name was changed back to East Midlands Airport in 2006.
East Midlands Airport is accessible from Nottingham by car, train, and bus. The airport is near the intersection of the M1, A42, and A50 at Donington Park. The nearest railway station is East Midlands Parkway, which is four miles (six kilometres) away and offers regular services to Nottingham. There is also a minibus service that runs hourly between the airport and the railway station.
East Midlands Airport is a hub for low-fare airlines such as Jet2.com, Ryanair, and TUI Airways.





















