Travellers landing at Inverness Airport enter a single terminal building that oversees flights to about 20 destinations, including London Gatwick, Amsterdam, and Palma de Mallorca, with easyJet and BA as the main carriers across six gates.
The structure splits into a ground floor for arrivals with baggage claim and quick exits, and an upper level for check-in counters leading to security and departures where gates sit in a compact row reachable in three to five minutes on foot through straightforward corridors.
Passengers appreciate the simple navigation with overhead signs in English and Gaelic, moving from curbside to boarding without long detours, all on a site with a 1,887-meter runway that handled 796,408 travelers in 2024 through a setup focused on regional and short-haul efficiency.
The airport stands 13 kilometers northeast of Inverness city center along the A96 trunk road via Inverness Airport Way, a 20-minute drive covering open moorland in light traffic. Stagecoach bus line 11 links the terminal forecourt to the city bus station every 30 minutes for four pounds, stopping en route at Nairn and Elgin with luggage racks onboard and contactless payments accepted.
Taxis from Inverness Taxis queue outside arrivals for a 20-pound ride to the center taking 20 minutes, while car rentals from Enterprise and Hertz operate desks inside for pickups right after customs. Parking lots adjacent to the building offer short-stay at two pounds per hour and long-stay at 10 pounds daily with 500 spots, booking up in summer but available online through the HIAL app.
Security processes at the single checkpoint open from 5 a.m. to last flight, where waits average 10 minutes but can reach 45 minutes during peaks if scanner issues arise, advising arrival two hours early for international legs and 90 minutes for domestic. Connections suit the point-to-point schedule with 10-minute minimums for domestic turns and 60 minutes for international, providing time for a gate seat or quick refresh before the next call.
On-time departures average 80 percent from carrier reports, backed by 30 daily movements on the runway, but Highland weather like fog or storms often causes 30-minute holds, and technical scanner faults or staffing shifts can add gate changes. The airport app delivers alerts for those updates, from wind gusts to air traffic tweaks.
Dining includes the Highland Bar and Cafe on the upper level serving sandwiches, soups, and local ales from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., alongside grab-and-go spots for pastries and coffee open flight-aligned hours. Retail features a World Duty Free counter for perfumes and whiskies geared to European routes, plus WHSmith for newspapers, snacks, and Highland souvenirs running similar times.
Facilities cover free Wi-Fi renewable every two hours across the terminal, power outlets at seating rows, baby changing stations in all restrooms with spare nappies provided, and accessible toilets with ramps plus priority assistance. An info desk operates from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. with maps and bookings, lost property handles items at the counter, and the Ness Lounge offers showers and snacks for 25 pounds entry. The terminal keeps operations tidy with staff at key spots, smoothing paths for the onward hop.
