Our Review of Edinburgh Airport (EDI)

Table of contents: Our Review of Edinburgh Airport (EDI) Pros and Cons of Edinburgh Airport (EDI) Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide) How we calculate On Time Performance Some Stats

Our Review of Edinburgh Airport (EDI)

All the information featured on this page was compiled and written by David Enrich, a renowned expert in aviation and airport guides, since 1999.

At Plan Your Trips, we have analyzed hundreds of airports around the world, gaining a clear understanding of what users expect when visiting an airport. With this know-how, we have created this guide, placing passengers at the forefront of everything, aiming to simplify and enhance the airport experience.

In this Guide, our goal is to present information in a manner that is both quick and reliable. Recognizing that passengers often have limited time and may be in a hurry, we strive to ensure that they do not waste time unnecessarily.

Another key focus of our guide is to highlight the strengths of the airport and also the weaknesses, and in some cases, offer recommendations to travelers. In alignment with this approach, we provide users with aggregated information on delays and on-time performance, analyzing both airlines and individual flights.

Other Reviews

Recent reviews on Skytrax and other platforms paint a challenging picture of Edinburgh Airport, with frequent complaints about organization, cleanliness, baggage handling, and overall passenger experience. While the airport is officially rated as a 3-Star Airport by Skytrax for its facilities, shopping, food, and staff service, the lived experience reported by travelers is often much less positive.

Key Themes from Reviews:

Queuing and Security:
Many travelers highlight long and chaotic queues, especially during early morning hours. Security lines often extend outside the terminal, with poor queue management and insufficient staff. Several passengers missed flights due to these delays, despite arriving with what they believed was ample time.
Baggage Handling:
Waiting times for checked luggage are a major source of frustration, with reports of over an hour’s wait and confusion due to multiple flights sharing a single carousel. Baggage handlers and ground staff are frequently described as unhelpful or indifferent.
Cleanliness and Facilities:
Cleanliness, particularly in restrooms, is a recurring issue. Some reviewers describe facilities as dirty and inadequate for the volume of passengers, especially during peak times. There are also complaints about a lack of seating and poor signage.
Staff and Customer Service:
Feedback on staff is mixed. While some travelers encountered helpful individuals, many more report indifferent or unhelpful service, especially in stressful situations like missed flights or lost baggage.
Other Issues:
Problems with airport infrastructure, such as broken escalators, lack of trolleys in the luggage area, and poor road conditions leading to the airport, are also mentioned. Wi-Fi connectivity is inconsistent, and some passengers note that the airport was better managed in previous decades.

Positive Aspects:
Despite the criticisms, the airport does offer a good range of shops and dining options, and its location is convenient for accessing Edinburgh and the wider region. Some passengers also note that the airport is generally comfortable when not overcrowded.

Final Score: 2.5/5

Justification:
While Edinburgh Airport maintains a 3-Star Skytrax rating and offers a decent selection of shops and services, the overwhelming majority of recent user reviews are negative, focusing on long waits, poor organization, cleanliness issues, and inconsistent customer service. The airport’s operational shortcomings—especially during peak times—significantly impact the passenger experience, justifying a below-average score. Improvements in staffing, baggage handling, and facilities are needed to raise satisfaction to the level expected of a major international airport.

Pros and Cons of Edinburgh Airport (EDI)

Pros of Edinburgh Airport:

Excellent location, just 10 km from the city centre, making access quick and convenient.
Wide range of transport options: Airlink 100 bus (24h), tram, taxis, and car hire, all well connected to central Edinburgh.
Extensive selection of services and amenities, including restaurants, shops, currency exchange, ATMs, meeting rooms, and a children’s play area.
Well adapted for passengers with reduced mobility, offering ramps, elevators, and dedicated assistance services.
Presence of low-cost airlines such as Ryanair and EasyJet, allowing for affordable flights to many destinations.

Cons of Edinburgh Airport:

Frequent organizational issues and long queues at security checks, especially during peak hours.
Delays and extended waiting times for baggage collection, with understaffing and poor management of luggage carousels.
Lack of cleanliness and maintenance in facilities such as restrooms and common areas during busy periods.
The tram does not operate 24 hours, limiting transport options at night.
Limited seating and waiting areas, which can be uncomfortable during early flights or delays.

Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide)

Location & Access:
Edinburgh Airport (EDI) is Scotland’s busiest airport, located just 10 km (6 miles) west of the city centre, with excellent road access via the M8 and A8. It serves over 30 airlines with flights across Europe, North America, and Asia.

Getting There & Transport:

Tram: Direct tram service connects the airport to the city centre in about 35 minutes, running frequently throughout the day.
Bus: The Airlink 100 express bus operates 24/7 to Waverley Bridge in central Edinburgh, with other local and regional buses available.
Taxi & Rideshare: Taxis are always available outside the terminal; pre-booking is possible for convenience.
Car Hire & Parking: Major car rental companies are on site. Pre-book parking online for the best rates and easy access to the terminal.

Check-In & Security:

Check your airline’s check-in desk opening times—they vary between 2 and 4 hours before departure.
Weigh your bags at home to avoid surprises at the airport.
Liquids must be under 100ml, but at EDI you no longer need to remove liquids or large electronics from your bag at security.
Arrive early, especially during busy periods or major city events, as roads and queues can be busier than usual.

Facilities & Services:

After security, you’ll find a wide range of restaurants, cafés, bars, and shops, including a large duty free area.
Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the terminal.
Special assistance is provided for passengers with reduced mobility—request in advance if needed.
There are no sleeping facilities inside the terminal, but several hotels are located just outside.
Family-friendly amenities and baby changing rooms are available.

Arrivals & Baggage:

International arrivals must go through passport control; eGates are available for eligible passports.
Baggage reclaim is on the ground floor—check screens for your carousel.
If you have issues with lost baggage, contact your airline or their handling agent directly.

Tips for a Smooth Journey:

Check live flight information on the airport’s website or screens in the terminal.
Consider using the priority security lane to save time.
Follow the airport’s latest guidance and updates for any changes in procedures.
For parking, use the ANPR system for seamless entry and exit if pre-booked.

Final Advice:
Plan ahead, allow extra time for each step, and make use of the airport’s online resources for up-to-date information. Edinburgh Airport is continually upgrading its facilities and services to improve the passenger experience, so check for the latest updates before you travel.

How we calculate On Time Performance

On various pages of our website, you will encounter a metric widely utilized in aviation and other forms of transportation known as OTP (On Time Performance). We believe that providing this metric assists passengers in planning their trips and exploring alternatives before purchasing their flight tickets.

We calculate the On Time Performance for all flights and airlines, when we have enough data to do so. In certain instances, it may not be feasible to accurately compute the On-Time Performance for a specific flight or airline due to inadequate or non-representative data, which could result in misleading conclusions.

Our calculation of On Time Performance and delay information solely relies on arrival times. This approach is chosen over calculating departure delays, as we consider arrival punctuality to be of primary concern to passengers.

The On Time Performance displayed on our website is calculated as follows:

On Time: Flights that arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time, or earlier. In the absence of data for a specific flight, we assume the flight arrives on time, to avoid penalizing airlines for data unavailability.
Moderate Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 15 to 30 minutes.
Significant Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 30 to 60 minutes.
Major Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay exceeding 60 minutes.
Average Delay: The average delay is calculated by considering flights that arrive early as having a delay of 0 minutes. Early arrivals do not contribute to reducing the average delay calculation