Car Hire Kirkwall Airport

Kirkwall Mini Guide

Who Travels to Kirkwall Airport?
It’s the airport serving the main settlement on the main island called Mainland. Travellers there include workers from the oil fields as well as those tourists who want to ‘get away from it all’. The island is often bleak and unforgiving, especially in winter, but on sunny days when the temperature creeps up to the high sixties, it’s a magical place full of hospitable locals.

How Easy is it to get to Kirkwall Airport?
Most flights to the airport are from mainland airports or from flights coming in from the outlying islands. The main route in is from Glasgow International Airport which opens access to Kirkwall to overseas tourists who can fly in from destinations as diverse as Toronto, Dubai, Philadelphia and Orlando. Once there, you’ll find very little in the way of public transport so a hire car from Kirkwall Airport will be essential; pre-book it before you leave home to guarantee its availability.

What is the Airport Like?
You might assume that it’s going to be a very basic airport but after overlooking the drab exterior you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the warm and welcoming interior with its Airfayre café serving hot and cold drinks, delicious meals sourced from local ingredients including a very special ‘daily special’. There’s a shop selling papers and magazines as well as travel essentials and toiletries. You can get wireless internet upon buying air time vouchers from the information desk.