Central England's key hub for cargo and leisure flights.
Opened
1965
Location
Castle Donington, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
East Midlands Airport is an international airport located near Castle Donington, Leicestershire, serving the East Midlands region of England including Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, and surrounding areas. It sits approximately 15 miles southwest of Nottingham and 15 miles northeast of Birmingham, making it well-positioned for a large population catchment.
The airport handles a significant volume of passenger traffic, primarily through charter and low-cost carriers serving European leisure destinations. It is also one of the United Kingdom's busiest pure freight airports, with major cargo operators using it as a key distribution hub for overnight parcel and freight services.
East Midlands Airport is operated by MAG (Manchester Airports Group), which also operates Manchester and London Stansted airports. The facility has continued to develop its infrastructure to support both passenger growth and its substantial cargo operations.
Terminals
The airport operates a single terminal building handling all passenger departures and arrivals.
Getting to & from
East Midlands Airport is served by the Skylink bus service connecting Nottingham, Derby, and Leicester, with direct motorway access via the M1 motorway at Junction 23A.
Airlines here
Major airlines operating here include Ryanair, Jet2, and TUI, alongside significant cargo carriers such as DHL, UPS, and Royal Mail.
Notable facts
- ›East Midlands is one of the UK's top three busiest cargo airports by freight tonnage.
- ›DHL operates a major European air hub at the airport.
- ›The airport has a single runway designated 09/27.
- ›It served approximately 4.8 million passengers annually before the COVID-19 pandemic.
- ›The airport is located within the National Forest area of Leicestershire.
This profile is provided for general information only. Details may be inaccurate or outdated — always verify with the airport's official website before acting on them.
