Cardiff International Airport (CWL)

About Cardiff International Airport

Cardiff International Airport is located about 12 miles southwest of Cardiff City centre, close to the town of Rhoose, in the Vale of Glamorgan. Cardiff International Airport is Wales’ only international airport and in 2006 almost 2 million passengers passed through it making it the UK’s 19th busiest airport.

Parking at the Airport

There are three parking options at Cardiff International Airport. Short Stay, Long Stay and Business parking. The Short Stay car par is located close to the terminal building and is recommended for travellers who are leaving their car at the airport for a short duration. A higher daily tariff is charged than that of the Long Stay car park. As it is no longer possible to drive to the front of the terminal building, the picking up or dropping off of passengers must be done at the Short Stay car park. The first 20 minutes of your stay in the car park is therefore free.
The Long Stay car park is recommended for travellers who wish to park for more than 1 day. The car park is located a short distance from the terminal. A courtesy bus is available during summer months to take passengers directly to the terminal entrance. This car park can be pre-booked at discounted rates.
Business Parking at Cardiff International Airport is a premium parking option for business travellers, offering speed and convenience. The car park is just a short walk from the terminal.

Facilities and Services

Cardiff International Airport has services to over 50 international scheduled and charter destinations. The passenger terminal has two levels, the upper for departures and the lower for arrivals and check-in. Passenger facilities include airport information; baby change facilities; Business Lounge; car hire; cash machines; Chaplaincy; children’s play centre; currency exchange; games zones; postal services; trolleys and facilities for passengers requiring special assistance.
The terminal building also offers a fair range of retail and catering outlets including Tax and Duty free shopping; a newsagent and Burger King.
Cardiff International Airport’s exclusive Business Lounge is an ideal location to unwind, relax or complete that last bit of paperwork. The lounge is open to both business and leisure travellers. Some airlines offer the lounge to their business class passengers free of charge, however a day's membership currently costs £16. Membership entitles users to business facilities such as fax, photocopier, telephone and wireless Internet access. Leisure facilities include alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks; newspapers and magazine; telephones; fresh fruit and light bites; widescreen satellite TV and wireless Internet access.

Getting To The Airport

By car - Cardiff International Airport is just 10 miles from Junction 33 on the M4. Leave the M4 at Junction 33 and follow the airport signs along the A4232, A4050 and A4226. For satellite navigation systems, the airport’s postcode is CF62 3BD.
By rail – The nearest station to Cardiff International Airport is Rhoose Cardiff International Station, which is about 1 mile away. Trains run in each direction every hour to Cardiff Central Station and Bridgend, with onward connections to other destinations on the United Kingdom rail network. There is a shuttle bus service (free to passengers in possession of a valid train ticket), which meets every train to carry passengers on the short journey to the airport terminal.
By bus/coach - the National Express Coach Service operates regular direct services to Cardiff Central Bus Station, where buses, trains and taxis are available for connection to Cardiff International Airport. Cardiff Bus service X91 operates between Cardiff (Central Station), Cardiff International Airport hourly on Monday to Saturday daytime and every two hours during the daytime on Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays. EST Transport operates an hourly evening Monday to Saturday service 95 between Cardiff (Central Station) and Cardiff International Airport via Barry and Dinas Powys.

History of Cardiff International Airport

The original Cardiff Airport operated at Pengam Moors (Cardiff Bay) from 1931 to 1954. However, in the early 1940's The Air Ministry requisitioned land near Rhoose, in the Vale of Glamorgan to set up a wartime satellite aerodrome and training base for RAF Spitfire pilots. The commercial potential of the runway at Rhoose was recognised in the early 1950's with Aer Lingus starting a service to Dublin in 1952. Other services operating at Pengam Moors by Cambrian Airways were subsequently transferred to Rhoose. A new terminal building was built and flights to France, Belfast and Cork soon followed.

An escalation in holiday charter business resulted in passenger numbers at the new Cardiff Airport exceeding 100,000 in 1962. Control of the Airport was transferred from the Ministry of Defence to Glamorgan County Council in 1965. Transatlantic flights commenced in 1971 and further investment led to the development of the current Terminal Building and Control Tower. The main runway was doubled in length to 7,000 ft, which enabled the airport to accommodate wide-bodied aircraft.

The reorganization of local government saw the transfer of the airport’s ownership to the South, Mid and West Glamorgan County Councils. The growth in holiday flights to the Mediterranean saw annual passenger numbers increase to 250,000 in the early 1980’s.

In 1986 a further extension was made to the runway, costing in the region of £1 million, but also attracting more business to the Airport in the form of new generation jet aircraft. The runway extension, enabling the Airport to handle 747 jumbo jets, was instrumental in attracting the British Airways Maintenance facility to Cardiff International Airport. The maintenance hangar is one of the largest in the world and provides heavy airframe and engineering maintenance for the British Airways fleet and third party carriers.

The early 1990's saw a significant boost to the Airport's scheduled services when Manx Airlines established their European Air Route Hub at Cardiff. In 1992 passenger numbers at Cardiff International Airport, increased by an impressive 22% to 743,219, by the end of the year. Additional charter and scheduled services contributed to the rise in traffic, as did major increases in aircraft capacity. The Airport's Golden Jubilee Anniversary was celebrated in 1992 and a programme of special events to mark 50 years of flying from Cardiff culminated in a Royal visit, with Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra unveiling a commemorative plaque.

A series of major expansion projects commenced in early 1993. The projects included re-development of the landside forecourt area, expansion and modernisation of the International Departures Lounge, plus modification of the roadway access to the Terminal, and construction of a new security access point.

In April 1995, the Airport Company was privatised, with shares being sold to Welsh property and development firm, TBI Plc. Since the privatisation, Cardiff International Airport's success has continued, making it one of the UK's most successful regional airports.