Glasgow Airport is a single terminal just off the M8 at Paisley, about a quarter of an hour from the city centre. It is easy to reach and easy to park at, and the parking prices are unusually close together. The two things that catch people out are the drop-off charge, which jumps sharply after half an hour, and the liquids rule, which is still 100ml here, unlike Edinburgh. This guide covers what is worth knowing before you fly from Glasgow.
Getting there by car
The postcode for the airport is PA3 2ST. Leave the M8 at junction 28 if you are coming from the east and Glasgow, or junction 29 if you are coming from the west, and follow the airport signs. If you are parking off the airport, use the postcode in your parking confirmation instead.
Glasgow's Low Emission Zone covers about a square mile of the city centre, and the M8 itself is not part of it, so the motorway route to the airport does not take you into the zone. It only matters if you leave the motorway in the city centre on the way.
Drop-off: the charge, and the free hour
- Express Pick Up and Drop Off, in the multi-storey directly outside the terminal: £7 for up to 15 minutes, then £1 a minute, and a flat £50 once you pass 30 minutes. You pay by card at the exit barrier, so there is nothing to remember afterwards, but do not let it run on.
- The free option is the Long Stay car park, where you can stay up to an hour without charge, with a free shuttle bus to the terminal.
- Blue Badge holders cannot use the Express zone for free. Use the Terminal Multi Storey instead, which is the only car park for dropping off passengers who need extra assistance: 30 minutes are free, once in 24 hours, by putting the physical badge, barcode up, in the exit scanner. Photocopies are not accepted.
For collecting someone, the Long Stay's free hour and shuttle are the cheapest way to wait. The Terminal Multi Storey costs £15 for an hour. If you are parking rather than being dropped off, none of this applies. Our drop-off charges guide compares Glasgow with every other UK airport.
Security: the 100ml rule still applies
At Glasgow, liquids must be in containers of 100ml or less. They can stay in your cabin bag without a clear liquids bag, and there is no limit on how many 100ml containers you bring. Anything larger goes in the hold.
This is different from Edinburgh, where containers of up to 2 litres are allowed. If you fly out of one Scottish airport and home into another, or are flying home from abroad, pack each bag for the airport you are leaving from.
How early to arrive
Glasgow Airport does not publish a single arrival time, so go by your airline's check-in and bag-drop times, on your booking. Then work back the time from your car park:
- Park & Ride and the airport's Long Stay: allow 25 to 35 minutes from the car park barrier to check-in. The car parks we sell are about 3 to 5 minutes from the terminal by shuttle.
- Meet & Greet: be at the handover point 10 to 15 minutes before your booked time.
- Short Stay: about a 2 to 3 minute walk.
Which parking suits which trip
Before You Fly lists every Glasgow car park we sell in one table, cheapest first, including the airport's own Long Stay. When we compared prices for an eight-day trip booked about three months ahead, the options were unusually close:
- Park & Ride started at around £45, with a shuttle of 3 to 5 minutes.
- The airport's Long Stay was around £50, also about 5 minutes by shuttle, so at Glasgow the airport's own long-stay car park costs only a few pounds more than the cheapest Park & Ride.
- Meet & Greet was around £62, about £17 more than the cheapest Park & Ride, for handing the car over and walking straight in. Photograph the car at handover.
- Short Stay, a couple of minutes' walk from the terminal, was around £102 for the same eight days, so it is best for a day or two.
Prices move with the dates, so compare them side by side for your trip. Our Meet & Greet or Park & Ride guide explains how to choose. Whichever you pick, book the flexible rate if your dates might move. It can be cancelled up to 72 hours before arrival for a full refund; see the cancellation FAQs.
Lounges and hotels
The main lounge is the UpperDeck Lounge, run by Aspire, open daily from 05:00 to 20:30, with a maximum stay of three hours and entry on a valid boarding card. The airport also has the premium Lomond Lounge, and British Airways has its own lounge for eligible members. Lounges can be pre-booked; compare them on our Glasgow lounges page.
For a very early flight, there are several hotels close to the airport, including the Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express Glasgow Airport. Search Glasgow hotels.
Getting there by bus and train
- Glasgow Airport Express, service 500: the airport's official bus link to the city centre, run by First Glasgow with electric buses. It leaves from Buchanan Bus Station, stance 46, and from stance 1 at the airport, with journeys from about 15 minutes.
- By train: there is no station at the airport. The nearest is Paisley Gilmour Street, about a mile away, with McGill's service 757 between the station and the terminal.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to drop off at Glasgow Airport?
£7 for up to 15 minutes in the Express Pick Up and Drop Off zone, then £1 a minute, rising to a flat £50 after 30 minutes. Pay by card at the exit barrier. The Long Stay car park is free for up to an hour, with a free shuttle bus.
Can I take liquids over 100ml through security at Glasgow?
No. At Glasgow, liquids must be in containers of 100ml or less, although they can stay in your bag without a liquids bag. Edinburgh allows containers up to 2 litres, so check the rules for each airport you fly from.
Does the Glasgow Low Emission Zone affect the drive to the airport?
Not if you stay on the motorway. The zone covers about a square mile of the city centre, and the M8 is not included, so the usual route to the airport does not enter it.
What postcode should I use for Glasgow Airport?
PA3 2ST, from junction 28 or 29 of the M8. If you have booked parking, use the postcode in your confirmation instead.
What is the cheapest way to park at Glasgow Airport?
In our comparison for an eight-day trip, Park & Ride started at around £45, with the airport's own Long Stay only a few pounds more. Compare Glasgow parking for your dates.
Sorted before you fly.
