When it comes to travelling, there are plenty of details that need triple-checking.
It can become a minefield finding a bag that meets the airline’s requirements, ensuring passports and visas are up to date and memorising flight times.
But one detail that many people take for granted is the location of their airport.
According to travel experts at the airport transfer company SCS Chauffeurs, some budget airlines can be misleading when it comes to airport names.
Even for Brits travelling from London, the fact that Gatwick Airport is in West Sussex rather than the capital causes confusion.
Hadleigh Diamond, director of airport transfer company SCS Chauffeurs, said: ‘Many budget airlines use major destinations in airport names that are actually hundreds of miles away from the actual destination, leaving travellers working out how to get an airport transfer to the real destination.’
Read on to find out the European airports where the name can be misleading for first-time visitors – and just how far away they really are from the city they’re named after…
Frankfurt-Hahn Airport
Despite having Frankfurt in its name, Frankfurt Hahn Airport is around 126 km (78 miles) from the German city
Hahn Airport, also colloquially known and formerly officially branded as Frankfurt-Hahn Airport, is an international airport in the municipality of Hahn, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Despite having Frankfurt in its name, the airport is around 126 km (78 miles) from the German city and is closer to Luxembourg.
The airport is served primarily by Ryanair and Wizz Air, and according to SCS Chauffeurs, transfers from the airport to the centre of Frankfurt take approximately a whopping hour and 45 minutes.
Oslo-Torp Airport
Sandefjord (also known as Oslo-Torp Airport) is 68 miles southwest of Oslo
Oslo-Torp Airport (also known as TORP Sandefjord Airport) sees scheduled flights by airBaltic, Ryanair, Wizz Air, Scandinavian Airlines and Norwegian Air Shuttle.
But it’s actually 68 miles southwest of Oslo.
The train to Oslo Central Station takes about one hour and 45 minutes, costing around £14 to £21 each way.
Memmingen Airport
Memmingen Airport (pictured) is around 72 miles from Munich, despite being marketed as Munich West Airport
Memmingen Airport, also known as Munich West Airport, serves budget airlines like Ryanair and Wizz Air.
However, it is around 72 miles from Munich.
Transfers to Munich Central Station take roughly 90 minutes via bus or shuttle, often with a change in Munich East (Ostbahnhof), or a direct coach service.
Stockholm Skavsta Airport
Stockholm Skavsta Airport is located near Nyköping, Sweden, approximately 100 km (62 miles) southwest of Stockholm
Stockholm Skavsta Airport, used by Ryanair, Wizz Air and other budget airlines, is around 62 miles south of Stockholm.
Transfers take around an hour and 20 minutes and cost between £12 and £16.
Barcelona-Reus Airport
During tourist season, Barcelona-Reus Airport is used by the likes of Ryanair and Wizz Air.
But Barcelona-Reus Airport is actually 62 miles away from the city centre, taking around 90 minutes to reach.
Paris–Beauvais Airport
Tourists board a Wizzair plane at Beauvais airport, 53 miles from the capital
Unlike Paris-Orly Airport, which is closest to the centre, Paris–Beauvais Airport is 53 miles from the city.
Transfers take around an hour and 15 minutes.
Düsseldorf-Weeze Airport
Despite being marketed as Düsseldorf-Weeze, this airport is around 50 miles from the city in western Germany
Finally, Düsseldorf-Weeze Airport, used by Wizz Air and Ryanair, is around 50 miles from the city in western Germany and sits on the border with Holland. Transfers take between one hour and 15 minutes and an hour and a half.
While it can be frustrating to discover your ‘city’ airport is miles away, there is a reason behind the naming.
These airports are designed to serve wider metropolitan areas rather than city centres, and using a major city name helps with recognition when booking flights.
The key takeaway for travellers is simple: lower prices can come with longer transfers, so checking airport locations and planning transport in advance can help avoid unwanted surprises and keep winter sun trips stress-free.
