7 Interesting Facts About Belfast International Airport

Belfast International Airport is one of two airports serving Belfast, the capital city of Northern Ireland, the other being George Best Belfast City Airport. Belfast International Airport is located 21km northwest of Belfast, and around 6.7 million passengers use the airport every year. Here are 7 interesting facts that you might not know about Belfast International Airport.

Interesting Facts About Belfast International Airport

Name Change: The airport was originally called Aldergrove Airport, after the name of the nearby village of Aldergrove in County Antrim. Its name was changed to Belfast International Airport in 1983.

Gateway to Ireland: It is the second biggest gateway into Ireland, after Dublin International Airport, found in Dublin, the capital of the Republic of Ireland.

Military History: The airport was originally constructed in 1917 during the First World War when it was selected to be an RFC (Royal Flying Corps) training establishment.

Runway Development: During the Second World War, the airport’s four runways were changed into two longer ones to accommodate larger and more frequent aircraft movements. There are still two runways at the airport to this day.

Terminal Expansion: With a 50% increase in passenger traffic over the last 10 years, a terminal expansion started in 2023 to accommodate the increase in passenger numbers at the airport. It was completed in the summer of 2024.

Good International Links: Lots of short-haul and long-haul flights operate from Belfast International Airport, and destinations as far away as Cancun (Mexico), Orlando (Florida, USA), and Marrakesh (Morocco) can all be reached directly from the airport, as well as numerous European countries including Germany, Italy, the UK, Greece, Bulgaria, Spain, France, Austria and more.

A Royal Opening: The airport as we know it today was opened by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother on 28th October 1963 and has been operating civil flights ever since.

Things You Didn’t Know About Airport Parking at Belfast International Airport

Leaving your car in a safe and secure car park before your holiday makes for the perfect worry-free start to your trip. You can also save money on taxi fares and drop-off fees that many airports have in place.

Here are some things that you might not know about parking at Belfast International Airport:

Pre-Booking Parking Discounts: Save money on your airport parking at Belfast International Airport by booking in advance. Typically, booking anywhere from three weeks to three months in advance will ensure that you get the best rates for your stay, and usually have enough flexibility to cancel if you need to do so.

Easy Access to the Terminal: The car park is only a few minutes walk from the main airport terminal, meaning that you don’t have to wait around for a shuttle bus to inevitably arrive late or not turn up at all. You can simply park up, leave your car and walk straight to the airport terminal in around five minutes.

Free Cancellation: Belfast International Airport offers free cancellation on parking. We know how hectic travel can be, and when unexpected things come up at the last minute, the last thing you want to be worrying about is losing any money you’ve spent on airport parking. There’s no need to worry about this when parking at Belfast International Airport.

Things You Didn’t Know About Airport Hotels at Belfast International Airport

Save the stress of being stuck in traffic or your train not showing up on time and missing your flight, and book a stay at the airport hotel at Belfast International Airport the night prior to your flight. This is ideal if you have an early flight to catch the next morning, as the hotel is just a two-minute walk from the airport terminal.

Here are some things you might not know about hotels at and near Belfast International Airport:

Budget-Friendly Hotel: There is one hotel at the airport, called the Maldron Hotel Belfast International Airport. It offers lots of clean, large rooms, and you can add breakfast to your stay if you want. You can also see lots of the planes landing and taking off from your room.

Food and Drink: There is a bar and grill at the hotel offering a range of different meals, from meat and fish options to salads, sandwiches, snacks and vegetarian and vegan options. This saves you from having to eat elsewhere, you can simply check in and enjoy a tasty meal at the Maldron.

Local Hotels: There are also many other hotels close to the airport if you would prefer to stay in one of those. Many of these are also cheap, budget-friendly hotels such as Travelodge and Premier Inn. You can either drive to the airport from these hotels or take a taxi.

Things You Didn’t Know About Car Hire at Belfast International Airport

Booking car hire from Belfast International Airport with FHR is easy. Our database searches through hundreds of car hire deals to find you the very best ones. You should always book in advance to secure the very best deals – this is imperative if you are travelling during the peak holiday season. All you need to do is follow the signs for the car rental desks once you have arrived at Belfast International Airport. They are found near the baggage claim area in the main terminal building – you can’t miss them.

If you would prefer to return your hire car to an alternative location, this is also possible – just let the team on hand know before you leave, as well as where and when you would like to return the car so they can arrange its pick up.

Belfast International Airport offers car hire through companies including Budget, Enterprise and Hertz.

Things You Didn’t Know About Booking With FHR

Make FHR your reliable travel partner for everything related to car hire! With over 35 years of experience in the industry, you can rest assured knowing that you will have an easy booking process, excellent deals and top-quality customer service.

At FHR we also offer a wide variety of other services alongside car hire, including access to hundreds of airport lounges, airport hotels and airport parking.

Human Interaction: We don’t hide away behind cleverly trained AI models – we have a team of actual human beings who are willing to assist you with any problems or queries that you might have.

Simplicity and Efficiency: In just three steps, you can complete your booking and be raring to go – there’s no need to complicate anything here.

Flexible Cancellation Policies: We also offer free cancellation on all car hire bookings up to 24 hours before departure.

Airport Lounges at Belfast International Airport

There is one main lounge at Belfast International Airport, called The Causeway Lounge, named after the iconic Northern Irish landmark, the Giant’s Causeway.

The lounge offers a relaxing experience before your flight, including comfortable seating, numerous power outlets, high-speed WiFi and TVs. Guests can pay on arrival or book the lounge in advance for a guaranteed place.

The lounge also offers complimentary food and drinks, although premium alcoholic drinks do have to be paid for.

The lounge is open from 05:00–20:00 Sunday-Friday and 05:00–18:00 on Saturdays.