East Midlands Airport facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
East Midlands Airport
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Owner/Operator | Manchester Airports Group | ||||||||||
| Serves | East Midlands | ||||||||||
| Location | Castle Donington, England | ||||||||||
| Opened | April 1965 | ||||||||||
| Hub for |
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| Built | 1943 | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 306 ft / 93 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 52°50′N 001°20′W / 52.833°N 1.333°W | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
 EMA/EGNX
Location in Leicestershire
EMA/EGNX
Location in the United Kingdom
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| Runway | |||||||||||
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| Statistics (2022) | |||||||||||
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East Midlands Airport is a busy international airport in Castle Donington, England. It's located between the cities of Loughborough, Derby, and Nottingham. The airport serves the wider East Midlands area, including counties like Leicestershire and Derbyshire.
This airport started as a Royal Air Force base in 1943. It was later turned into a civilian airport in 1965. Today, it's a popular place for low-cost airlines like Jet2.com and Ryanair. These airlines fly to many places in the UK and Europe.
East Midlands Airport is also a very important place for air cargo. It's one of the busiest airports in the UK for moving goods by plane. The airport is owned by the Manchester Airports Group, which is the biggest British-owned airport operator.
Contents
The Airport's Story: From RAF Base to Travel Hub
How East Midlands Airport Began
The airport first opened in 1943 as a Royal Air Force (RAF) station. It was called RAF Castle Donington. During Second World War, it was used to train aircrews. They learned to fly planes like the Vickers Wellington and Douglas Dakota. The RAF base closed down in 1946 after the war ended.
Becoming a Civilian Airport
In 1964, local government groups bought the old RAF site. They spent a lot of money to build new runways and facilities. The airfield was renamed East Midlands Airport. It opened for passengers in April 1965. It took over from the older Derby Airport.
Over the years, the airport grew. In 1993, a company called National Express bought the airport. Later, in 2001, the Manchester Airports Group (MAG) became the owner. MAG still owns the airport today. For a short time in 2004, the airport was called Nottingham East Midlands Airport. But in 2006, its name went back to East Midlands Airport.
Airlines and Growth at EMA
Many airlines have flown from East Midlands Airport. In 2012, Jet2.com and Ryanair decided to expand their flights from the airport. Ryanair became the biggest airline there, flying about half of all passengers. East Midlands Airport is now one of Ryanair's largest bases in the UK.
The airport also became a major hub for cargo planes. Companies like DHL Aviation and UPS Airlines use it to send and receive goods. During the COVID-19 pandemic, cargo flights increased a lot. This showed how important the airport is for moving goods around.
Flights and Destinations from East Midlands Airport
Passenger Flights to Exciting Places
Many airlines fly from East Midlands Airport to different cities. You can fly to places in the UK and all over Europe. Here are some of the airlines and where they go:
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Aer Lingus | Belfast–City |
| Blue Islands | Jersey |
| Jet2.com | Agadir (begins 26 March 2026), Alicante, Antalya, Faro, Fuerteventura, Funchal, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Málaga, Malta, Paphos, Tenerife–South Seasonal: Almería (begins 24 May 2026), Berlin (begins 28 November 2025), Bodrum, Budapest (begins 10 October 2025), Burgas, Chania (begins 26 May 2026), Corfu, Dalaman, Dubrovnik, Geneva, Girona, Heraklion, Ibiza, İzmir, Jersey, Kefalonia, Kos, Kraków, Larnaca, Menorca, Naples, Palma de Mallorca, Prague, Preveza/Lefkada (begins 6 May 2026), Pula (begins 24 May 2026), Reus, Reykjavík–Keflavík, Rhodes, Skiathos, Split (begins 3 May 2026), Thessaloniki (begins 23 May 2026), Verona, Vienna, Zakynthos |
| Ryanair | Alicante, Belfast–International, Dublin, Faro, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Knock, Kraków, Lanzarote, Málaga, Riga, Tenerife–South, Wrocław Seasonal: Barcelona, Bergamo, Bergerac, Berlin, Budapest, Carcassonne, Chania, Corfu, Girona, Limoges, Malta, Menorca, Murcia, Palma de Mallorca, Prague, Reus, Rhodes, Rome–Ciampino, Treviso, Valencia |
| SunExpress | Seasonal: Antalya (begins 31 March 2026) |
| TUI Airways | Alicante, Boa Vista, Enfidha, Gran Canaria, Hurghada, Lanzarote, Málaga, Sharm El Sheikh, Tenerife–South Seasonal: Antalya, Chambéry, Corfu, Dalaman, Dubrovnik, Faro, Heraklion, Ibiza, Kefalonia, Kittilä, Kos, Larnaca, Menorca, Naples, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Rhodes, Skiathos, Turin, Zakynthos |
Cargo Flights: Moving Goods Around the World
East Midlands Airport is a key place for moving cargo across Europe. Its central location in the UK makes it perfect for this. It's a main hub for DHL Aviation and UPS Airlines. These companies fly goods to many places in the UK, Europe, and even other continents.
The airport is next to a large rail and road cargo center called East Midlands Gateway. This means goods can arrive by plane, train, or truck. Cargo operations at the airport grew a lot from 2019 to 2022.
Airport Statistics: How Many People and Planes?
The airport keeps track of how many passengers fly and how many planes take off and land. In 2022, over 3 million passengers used East Midlands Airport. That's a big jump from the year before!
| Rank | Airport | Total passengers |
Airline(s) | Change 2021—22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alicante | 309,549 | Jet2.com, Ryanair, TUI |  289.6% |
| 2 | Tenerife–South | 274,514 | Jet2.com, Ryanair, TUI | 277.2% |
| 3 | Palma de Mallorca | 257,701 | Jet2.com, Ryanair, TUI | 280.5% |
| 4 | Málaga | 245,052 | Jet2.com, Ryanair, TUI | 315.5% |
| 5 | Faro | 221,169 | Jet2.com, Ryanair, TUI | 322.3% |
| 6 | Lanzarote | 173,831 | Jet2.com, Ryanair, TUI | 275.7% |
| 7 | Dublin | 136,552 | Ryanair | 401.2% |
| 8 | Barcelona | 71,950 | Ryanair | 321.7% |
| 9 | Dalaman | 63,947 | Jet2.com, TUI | 1,235.3% |
| 10 | Fuerteventura | 60,722 | Jet2.com, Ryanair | 239.3% |
Getting To and From the Airport
Road Connections
East Midlands Airport is easy to reach by car. It's close to major motorways like the M1, A42, and A50. This makes it simple for people from different cities in the Midlands to get there.
Train Travel to the Airport
The airport doesn't have its own train station right now. The closest one is East Midlands Parkway, about four miles away. From there, you can catch trains to cities like Leicester, Derby, Nottingham, and London St Pancras. There are shuttle buses and taxis to connect the station to the airport. There are plans to build a dedicated train station at the airport in the future.
Bus Services
You can also get to East Midlands Airport by bus. Services like Skylink run 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These buses connect the airport to nearby towns and cities. There are also shuttle buses that take you to the airport car parks.
East Midlands Aeropark: See Old Planes Up Close!
The East Midlands Aeropark is a cool place to visit at the airport. It has many old aircraft on display that you can see up close. Most of these planes were made in Britain. Volunteers help to look after the museum and its exhibits.
The Aeropark also has special viewing areas. From these spots, you can watch planes taking off and landing on the main runway. It's a great place for anyone who loves aviation!
Important Events and Safety at the Airport
Airports work hard to keep everyone safe. Over the years, East Midlands Airport has had a few important events. These events have helped make air travel even safer for everyone.
- In 1989, a plane had an engine problem while flying to Belfast. The crew tried to land at East Midlands Airport. Sadly, the plane crashed near the runway. This event led to many new safety rules for aircraft and passengers.
- In 2010, security officials found a suspicious package on a cargo plane. It was part of a plan to cause harm. This discovery led to stronger security checks for cargo flights around the world.
These events, though serious, helped improve safety for all air travelers.
See also
In Spanish: Aeropuerto de East Midlands para niños
