Cardiff Airport is located near the village of Rhoose, Vale of Glamorgan, and is 12 miles west of the city of Cardiff.
Cardiff Airport is owned by the Welsh Government and is the only airport in Wales that offers international scheduled flights and is also served by scheduled, low-fare, business and charter carriers.
Cardiff Airport is the busiest Airport in the Wales and serves the capital (Cardiff), as well as the South, Mid and West Wales. It is the 20th busiest Airport in terms of passengers, in the UK.
Cardiff Airport Map
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Live Trackers
Arrivals/Departures & Scanner Frequencies
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Cardiff Airport Scanner Frequencies:
Approach - 119.155, 125.855
Radar - 125.855
Tower - 133.105
ATIS - 132.480
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History
During World War II (1940s) the Air Ministry set up a satellite aerodrome and training base for Spitfire pilots which was named RAF Rhoose. Construction started in 1941, and the airfield officially began life on 7 April 1942 when it was taken over by No 53 Operational Training Unit. After World War II the airfield fell into disuse and was abandoned.
In the early 1950s the commercial potential of the runway was recognised and Aer Lingus started a service to Dublin in 1952. Civilian flights were transferred from the old Cardiff Municipal Airport to Rhoose in 1954 and a new terminal building was built. Flight destinations were France, Belfast, and Cork. In 1965, the Ministry of Aviation handed the airport over to Glamorgan County Council who developed the airport with a new control tower, terminal building, and runway extension.
In the 1970s, the supersonic airliner Concorde made a few flights into the airport on special occasions. These were limited by the length of the runway, meaning it could only land lightly loaded, and only take off without passengers and with a minimal fuel load.In 1986, there was another extension of the runway so it could operate new-generation jet aircraft like the Boeing 747 and develop transatlantic links. In the 1980s the name was changed to Cardiff-Wales Airport and the runway was extended a further 750ft in 1986, which attracted the new-generation of jet aircraft to the airport, including the Boeing 747 Jumbo jet. This attracted British Airways who built the largest maintenance facility in the world (820ft x 574ft) which provided heavy airframe and engineering maintenance for the British Airways fleet and third party carriers.
In 1995, the airport was privatised with shares being sold to TBL plc, a subsidiary of Abertis and AENA International. Heli-air Wales began training helicopter pilots from the southside of the airport in 1995 but have since departed to Swansea Airport in 1999. In 2009, the name was changed to Cardiff Airport (Maes Awyr Caerdydd).
In 2013 the airport was brought back into public ownership by the Welsh Government. In October 2017, it was announced that they would upgrade the terminal by expanding the departures area with increased seating and retail space and expand the executive lounge. Outside the terminal, a new meet and greet parking facility and car hire terminal would be built and work started in October 2017.
Getting to Cardiff Airport
The airport is close to Rhoose in the Vale of Glamorgan, 12 miles west of Cardiff and 10 miles from junction 33 on the M4. Exit junction 33 on the M4 and follow the signs to Cardiff Airport along the A4232, A4050 and A4226. The Sat Nav postcode is
CF62 3BD.
In 2019 it was announced that the A48 link road was to go ahead with the route announced to run from J34 of the M4 to the A48 south of Sycamore Cross through the west of Pendoylan. The proposal is also likely to include a new railway station and park and ride near Junction 34 on the South Wales Main Line near Hensol Castle. The plans will include an integrated bus service between the railway station, strategic employment sites, and Cardiff Airport.
A rail link connects Rhoose Cardiff International Airport Station to Cardiff Central and Bridgend. A shuttle bus service from the train station to the Airport is available for passengers, the journey takes approximately 10 minutes and there is a small charge per person.
Travelling by bus to and from Cardiff Airport is easy and convenient, with good connections between the airport and Cardiff city centre. The bus pick up and drop off points are situated in front of the terminal building. TrawsCymru has operated the Cardiff Airport Express from Cardiff Airport to Cardiff city centre, with railway connections, operating hourly throughout the night.
Checker Cars is the airport's official taxi operator and offers a 24 hour service. A taxi booking office is located outside the arrivals hall.
Car Parking
• Car Parking.
• Drop off & Pick up.
Accommodation:
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