The city break flights that are hours from your destination

Cheap European flights are more popular than ever but a new study has revealed many come with a hidden cost in the shape of airport transfers that can take longer than the flight itself. 

Travel experts at FlightsFinder analysed ten alternative airports serving popular European city destinations to highlight the hidden time cost involved when flying with a budget airline. 

Budget operators often use secondary airports to keep costs to a minimum so passengers can enjoy cheaper fares. 

However, while a flight may appear to offer a bargain, travellers could be adding hours to their journey by landing further away from their destination. 

Europe's Most Remote Airports Ranked by Transfer Time

FlightsFinder’s analysis found headline return fares of £30 for flights to airports including Frankfurt-Hahn, Milan Bergamo and Warsaw Modlin.

While headline fares may look appealing at first glance, the cost of baggage is often not included, and some of the most popular remote airports in Europe are located more than 100km away from their destination.

Frankfurt-Hahn, for example, is 126km from the centre of Frankfurt, with a bus transfer taking approximately two hours and ten minutes – a flight from London would take approximately 90 minutes.

Paris Beauvais airport has similar transfer times of just under two hours each way – despite a flight from London lasting around 80 minutes. Oslo Torp and Barcelona Reus airports, meanwhile, come in with one-way transfer times of around 95 and 85 minutes to each respective city centre. 

Landing at Stockholm Vasteras would take an hour and twenty minutes to reach the Swedish capital, with the same time required to reach Munich when landing at Memmingen Airport.

Travellers arriving in the UK at London Stansted face a journey time of just over an hour into central London, while getting to the city centres of Milan, Brussels and Warsaw takes approximately 50–60 minutes by bus from Bergamo, Charleroi and Modlin airports respectively. 

Factoring in Border Delays and Overall Value

On top of lengthy transfer times, travellers going through some European airports are also reportedly waiting up to three hours at border checks because of the EU’s new entry-exit system (EES).

With a short city break offering a limited amount of time at a destination, transfer times and the potential for delays can eat into a large portion of the time available to explore. 

Headline fares can offer great value, but holidaymakers are urged to look beyond the price and compare options against flights into a main city airport hub when booking a short city break, taking into account the location of an airport and the cost and duration of airport transfers. 

Shahab Siddiqui, CEO and founder of FlightsFinder, said: “Nobody travels to visit an airport or spend hours sitting on a bus transfer. When you’re only visiting a city for two or three nights, every hour counts. 

“Secondary airports can offer some very cheap and appealing fares, but as our research shows, they can come with a much bigger time cost than you might expect. If you’re spending hours travelling into the city centre, it’s important to consider the extra time involved alongside the saving on the flight. 

“Factor in baggage costs and the potential for delays as well, and flying into a main hub can end up the more convenient option for a short break, even at a higher fare.

“Looking at the overall costs, where exactly the airport is located and the journey times involved can help travellers make a more informed comparison before booking.”