Edinburgh Airport (EDI)
History, Facts and Overview

(Edinburgh, Scotland)

Edinburgh Airport is steeped in history and dates back as far as 1915, when it was an important airbase known as the Turnhouse Aerodrome. During the Second World War, a runway measuring around 1,200 metres / 3,940 feet was built, paved and used extensively by Spitfire planes.

By the 1950s, the runway had been lengthened to around 1,800 metres / 5,900 feet and in 1956, facilities were greatly improved when a new terminal was constructed. Other significant events in the history of Edinburgh Airport include the building of a new runway in 1977 measuring 2,550 metres / 8,365 feet and soon after, an additional adjacent terminal.


The 1980s saw regularly flights connecting both Dublin and Amsterdam, with further European services to follow. More recently, Edinburgh Airport (EDI) has been completely refurbished at a cost of more than £5 million, with a series of new coffee shops and bars added to the first floor, close to the lifts.

There are bureaux de change and ATMs on both the ground floor and the first floor, as well as a left luggage facility on the ground floor, first-aid room and useful pharmacy. Shopping is extensive at Edinburgh Airport, with many brand name stores, such as Dixons Tax Free, Impulse, Jenners, Tie Rack, World Duty Free and World News. There are also a host of bars and restaurants on the first floor and in departures and these include Costa Coffee, Caffé Nero, the Turnhouse Bar and Wetherspoons, which is particularly family friendly.

Although there are no meeting rooms at Edinburgh Airport, a nearby airport hotel offers comprehensive conference facilities. Also worth noting, you can find British Airways, British Midland and Servisair executive lounges in the departures area.