Aberdeen International Airport

Aberdeen Airport (ABZ) serves Aberdeen, Scotland's "Granite City" and the oil capital of Europe. Located 11 km northwest of the city center in Dyce, it's one of the world's busiest heliports serving North Sea oil platforms, alongside conventional passenger services.

The airport has a single terminal handling domestic, international, and the unique helicopter operations to offshore platforms.

Key airlines: British Airways, Loganair, KLM, easyJet, Ryanair, and various carriers. Plus substantial helicopter operators (CHC, Bristow) for offshore.

ABZ is northwest of Aberdeen:

• To Aberdeen city center: 11 km, 20-30 minutes
• To Union Square (station): 11 km, 20-30 minutes
• To Old Aberdeen: 9 km, 15-25 minutes
• To Beach Esplanade: 10 km, 20-25 minutes

Uber operates in Aberdeen.

• To city center: £20-30 (~$25-38 USD)

Taxis from the rank:

• Similar rates to Uber
• Rainbow City Taxis is a major local operator

Stagecoach Bus

Bus 727 connects to Aberdeen city:

• Route: Airport → Dyce → Union Square (city center)
• Journey time: 30-40 minutes
• Frequency: Every 20-30 minutes
• Cost: £4-5

Jet 727 Express

Jet bus faster service to city center:

• Journey time: 25 minutes
• Frequency: Every 20 minutes during peak
• Recommended for convenience

Type	Daily Rate	Notes
Short Stay	£30/day	Terminal adjacent
Long Stay	£15/day	Free shuttle
JetParks	£10/day	Budget option

Book online for significant discounts.

ABZ has limited dining:

Terminal:

• Bar and restaurant
• Café
• Grab-and-go options

Limited choices; Aberdeen city has better options.

Network: ABZ Airport WiFi

• Cost: Free (basic) / Premium available
• Speed: Adequate
• Registration required

SIM cards from:

• Shops in Aberdeen city
• Limited airport options

ATMs in the terminal.

Currency: British Pound Sterling (£)

• Duty-free (limited)
• Travel essentials
• Basic retail

Small airport with limited shopping.

Lomond Lounge

• Access: Priority Pass, business class, or £30 walk-in
• Amenities: Food, drinks, WiFi

Offshore lounges

• Access: Oil industry workers only (CHC, Bristow facilities)

Hotels near the airport in Dyce or Aberdeen city center.

Aberdeen is the Granite City—Scotland's third-largest city with stunning grey architecture, North Sea heritage, and gateway to Royal Deeside and the whisky trail:

Top attractions (with travel time from airport):

• Union Street: 25 min—grand granite thoroughfare, shopping
• Aberdeen Art Gallery: 25 min—recently renovated, excellent collection
• Marischal College: 25 min—world's second-largest granite building
• Old Aberdeen: 20 min—medieval cobbled streets, King's College
• Aberdeen Beach & Esplanade: 25 min—2-mile beach, amusements

Whisky country (day trips):

• Speyside (Whisky Trail): 1.5 hours—densest concentration of distilleries
• Glenfiddich: 1.5 hours—world's most visited distillery
• Glenlivet: 2 hours—the classic Speyside single malt
• Royal Lochnagar: 1.5 hours—royal warrant, near Balmoral

Royal Deeside & Cairngorms:

• Balmoral Castle: 1.5 hours—Queen's Scottish residence (grounds open summer)
• Braemar: 1.5 hours—Highland Games venue, picturesque village
• Cairngorms National Park: 1.5-2 hours—skiing, hiking, wildlife

Castles (Aberdeenshire has more castles per acre than anywhere):

• Dunnottar Castle: 45 min—dramatic clifftop ruins
• Crathes Castle: 40 min—16th century, fairy tale turrets
• Castle Fraser: 50 min—classic Scottish baronial
• Craigievar Castle: 1 hour—pink-hued, inspiration for Disney?

Local tips:

• Oil capital: North Sea oil has shaped modern Aberdeen
• Granite city: The grey granite gives distinctive character
• Weather: Maritime climate—often cloudy, but less rain than west Scotland
• Doric dialect: Local Scots dialect can be challenging
• Offshore workers: You'll see oil workers in orange jumpsuits
• University city: Two ancient universities (Aberdeen and Robert Gordon)
• Fish: Fresh seafood from the North Sea
• Football: Aberdeen FC plays at Pittodrie
• The city can feel expensive due to oil industry salaries
• Dunnottar Castle is worth the drive—spectacularly situated