Birmingham Airport (BHX)
Birmingham Airport (BHX) is the UK's seventh busiest airport, handling around 13 million passengers per year from its site in Solihull, 8 miles south-east of Birmingham city centre. It is the main airport for the West Midlands — a region of more than 5 million people — and the largest airport in the English Midlands.
One of BHX's defining features is the Air Rail Link monorail — a free automated shuttle that whisks passengers from the terminal to Birmingham International railway station in just 90 seconds. From there, trains to Birmingham New Street take around 10 minutes, and direct services to London Euston run in approximately 1 hour 20 minutes. This rail connectivity sets BHX apart from most UK regional airports.
The airport operates a single merged terminal following the consolidation of the former T1 and T2 buildings. Emirates operates daily direct flights to Dubai (DXB), making BHX one of the few UK airports outside London with a long-haul premium service. Turkish Airlines provides a second hub connection via Istanbul Ataturk.
Single merged terminal + Air Rail Link
⚠️ Always check your boarding pass for current gate information — the merged terminal has two gate zones and departure boards are your guide.
Most popular routes
One merged terminal — and the world's shortest monorail
Birmingham Airport originally operated two terminals (T1 and T2) but has merged these into a single, connected building. All check-in, security, departures and arrivals are within the same terminal. There are no inter-terminal transfers.
The highlight is the Air Rail Link — a free automated people-mover that runs a 90-second journey to Birmingham International station. It runs 24 hours a day, with departures every few minutes. No ticket is required for the monorail itself.
Transport to Birmingham Airport
| Air Rail Link + Train (New St) | 90-sec monorail + 10-min train · ~£3.70 · quickest option |
| Train to London Euston | Via Birmingham International · ~1h 20m direct · from £14 |
| Train to Coventry | ~10 min from Birmingham International |
| National Express coach | To London Victoria and other UK cities from airport |
| Taxi to city centre | ~20–35 min · approx £20–30 |
| Rideshare (Uber/Bolt) | ~20–35 min · approx £18–28 |
| Drive (M42/A45) | 8 miles SE of Birmingham city · follow airport signs from M42 J6 |
Compare parking options
Pre-booking online saves up to 60% — car parks fill up fast in summer at BHX.
Which airlines fly from Birmingham?
Birmingham Airport FAQs
Take the free Air Rail Link monorail (90 seconds) to Birmingham International station, then a train to Birmingham New Street (10 minutes, ~£3.70). Total door-to-door from terminal to New Street is around 15–20 minutes. A taxi costs £20–30 and takes 20–35 minutes. The monorail + train combination is far cheaper and usually faster.
The Air Rail Link is a free automated people-mover connecting the terminal to Birmingham International railway station in 90 seconds — it's one of the most convenient airport-to-rail connections in the UK. It runs 24 hours a day continuously. No ticket is required for the monorail itself.
The airport is Birmingham Airport (BHX). Birmingham International is the name of the adjacent railway station, connected to the terminal by the free Air Rail Link monorail. On train booking sites, search for "Birmingham International" to find trains from the airport.
Yes. Emirates operates a daily direct service from Birmingham (BHX) to Dubai (DXB), with onward connections to South Asia, East Africa, South-East Asia and Australia. Flight time to Dubai is approximately 7 hours. This makes BHX one of only a handful of UK airports outside London with a direct Emirates route.
Yes — the No.1 Lounge is airside in the main departure area. Any passenger can access it for a fee regardless of airline or ticket class. Pre-book online for cheaper rates (typically £25–35 versus £40+ walk-in). Includes hot and cold food, free drinks, fast Wi-Fi and showers.
For short-haul European flights, arrive at least 2 hours before departure. For long-haul (Emirates, Turkish Airlines), allow 3 hours. During summer peak (July–August) and school holidays, security queues can be long — allow 2.5–3 hours even for short-haul.
Pre-booked parking starts from around £7/day for JetParks (off-airport, free shuttle) up to £22/day for the Short Stay Multi-Storey (closest to terminal). Always pre-book — on-the-day prices are considerably higher. For a 2-week holiday, pre-booked JetParks works out around £98 total.
Yes — take the free Air Rail Link to Birmingham International station, then a direct train to London Euston on the West Coast Main Line. Journey time is approximately 1 hour 20 minutes to Euston. It's a genuinely convenient option and significantly cheaper than a taxi to central London.