Sumburgh Airport (LSI)
Sumburgh Airport (LSI) sits at Sumburgh Head on the southern tip of Mainland Shetland, approximately 25 miles south of Lerwick. At 60 degrees north it is one of Britain's most northerly commercial airports, serving both leisure visitors and the substantial North Sea oil and gas workforce.
Loganair operates scheduled passenger services to Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Inverness, Glasgow, and Kirkwall (Orkney). Around 270,000 passengers use the airport annually — a mix of island residents, tourists, and offshore workers. Bristow Helicopters and CHC Helicopter maintain separate operations for North Sea platform workers, making Sumburgh one of the world's busiest helicopter hubs by movements.
The airport's setting is extraordinary: Jarlshof prehistoric settlement — spanning 4,000 years of human occupation — is literally adjacent to the runway. The RSPB Sumburgh Head reserve, where puffins can be watched at arm's length from late April to August, is at the cliff edge of the airfield. Few airports in the world can claim such remarkable neighbours.
Single terminal — passenger and offshore operations
⚠️ No bus service from Sumburgh to Lerwick. Taxis or hire car are your only options — pre-book both before travelling.
Loganair routes from LSI
Sumburgh Airport FAQs
In the week to 6 Nov we saw non-stop fares from Sumburgh to 6 destinations. The cheapest one-way fares seen were Kirkwall £101, Aberdeen £119, Edinburgh £142, Glasgow £169 and Bergen £202.
The lowest one-way fare we saw this week was £101 to Kirkwall with Loganair, for travel on 25 Nov (seen on 28 Oct). It is a fare seen on that date, not a live price.
Airlines seen selling non-stop flights from Sumburgh this week: Loganair (6 destinations).
Bristow Helicopters and CHC Helicopter operate regular services from Sumburgh to North Sea oil and gas platforms. These are industrial operations transporting offshore workers on rotation. They are separate from the passenger terminal and use Sumburgh as a staging point — the airport handles significant helicopter movements daily, making it one of the world's most active helicopter hubs.
Flying from Aberdeen takes 45 minutes. The NorthLink overnight ferry takes 14 hours but carries your car and can be excellent with a private cabin. Most visitors fly out, hire a car, and take the ferry back — or do the reverse. The 14-hour ferry saves two days of travel time if you fly instead. Bring a car if you plan to explore beyond Lerwick.
Europe's largest fire festival, held in Lerwick on the last Tuesday of January each year. Hundreds of guizers in Viking costumes parade a full-size replica longship through the streets before torching it. Accommodation books out many months in advance. Several smaller Up Helly Aa festivals run across Shetland between January and March.
Yes — the RSPB Sumburgh Head reserve is at the cliff edge of the airfield. Puffins can be observed at extremely close range from the clifftop paths from late April to early August. Razorbills, guillemots, and gannets are also present. It is genuinely one of the best accessible puffin-watching sites in the UK and is free to visit.
Jarlshof is one of Britain's most significant prehistoric sites — a 4,000-year sequence of Bronze Age, Iron Age, Pictish, Norse, and medieval settlements exposed by a 19th-century storm. It is managed by Historic Environment Scotland, costs approximately £7 entry, and is minutes from the terminal. Do not fly into Sumburgh and miss it.
25 miles south of Lerwick by road (A970), approximately 40–50 minutes drive. No direct bus service. Taxis cost approximately £35–45. Pre-book your transfer or car hire before arrival — taxi availability at the airport is limited.
Transport to/from Sumburgh Airport
| Taxi to Lerwick | ~40–50 min · approx £35–45 · pre-book recommended |
| Car hire (at terminal) | Enterprise and local suppliers · book well in advance |
| Bus service | No direct bus service between airport and Lerwick |
| NorthLink Ferry (Aberdeen) | ~14h overnight · Lerwick to Aberdeen · vehicle transport · cabin accommodation available |
| NorthLink Ferry (Orkney) | Lerwick to Kirkwall · regular sailings · approximately 5.5–8h |
| Drive around Shetland | A970 is the main spine road · signposted attractions throughout Mainland |
On-site parking
Sumburgh Airport has on-site car parking managed by HIAL (Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd) with short and long stay options adjacent to the terminal.
Who flies from LSI?
| Loganair | Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Inverness, Glasgow, Kirkwall — all scheduled passenger services |
| Bristow Helicopters | North Sea offshore platform operations — not bookable by public |
| CHC Helicopter | North Sea offshore platform operations — not bookable by public |
Sumburgh Airport jobs
No listing named Sumburgh Airport on 6 Nov. Vacancies within 5 miles, and where the airlines recruit cabin crew and pilots, are on the jobs page.
Sumburgh Airport FAQs
Bristow Helicopters and CHC Helicopter operate from a dedicated area at Sumburgh, transporting offshore oil and gas workers to North Sea platforms. These are industrial operations separate from the passenger terminal and not available to the general public.
Fly: 45 minutes, no car transport. Ferry: 14 hours overnight, takes your car, can be very comfortable with a cabin. Most visitors fly one way and ferry the other. The overnight ferry from Aberdeen to Lerwick is an experience in itself on calm nights.
Europe's largest fire festival in Lerwick, last Tuesday of January every year. Viking-costumed guizers haul a replica longship through the streets and burn it. Accommodation books out months — sometimes years — in advance for this event.
Yes — the RSPB Sumburgh Head reserve is at the cliff edge of the airfield. Puffins are visible at close range from late April to early August. One of the best and most accessible puffin sites in the UK, and entirely free to visit.
A 4,000-year sequence of settlement next to the airport — Bronze Age, Iron Age, Pictish, Norse, and medieval remains all visible. Managed by Historic Environment Scotland, approximately £7 entry. One of the most extraordinary archaeological sites in Britain.
25 miles south, approximately 40–50 min by road. No bus service — pre-book a taxi (£35–45) or hire car before arrival.