When is the Cheapest Time to Fly to Isle of Man?
The international Isle of Man TT race is the island’s best-known event, attracting motorcycle racing fans from all over the world from the end of May to early June. The CAMRA Beer and Cider Festival takes place in April, and the Manx Litfest gets underway at the end of September. The cheapest time to fly to the Isle of Man is outside of these main events, in autumn, early spring or in the summer months, apart from June.
When is the Best Time to Book your Flight to Isle of Man?
It’s best to book your Isle of Man flights is at least six weeks in advance rather than relying on last-minute flights, as few airlines fly there. There will also be greater demand when there are events or festivals on the island. Using Netflights.com, you can compare prices to save money on return flights. If you can travel anytime, you can work out which is the cheapest day to fly using Netflights’s ‘flexible dates’ search option.
Flying to Isle of Man Airport IOM
Isle of Man Airport (IOM) is the main airport on the Isle of Man, located 11 kilometres southwest of the capital, Douglas. It operates flights to the UK, Ireland and the Channel Islands and serves around 65,000 passengers a year.
British Airways has direct flights to the Isle of Man from London City Airport, as well as indirect flights via Dublin from London Heathrow Airport and London Gatwick Airport. LoganAir operates direct flights to the Isle of Man from Edinburgh Airport. FlyBe and Aer Lingus also fly to the Isle of Man with a stopover in Dublin. You can find indirect flights to the Isle of Man from other UK airports, including Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Cardiff and Newcastle Airports.
On Arrival and Getting Around the Airport
IMO has one terminal serving arrivals and departures from the UK and the Channel Islands. Its facilities for passengers include free Wi-Fi, parent and baby rooms, a meeting room, restaurants, bars and a bank.
Getting to the City from Isle of Man Airport IOM
Getting to Douglas, the island’s capital, from the airport, is easy. You can catch bus number 1, 1A and 2 from Monday to Saturday during the day. Buses 10, 11, 11A, 12 and 12A run in the early morning and evenings Mondays to Saturdays and all day on Sundays. These buses travel between Douglas, Santon, Ballasalla, Castletown and Port Erin from the bus stop located outside the airport.
There’s also a taxi rank outside the terminal, and most destinations on the Isle of Man are covered by fixed tariffs. Alternatively, you can hire a car to get around from the various car rental companies with desks at IOM.
Why Visit the Isle of Man?
Lying between Ireland and England in the Irish Sea, the Isle of Man has a sense of coastal calm that makes it an appealing, if slightly under-the-radar destination for British tourists. Thanks to its growing technology and start-up industry, it’s also attracting increasing numbers of British business travellers.
With miles of beaches and hiking trails, it’s a great place to explore in the fresh air, and the island’s ancient heritage isn’t hard to find. Near Ballasalla you’ll find the ruins of Rushen Abbey, given to local monks by a Viking king for silent contemplation. In Douglas, the capital city, you can catch up on the Isle of Man’s history, including its hosting of the famous TT races, which rev up every May and June, attracting motorcycling enthusiasts from all over the world to the island. From there, hop on board a more quaint form of transport, and ride the Victorian steam train to Port Erin through pretty villages and valleys.
Don't Forget Before you Fly
British citizens don’t need a visa to travel to the Isle of Man. While you don’t need to show your passport to travel from the UK to the Isle of Man, you will need to provide photographic ID to your airline so it’s best to check before you travel. You can use British pounds on the Isle of Man, which also has its own currency, the Manx pound. The Manx pound can’t be used in the UK but you can exchange any leftover currency at a bank.
