Getting to the Isle of Man

The Isle of Man (also known as IOM) is located between England, Scotland and Ireland in the middle of the Irish Sea, therefore the most popular ways to get to the IOM is by air or sailing.

Visit Isle of Man

Website: https://www.visitisleofman.com/travel/travel-information 

Flying to the Isle of Man

Geographically the nearest international airports to the Isle of Man are Liverpool Airport and Manchester International Airport in the Northwest UK. There are also excellent flight links from London Gatwick, London City and London Luton airports too.

The main airlines that fly to the Isle of Man are: 

• Aer Lingus

• British Airways

• Easyjet

• Logan Air

Which airports fly direct to and from the Isle of Man?

• Belfast (BFS)

• Birmingham (BHX)

• Bristol (BRS)

• Edinburgh (EDI)

By Plane

The Isle of Man has great air links with many major airports situated in the UK, Channel Islands, Ireland and further afield, making travelling by air quick and convenient.

Most airlines operate daily flights to the Island with those from the UK taking as little as 30 minutes in some cases! It couldn’t be easier to reach the hidden gem in the middle of the Irish Sea. 

The Isle of Man’s only airport - Ronaldsway - is located in the south of the Island in Ballasalla, close to Castletown, where you’ll find plenty of available accommodation and things to see and do. 

A frequent bus service stops outside the airport terminal building travelling to Port Erin via Castletown or Port St Mary, so you’ll find it easy to get to your chosen accommodation if you’re staying in the south. 

If you’re staying elsewhere, you can reach the Island’s capital, Douglas, in just 30 minutes. From here you can easily reach all other parts of the Island. The Douglas bus service departs the airport every 20 minutes. 

Or if you’d prefer to travel from the airport directly to your accommodation, you can pre-book a taxi from one of the many firms on the Island or hire a car. You’ll find these services at your immediate disposal inside the airport. 

Make sure you check with individual flight operators for timetables, fares, and bookings or contact the Isle of Man Airport with any enquiries via www.iom-airport.com or telephone +44 (0)1624 821600

You can view the latest airport flight schedule and Ronaldsway's flight arrivals here: https://www.airport.im/ 

We’re sure you’ll find visiting the Isle of Man by air an easy, quick and convenient way to travel, allowing you to sit back, relax, and enjoy the views as you come into land.

Website: https://www.manxflights.com/airlines/ 

Ferry to the Isle of Man

Travel to the Isle of Man is extremely simple with Direct Ferries. The island is perfectly placed for ferry travel with connections offered from England, Ireland and Northern Ireland. Douglas Harbour is the entrance point for all passenger ferries travelling to the island.

Isle of Man Steam Packet Company (ferries)

They carry around 600,000 passengers annually and 170,000 cars and motorcycles. This represents an increase in passenger traffic of around 35% and 50% in vehicle traffic since 1996 not a bad performance given the increased competition from airlines servicing the Isle of Man.

Website: https://www.steam-packet.com/ 

Direct Ferries

Website: https://www.directferries.co.uk/isle_of_man.htm 

Sail to the Isle of Man  - How to get to the Isle of Man by ferry

If you are travelling to the Isle of Man by Ferry you can sail as a foot passenger or with a vehicle from any of the following departure ports:

• Belfast, Northern Ireland

• Birkenhead, Northwest UK 

• Dublin, Ireland

• Heysham, Northwest UK

• Liverpool, Northwest UK

The Isle of Man Steam Packet is the only ferry operator to the island. The operator has 2 main vessels, the Ben My Chree (approximately 4 hours) and the faster Manannan boat.   

All sailings dock at the sea terminal in Douglas, the capital of the island (Sea Terminal, Douglas, IM1 2BX 

Tel: +441624 686801).

If you are bringing your dog to the Isle of Man then there is a dog lounge available on the Ben My Chree however if you are travelling on the Manannan your dog will need to remain in your vehicle.  Lounge passes and private cabins can also be booked online.