East Midlands Airport Map & Terminal Guide 2026

East Midlands Airport Map

The East Midlands Airport map below shows the full layout of EMA at Castle Donington, Leicestershire. The airport serves over 4.7 million passengers a year and sits at the heart of the East Midlands region, within reach of Nottingham, Derby, Leicester and Loughborough. It handles more than 65 destinations operated primarily by Ryanair, Jet2.com, TUI Airways, Aer Lingus and Loganair, with Palma de Mallorca, Alicante and Malaga among the most popular routes.

As shown on the East Midlands Airport map, the entire operation runs through a single terminal building. There are no inter-terminal transfers and no people movers. Check-in and arrivals are on the ground floor. Departures, security and the gate areas are on the upper level. The gates run in an L-shape after security, numbered from 1 through to 23. Study the EMA map before you travel so you know roughly where your gate zone sits in the terminal.

East Midlands Airport Location

East Midlands Airport is located near Castle Donington in Leicestershire, close to junction 23A of the M1 motorway. It sits roughly equidistant between Nottingham (14 miles), Derby (12.5 miles) and Loughborough (10 miles), with Leicester 20 miles to the south. The A42 and A50 both give fast access from across the region. The location map below shows how EMA sits within the East Midlands road network.

East Midlands Airport Terminal

East Midlands Airport operates from a single terminal building. This keeps navigation straightforward: there is one check-in area, one security hall, one departures lounge and one arrivals hall. The ground floor handles arrivals, baggage reclaim, customs, immigration, car hire desks and ground transport access. The upper level is for departures, including check-in, security, all retail and dining, the Escape Lounge and the gate areas.

The terminal has 44 check-in desks across the ground floor. The departure lounge is well served with duty-free, restaurants, cafes and a bar. As part of the ongoing £120 million investment programme, the terminal has seen new seating, modernised toilets including Changing Places facilities, improved baby changing areas and a completely refurbished security hall with next-generation 3D CT scanners. EMA is part of Manchester Airports Group, the largest British-owned airport operator.

East Midlands Airport Gate Zones

All gates at East Midlands Airport are accessed through the single security checkpoint on the upper level. Once airside, the gates are arranged in an L-shape, numbered sequentially. Gate assignments are displayed on screens throughout the terminal and in your airline’s app, and can change right up to departure time, so always check the boards rather than assuming your gate from a previous visit.

East Midlands Airport Airlines

All passenger airlines at East Midlands Airport use the same single terminal. Ryanair is the largest carrier at EMA by passenger numbers, accounting for roughly half of all passenger traffic. Jet2.com and TUI Airways are the other major players, with strong holiday route networks. Aer Lingus and Loganair cover domestic UK routes to Belfast and other cities.

Top destinations from East Midlands Airport include Palma de Mallorca, Alicante, Malaga, Belfast International, Amsterdam, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Tenerife, Faro and Dublin. For long-haul travellers, EMA does not offer intercontinental routes and typically connects via a European hub or another UK airport.

East Midlands Airport Security

Security at East Midlands Airport is on the upper level of the terminal, reached from the check-in hall via lifts, escalators and stairs. There is one main security hall with standard lanes and a Fast Track option available for purchase. Peak times at EMA tend to be early mornings from around 4 a.m. when the first wave of charter and low-cost flights departs. Arriving at least 2 hours before departure is the airport’s own recommendation.

The Escape Lounge

The Escape Lounge is EMA’s main pre-departure lounge, located airside directly opposite Gate 17. It runs from 1 April to 31 October each year, open from 4 a.m. weekdays and Sundays and from 4 a.m. on Saturdays. Pre-book prices start at around £25 per person, with infants under 24 months admitted free. The lounge offers food, a bar, free Wi-Fi, charging points and newspapers. It is a paid-access lounge open to all passengers regardless of airline or class of travel.

Getting to East Midlands Airport

EMA sits at junction 23A of the M1, making it accessible by road from across the Midlands and beyond. There is no rail station at the terminal itself, though a dedicated airport station has been proposed and is currently in planning, with completion estimated around 2040. For now, the Skylink bus is the most popular public transport option.

East Midlands Airport Parking

Pre-booking parking at eastmidlandsairport.com is strongly recommended for the best prices. Turn-up rates are significantly higher. The airport offers Short Stay, Mid Stay, Long Stay, JetParks and Meet and Greet options, plus a Rapid Drop-Off zone for quick passenger handovers.

East Midlands Airport Map: Arrivals

Passengers arriving at East Midlands Airport land at one of the 23 gates and walk or take moving walkways through the airside corridor to the upper level. From there, passengers descend to the ground floor arrivals hall for baggage reclaim and, for those arriving from outside the UK, passport control and customs. EU, EEA and Swiss nationals can use ePassport gates for faster processing. People meeting arriving passengers wait in the arrivals hall on the ground floor.

Ground Transport from Arrivals

Taxi booking is available from the Arrow Cars desk in the arrivals hall. The Skylink bus stop is just outside the terminal building. Car hire desks for most major providers are in the arrivals area on the ground floor. Rental car collection is typically from a car park close to the terminal. National Express coaches depart from directly outside arrivals. The Rapid Drop-Off zone for pick-ups is directly in front of the terminal entrance.

East Midlands Airport Map: Departures

Departing passengers enter the terminal from the front forecourt, check in on the ground floor, then head upstairs to security. After clearing the security hall, the airside departures lounge opens up with shops, food and drink, the Escape Lounge and all gate areas. Gate numbers are assigned and displayed on screens throughout the terminal and on airline apps. Allow extra time for gates at the far end of the L-shaped concourse, particularly gates 18 to 23.

Recommended Arrival Times

The airport recommends arriving at least 2 hours before domestic and short-haul European flights. During peak summer months (May to October), early morning departures can see queues build quickly at security and bag drop from around 3:30 a.m. Check bag drop closure times with your airline, as these typically close 40 to 60 minutes before departure. Gate assignments can change, so monitor the screens after clearing security.

EMA Cargo Operations

East Midlands Airport is the UK’s second-largest cargo airport after Heathrow by volume, and the country’s busiest pure cargo hub. DHL Aviation, UPS Airlines and FedEx all operate their main UK hubs at EMA. The airport saw cargo volumes grow 10% in the first half of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. In early 2025 EMA attracted new cargo carriers operating China to UK routes, driven by growth in e-commerce. EMA is also the primary port of the East Midlands Freeport and sits adjacent to East Midlands Gateway, a rail-served inland port opened in 2020.

Insider Tips for East Midlands Airport

EMA is a compact, easy-to-navigate airport. The single terminal means you will never be far from your gate, but gate assignments can and do change right up to boarding, so keep checking the screens after security. The 3D scanners mean security is faster than at many UK airports since bags do not need to be unpacked. If flying from gates 18 to 23, grab food and drink before heading to the far end of the concourse as options get limited there. The Skylink bus is by far the cheapest way to get to and from the city centres, running 24 hours a day. If you drive, pre-booking parking will save you a significant amount over turn-up prices.