Inverness Airport Map & Terminal Guide 2026

Inverness Airport Map

The Inverness Airport map below shows the full layout of INV/EGPE at Dalcross, approximately 9 miles (13 km) northeast of Inverness city centre. Owned and operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL), INV is the only international airport serving the Scottish Highlands and the busiest airport in the HIAL network. It handled 796,408 passengers in 2024 and consistently wins Best Airport in Europe for Customer Service (ACI, under 2 million passengers category). easyJet is currently the largest carrier, followed by Loganair, British Airways, KLM and TUI.

As the Inverness Airport map shows, the layout is compact and easy to navigate. A single terminal building sits on the north side of the airfield, with check-in on the ground level, a security checkpoint leading to the airside departure lounge, and a baggage claim hall for arriving passengers. Car parks, the taxi rank, bus stop and car hire desks are all within a short walk of the terminal entrance.

Inverness Airport Location Map

Inverness Airport sits at Dalcross on the south shore of the Moray Firth, 9 miles northeast of Inverness city centre. Road access is via the A96 dual carriageway, turning onto Inverness Airport Way. The location map below shows INV relative to Inverness and the surrounding Highlands. Loch Ness is roughly 15 miles to the southwest.

Inverness Airport Terminal

Inverness Airport operates a single passenger terminal that handles all domestic and international flights. There are no inter-terminal transfers; every step of the journey from check-in to gate happens in one compact building. The terminal is split into two main zones: the public landside area and the airside departure lounge accessed through security.

Airlines and Destinations at Inverness Airport

Five carriers operate scheduled services from INV in 2026, covering London, Amsterdam, Irish and Scottish island routes, plus seasonal sun-holiday charters. easyJet leads by seat capacity, operating to London Gatwick, Bristol and the recently launched Birmingham route. British Airways serves London Heathrow. KLM runs twice-daily flights to Amsterdam Schiphol, providing connections to the global KLM and SkyTeam network. Loganair links the Highlands to Scottish island communities including Stornoway, Benbecula, Wick and Kirkwall, as well as UK cities such as Manchester and Belfast. TUI adds seasonal capacity to Palma de Mallorca and Gran Canaria during summer.

Inverness Airport Security

Inverness Airport has a single security checkpoint located between the check-in hall and the airside departure lounge. Because the airport has just one terminal and one checkpoint, all departing passengers funnel through the same lanes regardless of airline or destination. The checkpoint has been expanded and modernised in recent years to handle growing passenger numbers more efficiently.

Standard UK airport security rules apply: liquids in containers of 100 ml or less must be placed in a single transparent resealable bag. Laptops and large electronics must be removed from bags for separate scanning. There are no TSA PreCheck or CLEAR biometric lanes as these are US-based programmes; however, UK residents holding an ePassport can use fast-track e-passport gates at some departure points.

Aspire Lounge at Inverness Airport

The Aspire Lounge is the only passenger lounge at Inverness Airport. Operated by Swissport, it sits inside the airside departure lounge and holds around 30 passengers. The lounge has runway views, complimentary hot and cold food, unlimited alcoholic and soft drinks, unlimited Wi-Fi, charging points and access to international newspapers and magazines via the Gold Key Media digital platform. It has been described as feeling like a comfortable living room rather than a corporate lounge.

Access can be purchased on the day at the lounge desk or pre-booked online from around £25.99 per person. Some British Airways fare classes include complimentary access. Priority Pass, Lounge Club and American Express Platinum cards may also grant access; check membership terms before travelling.

Getting to Inverness Airport

Ground transport options have expanded significantly since the Inverness Airport railway station opened in February 2023. Bus, train, taxi and car are all practical options depending on your location and time of travel.

Inverness Airport Parking

Both car parks at Inverness Airport are on-site and within easy walking distance of the terminal. CCTV covers both sites 24 hours and automated number plate recognition (ANPR) barriers control entry and exit. Electric vehicle charging points are available. Pre-booking online is recommended, especially during July and August peak travel periods.

Inverness Airport Arrivals

Arriving passengers at Inverness Airport deplane on the apron and walk into the terminal building via the arrivals gate. The baggage claim carousel area is on the ground floor of the terminal. Passengers arriving from outside the UK (for example on the KLM service from Amsterdam) must pass through UK Border Force passport control before reaching baggage claim. The green and red customs channels are located at the exit from the baggage hall.

Meeting Arriving Passengers

The arrivals meeting area is in the ground floor of the terminal building, just past the baggage claim exits. Car hire desks, the taxi rank and the Stagecoach bus 11 stop are all immediately outside. There is a small seating area in the landside hall for those meeting passengers. Parking for drop-off and collection is available in the short-stay car park; brief drop-offs can be done at the terminal forecourt.

Inverness Airport Departures

Departures at INV are straightforward. Check in at your airline’s desk (or use online check-in and bag drop). Once bags are dropped, proceed through the single security checkpoint into the airside departure lounge. Gate numbers are displayed on screens throughout the lounge and your boarding pass. The departure lounge has the Aspire Lounge, a restaurant and bar, shops, a duty-free store and seating with runway views.

Recommended Arrival Times

HIAL recommends arriving at least 90 minutes before domestic flights and 2 hours before international departures. Check-in desks and bag drop typically close 40 to 60 minutes before scheduled departure. Gate assignments are shown on the flight information screens in the departure lounge and on airline apps. The airport is small enough that walking from check-in to any gate takes only a few minutes.

Inverness Airport Expansion Plans

HIAL published a masterplan in 2021 targeting 1.8 million passengers by 2045 — more than double current volumes. Two expansion options are under consideration. The less expensive option (£19 to £31 million) would extend and reconfigure the existing terminal. The more ambitious option (£34 to £55 million) would involve an entirely new terminal building positioned adjacent to Inverness Airport railway station, improving landside connectivity. The masterplan also includes extending the main runway (05/23) by 323 metres, enabling larger aircraft types to operate. No firm construction timeline has been confirmed as of April 2026.

Insider Tips for Inverness Airport

INV is one of the most relaxed airports in the UK to pass through. The single terminal means you will never be in the wrong place. Security queues are usually short, but early morning London flights can cause brief waits. If you are connecting via Amsterdam or Heathrow to a long-haul destination, check the minimum connection time at the hub airport rather than at INV itself. The Aspire Lounge is a genuine highlight for a small airport and well worth pre-booking at the online rate if you have a longer wait. Car hire demand peaks sharply in July and August so book ahead. The Inverness Airport railway station is an excellent, low-cost option to and from the city on ScotRail; bus 11 provides the short connection between the station platform and the terminal building when needed.