Cardiff or Bristol
 

Hi All,
I fly from Cardiff Airport every year. This year I am now flying from Bristol. Which is better?
Also we like to fly in style and use VIP Lounges at different airports. The Cardiff 51° Lounge is very nice in the airport, is the Cabot Lounge in Bristol any better?
Thanks.

I think, from what people have said previously, you'll find BRS a little 'airier' and modern. Other than that, I can't say much more.

Its probably as short as it is long really! Both airports have good and bad points. I'd personally go for whichever airport gives you the best deal!

comparing 2 airports
 

The main question you need to ask yourself is how you feel about travelling with crowds.

The simple issue that BRS has far more flights and services with LCC operators means you will get good choice with excellent prices for flights.
This however will drive costs in the terminal up which will result in higher retail costs. Also it will be much busier and hence you are likely to have a longer security wait. Depending on time of day.

At CWL, the airport is still a long way from nearing filling its capacity and hence is actually much easier to travel through. The security lines are seldom longer than 5 minutes apart from Thursday early mornings which are probably the busiest time.

I prefer to use less busy airports and like to be treated like a true customer rather than simply another number. Cardiff for me is always a better option as I get this experience every time, while at BRS, I seldom get greated with a smile, always had to wait in long lines at security and for some unknown reason have to wait even longer to get back into the UK at passport control due to a crazy system.

I also found the lounge much better at Cardiff as this is run by the airport info staff almost as a treat. They put loads of effort into ensuring we are looked after in the lounge if needs be. While at Bristol I have been grunted at on a number of visits when just going into the lounge.

Hope this gives you a bit of food for thought.

The trouble with asking people to compare neighbouring airports is that (a) the opinion is bound to be subjective and (b) some people think of and support their local airport in the same way they might support their local football team.

I haven't flown out of CWL for a while but I use BRS regularly, as a leisure traveller (in my own time and at my own expense) these days.

It isn't perfect by any means and to some extent has been overtaken by its undoubted success in attracting a host of airlines, not all so-called low-cost ones either.

Its desperately needed huge expansion plans have been slowed down by its need to deal with the army of anti-expansionists in the most effective way possible. In the short term the management has resorted to measures not requiring planning consent such as re-jigging the airside and landside areas and building extended security zones.

The ongoing work required to do this has sometimes added to the congestion that often occurs at busy periods. It has to be said though that in recent years the airport hasn't helped the passenger experience by using much-needed departure area space for yet more retail outlets.

I am suprised at merchant sailor's experience of grunts and unsmiling faces. I have always found that in general the staff are friendly and the experience can be one of rural informality*.

I used to use the business louge when the old airport frequent flyer programme rewarded its members by issuing vouchers and I always found the (usually) female staff polite and helpful.

As a local resident I much prefer the convenience of a local airport with numerous routes. The alternative is the situation of a couple of decades ago when BRS had few routes and one had to drive to LHR or other large airports, something that took much longer than a few extra minutes in a security queue at Lulsgate.

To return to the original question, the poser wll have to make up his or her own mind (not sure whether Chrisy is male or female).

* Some of the older security operatives (of whom BRS seems to have a number) sometimes address passengers as 'young man' (when like me they are nearing their old age pension) or 'my love'. I actually like this (who wouldn't at my age?) but I have no doubt there are some people who always expect to be addressed as sir or madam.

Thank you for the post. I am male and I do prefer Cardiff to others as I always fly from there so having an opinion from someone who uses BRS is good. I am flying from Bristol twice this year, one for a summer holiday with first choice and the other to new york with continental. I do agree that BRS has alot more choice than Cardiff and CWL is more expensive to fly from and has less opportunitys.
Thanks
Chris.

I have flown from both airports and would plump for CWL as it is the most convenient from home, however BRS does have a better choice of destinations so when booking to go anywhere I'll choose CWL first and then look at BRS. Either way, it's much more convenient than trekking up to LHR or LGW