Easy to fly Dublin to Donegal??

mac_daddy

Hi guys

I have a two night stag coming up on Aranmore Island (Donegal) next April. I was thinking of leaving work in Citywest at 3pm on the Friday and driving to the island. Will hit pretty much all evening traffic through all the towns after the motorways so journey could take the guts of 5hrs! Driving back on Sunday should be about 4.5hrs but.... I will having a raging hangover from two nights on the sauce and face an epic drive home. I was thinking I could maybe fly from Dublin to Donegal Airport which is only 15mins away from the ferry to the island. So this would involve me driving from Citywest to Dublin Airport (30mins) - going through security and lounging around the airport waiting for the flight (1hr) - fly to Donegal (50mins) - taxi to island ferry (20 mins).... all up 2:40hrs (on paper!). Return flights are only about €60 as well.

Any thoughts on this guys? Has anyone ever taken this journey? Do you need to go through the long airport wait like flights to the UK or is there some sort of fast track process in place where you can just rock up and get processed on the spot for small internal flights?

Cheers

January

You can buy a fast track security pass on dublinairport.com that means you don't have to use the normal security queue.

ballooba

January wrote: »

You can buy a fast track security pass on dublinairport.com that means you don't have to use the normal security queue.

Domestic flights are fast track anyway.

eieiooo

Hi mac_daddy, often take this flight, I'm based in Donegal and the flight to Dublin is approx 40 min,,,, no hassel of driving, parking etc. great service, taxi available at airport to take you to Burtonport for the ferry...enjoy

mac_daddy

Nice one eieiooo. Do you park up at Dublin airport? How long would it normally take you from walking in the terminal doors to actually being on the plane usually when using the fast track boarding queue?

HeidiHeidi

Just a quick word of warning.... when this works, it works a treat. Can't beat it.

When it doesn't, well, it can go badly wrong.

My brother and some pals flew up to meet me a while back, and there was fog in Donegal. Having eventually left Dublin airport and done the rounds of Derry and Sligo, they eventually landed at Knock and were bussed up to Donegal. 11.5 hours door to door :eek:

I have no idea what the statistics are for failed arrivals at Carrickfin - for all I know that was the only time that ever happened - but having used it twice, the above was 50% of our experience!

But like I say, if it works, it's the best thing ever!

mac_daddy

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

11.5 hours door to door

Yikes!! Think i'll take the risk though, Irish weather is predictable at least 3% of the time!

HeidiHeidi

mac_daddy wrote: »

Yikes!! Think i'll take the risk though, Irish weather is predictable at least 3% of the time!

They were less than pleased when I finally picked them up from the airport!

I would too. It's the business.

If you get a cheap fare you can always go to Plan B if the weather is looking risky.

eieiooo

-Don't park at Dublin airport, live in Donegal and have to travel to Dublin throughout the year

-Depending on time of year ...but off season approx. 30 min,

- Like HeidiHeidi said, keep an eye on the weather, but hopefully should have no problem in April

- Stobbart Air taking over route in January..don't know anything about them

-another piece of advice I find contacting carrickfinn airport to book flight cheaper than booking online

mac_daddy

Top tips eieiooo, many thanks for that... interesting one about contacting the airport direct for tickets

spurious

Interested in doing this some time next year - roughly what would the taxi fare be from the airport to Donegal town?

eieiooo

Hi Spurious,
Donegal town is over an hours drive away, so I'd say it would cost alot in a taxi, you may be better getting to Sligo and then taxi or bus it

spurious

eieiooo wrote: »

Hi Spurious,
Donegal town is over an hours drive away, so I'd say it would cost alot in a taxi, you may be better getting to Sligo and then taxi or bus it

Just checked on a map where the airport is - no idea why I thought it was somewhere out Killybegs direction.