Campbeltown Airport Information (CAL)

Campbeltown Airport (CAL) is a small facility in the Scottish town of Machrihanish, less than four miles from Campbeltown. It is situated on the tip of the Kintyre Pensinsula on Scotland's west coast in Argyll and Bute.

Serves: Machrihanish, Campbeltown, Argyll and Bute
Operator: Highlands and Islands Airports Limited
Time Zone: Europe/London
IATA Code: CAL
ICAO Code: EGEC
Location: 055°26'14"N 005°41'11"W

Campbeltown Airport was once owned by the Ministry of Defence and primarily served as a military installation accommodating planes from the Royal Air Force, the US Marine Corps and NATO. In those days, the airport was called RAF Machrihanish. The emphasis on military operations ended late in the 1990s.

Despite its small size, Campbeltown Airport holds a local record. It boasts the longest runway in Scotland (nearly 10,000 feet long), making it one of the longest in the UK as well. This runway is an official emergency landing strip for NASA space shuttles.

Campbeltown Airport is a small airport with relatively few facilities. Inside are a café, a convenience store and a few basic amenities. The Information Desk is immediately inside the terminal entrance and can provide information about the airport as well as regional sites.

Transportation to and from the airport is accomplished via an airport bus that connects to Campbeltown's city centre. The bus times its airport visits with incoming flights so it's always available to pick up inbound passengers from Glasgow. There are no rail links in Campbeltown, but taxis are readily available.

Campbeltown is a quiet and laid-back destination with a few cultural highlights. Its greatest claim to fame is local whisky. Dozens of distilleries once operated here, but today's big three are Springbank, Glen Scotia and Glengyle. Tourists can also visit the museum and heritage centre to see prehistoric artefacts.

Travel Essentials