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Glasgow International Airport (GLA) is located approx 8 miles/13Km west from the city centre and is the main airport for long-haul flights. Prestwick is further out and services domestic flights of discount airlines.
Flying into Glasgow is easy, with direct flights regularly from London (about an hour flight with BA, EasyJet, Ryannair), the US East Coast (American Airlines, Delta and United), Canada (Air Canada), Germany (EasyJet, Ryannair), France (Air France, EasyJet), Netherlands (KLM, EasyJet), Spain (EasyJet) and Italy (BA, EasyJet).
Emirates (code-shared with Qantas) fly from Australia with a single stopover at Dubai.
Edinburgh Airport (EDI) is another option for long-haul flights, as it is only a 50 minute train trip into Glasgow Central rail station. A bus service is also available, but I find the train is more comfortable and less cramped.
Airlines flying into Edinburgh Airport include BA, Qatar, Etihad, Air Canada and Qantas.
The handy flight search tool at right is provided for your convenience.
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Airport taxi services offering a range of vehicle types (eg minibus for small groups) are available to take you into town. To ensure a smooth transit, I advise booking ahead for either airport.
For folk preferring a more personalised service where a driver will monitor your flight landing and greet you at the terminal, town-car services for both airports are also available.
If someone is collecting you, they can book a Glasgow Airport carpark spot (nearer the terminal) ahead of time.
Scotland has an excellent motorway system, making it an easy drive from within all parts of Britain.
Glasgow is linked to the east with Edinburgh via the M8, along the west coast of Scotland via M77.
Stirling, a central and historically significant city, is connected to Glasgow via the M80.
From England, Glasgow is accessed via the M74 (via Carlisle).
All of the motorways are well-signposted and are easy to navigate.
Glasgow is also very well connected to the rest of the UK through the rail system. Glasgow Central Station services Edinburgh and further south. For example, there are more than 20 direct trains from London every day, for a trip that lasts approx 4 1/4 hours. Trains also depart to/from Edinburgh every 15 minutes on weekdays, for a trip of about 50 minutes.
Cities in central and northern Scotland are serviced by trains departing Glasgow Queen St station (located a 5 - 10 minute walk away from Glasgow Central station).
Glasgow can also be accessed (indirectly) by sea.
From Belfast, Stenaline runs multiple daily trips to Cairnryan.
From Larne (a little further north) ferries are run multiple times each day by P&O to both Cairnryan and Troon.
The crossings all take approx 2 hours.
Glasgow is easily accessed by either bus or rail from both Cairnryan and Troon.
For travellers from continental Europe, P&O operate ferries from Rotterdam to Hull. More conveniently for most folk, DFDS Seaways operate ferries from Amsterdam to Newcastle, which is approx 2 3/4 hour trip by either rail (from about £12.50 pp if you book well in advance) or road to Glasgow Central.