When a secondary airport costs more

A low fare can lose its advantage when the arrival airport is far from the address you need. Search results often show a city name more prominently than the airport code, so check the code before comparing prices.

Price the exact transfer

Use the official airport transport page and the operator that sells the bus or train. Record the fare for your arrival time. A late flight may miss the last public service and leave a taxi as the practical option.

For a return trip, count the transfer twice. If a bus ticket has a booking fee or needs a specific departure, include that condition. Add local transport after the airport transfer if it does not reach your final area.

Compare the timetable, not only the distance

An airport can be geographically close but slow to reach because services run infrequently. Record:

• scheduled flight arrival and a realistic exit time
• wait for the next transfer
• transfer journey and any change
• last local journey to the final address

For the departure, work backwards from the airline's required arrival time. Early flights may require a hotel near the airport or an expensive private transfer.

Put both options in one calculation

The Flight vs Train tool separates access, airport buffer, scheduled travel and arrival transfer. For two flights, use Trip Cost Check and name each option with its airport code.

Do not use a general transfer estimate if you already have dates. Check the official timetable for the day of travel, including weekend or public-holiday changes. The result can change when two people share a taxi, when a child fare applies, or when a flight time moves outside public-transport hours.