Ferry or Flight to Islay?

There are two ways to reach Islay: the CalMac ferry from Kennacraig on the mainland, or a Loganair flight from Glasgow. The honest trade-off is simple — the flight is fast and expensive; the ferry is slower and far cheaper, and it carries your car, your dog and as much luggage as you can fit. For most of the guests who stay with us, the ferry wins on everything except speed. The flight earns its place when a day matters more than the money.

Ferry or flight to Islay: at a glance

From — Ferry: Kennacraig on the mainland. Flight: Glasgow Airport.

Journey — Ferry: 2 hours to Port Askaig, 2 hours 20 to Port Ellen. Flight: around 25 minutes from Glasgow.

Cost, return — Ferry: a car is £45.40 each way, plus £7.25 per adult and £3.65 per child each way. Flight: roughly £130–160 each way, per person.

Your car — Ferry: bring it. Flight: hire a car or book a taxi at the other end.

Dogs — Ferry: welcome. Flight: not carried.

Luggage — Ferry: a full car's worth. Flight: cabin and hold allowance only.

Reliability — Ferry: more reliable, disrupted by high winds. Flight: disrupted by low cloud and poor visibility.

Best for — Ferry: families, dog owners, longer stays, anyone wanting a car. Flight: solo travellers and couples where time beats cost.

Ferry or Flight to Islay?

Fly if speed matters more than cost

The flight's one advantage is time. Glasgow to Islay is around 25 minutes, so with a connecting flight into Glasgow you can reach Islay in a single day from almost anywhere — no three-hour drive to Kennacraig, no two-hour crossing on top. That suits solo travellers and couples for whom time beats cost, short trips where losing the best part of two days to travel isn't worth it, and anyone arriving from far afield who can connect through Glasgow.

The drawbacks are real, and they are why we steer most families towards the ferry. Cost: at £130–160 each way per person, a family of four pays well over £1,000 return — the same family with a car on the ferry pays around £130. No car at the other end: you are limited to what you can pack, with no boot full of toys, beach kit or a food shop on the way, so you will hire a car or rely on taxis. And no dogs: the flight does not carry pets, so if you are bringing a dog the ferry is your only option.

Ferry or Flight to Islay?

Take the ferry for almost everything else

For most stays the ferry is the better choice, and not only on price. It carries your car, which changes the whole holiday — you arrive with everything you need, do a food shop on the way, and explore on your own time once you are here. It takes your dog. And fare for fare it is a fraction of the cost of flying. The crossing is part of the trip rather than a chore: two hours out on Loch Indaal or the Sound of Islay, often with porpoises or a sea eagle on the way in. We would point you to the ferry if you are travelling as a family, bringing a dog, staying more than a few days, or want your own car — which covers most people.

Ferry or Flight to Islay?

Which is more reliable, the ferry or the flight?

In our experience the ferry is the more reliable of the two, and less prone to cancellation — though both are at the mercy of Hebridean weather, in different forms. The ferry is disrupted by high winds; the flight by low cloud and poor visibility. The local rule of thumb is that if you cannot see across Loch Indaal, the plane cannot land. On a marginal day the ferry will usually still sail when the flight will not.

Ferry or Flight to Islay?

A note on the two daily flights

If you do fly, plan around the timetable rather than assuming it will fit your day. There are two flights a day and they sit at the ends of it — an early-morning departure and a late-afternoon one. The bus connections do not line up neatly with the flight times, so you will want a hire car or a pre-booked taxi waiting rather than a timetable to chance.

Ferry or Flight to Islay?

Our take

If you're coming as a couple for a long weekend and time is tight, fly — pay for the speed and hire a car when you land. For nearly everyone else, and certainly for families and anyone bringing a dog, take the ferry: it's cheaper, it brings your car and your life with you, and it's the more dependable of the two. It's what we'd do, and what we tell most guests. For the full how-to on each, see our ferry and flight guides.

“The flight is fast and dear; the ferry is cheaper — and it brings your car and your dog.”

Ferry or Flight to Islay?

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Islay Airport30-minute drive

Common questions

Ferry or Flight to Islay?

Is it cheaper to fly or take the ferry to Islay?

The ferry is far cheaper. A car on the CalMac ferry costs £45.40 each way plus £7.25 per adult and £3.65 per child each way — around £130 return for a family of four with a car. Flights run roughly £130–160 each way per person, so the same family would pay well over £1,000 return to fly.

Can you take a dog on the flight to Islay?

No. Loganair's Glasgow–Islay flights don't carry dogs, so if you're bringing a dog the CalMac ferry is your only option. The ferry welcomes dogs.

Is the ferry or the flight to Islay more reliable?

The ferry is generally more reliable and less prone to cancellation. Both are affected by weather, but differently: the ferry by high winds, the flight by low cloud and poor visibility. The local rule of thumb is that if you can't see across Loch Indaal, the plane can't land.

Can you visit Islay as a day trip by air?

Yes — the Glasgow–Islay flight is around 25 minutes, so with a connection into Glasgow a day trip is possible. But there are only two flights a day, at the start and end of it, so the timing is tight and you'll need a hire car or taxi arranged in advance.

Do you need a car on Islay if you fly?

In practice, yes. The flight times don't line up neatly with the bus connections, so most people who fly either hire a car at the airport or book a taxi. If you bring your car on the ferry instead, you arrive with everything you need.

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