Sleeping in Airports

Cardiff Airport Guide

Whether you have a layover, overnight sleepover or you are just quickly passing through, our Cardiff Airport Guide is a great place to start planning your visit.  Here, you’ll find information on services and facilities available inside the airport – including details about airport lounges, WiFi, mobile charging points, lockers, 24-hour food options, nearby hotels, and everything in between.

I bumped into some homeless people who took me under their wing. – Robert

CWL Airport Overview

To help you plan your layover or overnight sleepover, here is a quick run-down about what to expect during your time at Cardiff Airport.

What to Expect

cardiff airport guideCardiff Airport (code: CWL) has a small but recently modernized terminal that serves a range of international, low-cost, and charter flights. Facilities are limited to a restaurant, a few cafes, and some duty-free shops and newsstands, though none are open 24 hours. WiFi is free for 2 hours. For added comfort, economy class passengers can pay to enter an airport lounge. See Airport Lounges in the guide below for location and access information.

Sleeping in Cardiff Airport

Overnight campers can expect some seating, though it’s not exactly comfortable. Bring a sleeping bag or travel mat if you’d prefer to sleep on the floor. The airport is reportedly quiet overnight. For uninterrupted sleep, nearby hotels offer shuttle service. See the Airport Hotels section below for more info or read some traveller airport reviews for more tips.

To help us keep this guide up-to-date, you can add or update information or write a review to submit airport tips and photos. You can also visit the airport’s web site for current information.  For more airport information continue scrolling down to explore more in our Cardiff Airport Guide.

In this guide we may refer to locations as “landside” and “airside”. Landside is the public area of the terminal located in the non-secure zone, before security. Airside is the secure area of the terminal that you must reach by going through security.  For more information on Europe’s Schengen Area, click here.

airport loungeAirport Lounges

Pay-per-use, Single Visit Passes & Lounge Memberships

Regardless of what class of service you are flying, there is a lounge that you can enter by paying at the door, purchasing a lounge pass or through a lounge membership program. Visit the individual lounge page for more details about the lounge itself and to also find out how you can gain lounge access with just an economy class ticket!

Executive Lounge – Location: Airside. Lounge Access: Pay at the Door.

Related Pages: Cardiff Airport Lounges

airport hotelsAirport Hotels

If sleeping in the airport sounds like a nightmare, there are hotels near Cardiff Airport:

  • Holiday Inn Express Cardiff Airport – Located next to the terminal.  » Check Rates
  • Celtic International Hotel Cardiff Airport – Airport transfers are available 24 hours a day for £5 each way.  » Check Rates

For more options, visit Tripadvisor to see a list of hotels near Cardiff Airport that can be sorted by price, distance, traveller rating and popularity.

wifiAirport WiFi/Internet

Free WiFi is available at Cardiff Airport for 2 hours. Additionally, there are Internet Kiosks located throughout the airport.

airport infoMore Services, Facilities & Things To Do On A Layover At The Airport

AccessibilitySeveral facilities are available to assist travellers with reduced mobility travellers such as designated parking spaces, changing room, reserved seating and help/call points.

ATMs / Cash Machines – Need cash? ATMs are available. Fees may apply, so be sure to check your bank’s fee schedule and your daily withdrawal limit if you are travelling internationally. You may also want to notify your bank of your travel plans. Locations:

  • Landside (dispenses Pounds Sterling and Euros) • Arrivals Hall (Pounds Sterling only).
  • Airside, Departures Lounge (dispenses Pounds Sterling and Euros).

Baby Care Facilities – Change your baby in privacy and comfort in one of the Baby Care rooms, located on the 1st floor Departure Lounge, and in the Arrivals Hall. Baby food and food warming facilities are available landside at Caffi Cwtch.

Baggage Trolleys – Need a hand with your luggage? Baggage trolleys are available. Rate: £1 or €1 is required, but is refunded upon return.

Currency Exchange – There are currently no foreign exchange facilities available.

Duty Free & Shopping – Reserve & Collect and World Duty Free offers duty-free shopping at the airport. WHSmith newsstands are available landside, on the ground floor, and airside in the Departures lounge.

Food & Drinks – Food concessions throughout the airport operate according to the flight schedules. Dining options at the airport include:

  • Landside: Caffi Cwtch • Costa Coffee
  • Airside: Costa Coffee • The Beer House

Information Desk – There is an Airport Team on staff to assist customers. If you do not see any you can also call them from a Customer Call point located throughout the terminal.

Luggage Storage & Lockers – Not available.

Meeting Room – Capacity range from 12 to 30 people.

Pharmacy – Well Pharmacy – Location: Airside. Hours: according to the daily flight schedule.

Postal Services – Drop off your last minute postcards at the airport’s mailbox. Location: outside the terminal. Stamps can be purchased at the WH Smith. Location: Landside, near the check-in counters.

Mobile Charging – Free mobile charging is offered near the Internet kiosks.

Multifaith Room – Location: Check-in Hall, opposite the Special Assistance Desk. Ablution facilities are available on the 1st floor (landside) above the Check-In hall.

Rest Zones – There are no dedicated sleeping areas, quiet areas or rest zones. If this information has changed, click here to update this guide.

Showers – Not available.

SIM Cards – A reader has asked us to include where to buy SIM Cards. If you know, click here to update this airport guide.

Smoking – There is a designated smoking area located Airside, next to Gate 2.

airport hoursAirport Hours

Cardiff Airport is open 24 hours.

airlinesAirlines

Cardiff airport is served by the following airlines: BHAir • Eastern Airways • Freebird KLM • Qatar Airways • Ryanair • TUI • Transun • Vueling • Wizz Air.

transportationAirport Transportation: Getting To/From The Airport

Bus

The T9 (Cardiff Airport Express Bus) offers convenient, economical and comfortable bus service between Cardiff Airport and the city center. Buses depart every 20 minutes in the Summer and 30 minutes in the Winter. Buses drop off and pick up passengers in front of the passenger terminal. Fares start from £5 per person, also payable in Euros. For schedules, fares and ticket sales, visit the Traws Cymru website.

Car Rentals

Onsite car rental agencies include Enterprise, Europcar and Avis. Hours of operation vary between the agencies, but all are open 7 days a week with reduced hours on Sundays.

Hotel Shuttles

At the time of this update there were no hotels offering an airport shuttle.  See also Airport Hotels above.

Shuttle

FlightLink Wales offers door-to-door private and shared-ride airport shuttle service between Cardiff Airport and destinations within South Wales. Service is also available to some of the UK’s major airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester. Service must be pre-booked. For fares and reservations, visit the FlightLink Wales website.

Train

Cardiff Airport is located in Rhoose which has a rail link connecting Cardiff Central and Bridgend. The trains run every hour from Monday to Saturday and every two hours on Sundays. A shuttle bus service from the Airport to the train station is available for passengers. The shuttle bus takes approximately 10 minutes and costs £1 each way.

For routes, schedules and fare information, visit the Traveline Cymru website.

Cardiff Airport Photos

Related Pages: Cardiff Airport Photos

Last updated: 2024-02-06

This guide is for informational purposes only to assist with your planning.  All information, including rates and hours, is subject to change at any time without notice.   The information in this airport guide is based on information collected and/or received from the airports, lounges, hotels, transportation providers, and their websites. We are not representatives of any of the above-mentioned service providers. To report errors or to add/update any items mentioned in the guide: update the airport guide or  write a review.