Southampton Airport. Twenty minutes from the water.
The closest airport to the Solent, and the reason so many owners and guests fly into Hampshire rather than drive down from London. Terminal to quayside is a short, unhurried run.
The airport
Southampton at a glance
- CodesSOU / EGHIAt Eastleigh in Hampshire, about four miles north north east of the city centre.
- Runway02/20, 1,887 metresExtended by 164 metres in August 2023, which widened the range of jets able to use it.
- TerminalOne, compactNo air bridges. Aircraft park on stand and passengers walk or are bussed a short distance.
- Private aviationSignature AviationA partner of ours, based at the northern end of the airfield with its own apron and lounge.
- HandlingAn agent is requiredSelf handling is not available, so every private movement is appointed to a handling agent before arrival.
- RailSouthampton Airport ParkwayAdjacent to the terminal, about a minute on foot. London Waterloo is roughly 70 minutes.
- MotorwayM27 junction 5Immediately beside the airport, with the M3 to London a few minutes away.
- Isle of WightRed Funnel from Town QuayFast foot passenger service to West Cowes, and the vehicle ferry to East Cowes.
The runway length is the practical constraint. Heavier long range jets normally use Farnborough or Bournemouth instead, and your operator will confirm what is possible on the day.
Journey times
From Southampton Airport by road
| To | Quiet roads | Busy periods |
|---|---|---|
| Southampton city centre and Ocean Village | 15 to 25 minutes | 25 to 40 minutes |
| Town Quay, for the Cowes ferries | 20 to 30 minutes | 30 to 45 minutes |
| The cruise terminals | 20 to 30 minutes | 35 to 60 minutes on a turnaround day |
| Hamble and the river marinas | 20 to 30 minutes | 30 to 45 minutes |
| Lymington and the New Forest | 40 to 55 minutes | 55 to 80 minutes |
| Portsmouth and Gunwharf Quays | 40 to 55 minutes | 55 to 80 minutes |
| Goodwood | 55 to 75 minutes | Considerably longer on event days |
| Central London | 90 to 120 minutes | 120 to 180 minutes |
Realistic ranges, not promises. The M27 between junctions 3 and 8 is the reliable bottleneck, and Southampton city centre slows badly when a large ship is turning round.
The Solent
Getting from the terminal to Cowes
Most guests heading for the Isle of Wight leave from Town Quay in Southampton, a straight run of twenty to thirty minutes from the airport. Red Funnel operates two services from there: the fast foot passenger catamaran to West Cowes, which takes roughly half an hour, and the vehicle ferry to East Cowes, which takes about an hour and runs roughly hourly through the main season and less often in winter. They leave from two different terminals a short distance apart, so we need to know which service you are on before the day, not when the car is already moving.
During Cowes Week in August and the larger Solent regattas, both the ferries and the roads into Southampton run heavy for days at a time. Sailings fill, the vehicle ferry books out well ahead, and the last crossing back matters more than the first one out. We build the day around the sailing you are actually holding.
On the day
Where the car waits and how we meet you
Southampton's terminal is small, which makes a meet and greet genuinely pleasant. Your chauffeur waits inside arrivals with a name board, takes the luggage and walks you the short distance to the car. We track the flight number and move the car with the real arrival time, so an hour's delay does not become an argument about waiting.
For a private arrival, the executive apron and lounge sit at the northern end of the field with their own approach, away from the passenger terminal. We speak to the handling agent about your movement, confirm which gate and entrance to use, and where the airport permits it for that flight, the car can be brought to the aircraft. That permission belongs to the airport and the handling agent, so we agree it in advance and tell you what has been approved rather than promising it in a brochure.
What we handle
Details that matter on the south coast
The airport is easy. The sea legs and the summer traffic are where the planning goes.
- Flight tracking against the live arrival time, and a car that moves when your aircraft does
- Coordination with the handling agent for private movements, including ramp access where it is permitted
- The right ferry terminal at Town Quay, matched to the sailing you are holding
- Marina and pontoon drop-off agreed with the crew, including tender pick-ups
- Crew changes and provisioning runs alongside guest movements, kept separate and on time
Coverage
Our cars, and cars we arrange
Odyssey owns its cars and employs its chauffeurs in London and Manchester. On the south coast we work with operators we know, to the same brief, with one point of contact throughout, and for London bound journeys we will often send our own car and chauffeur down rather than hand over. If the yacht itself is still to be arranged, we do that as well: see yacht charter, how yacht charter works and day charter. Aircraft are arranged through private jet charter.
Onward
Where Southampton passengers go next
Other airports
Request a quote
Tell us the arrival
Date, flight number or tail number, passengers, luggage, and whether you are going to a berth, a ferry or a house. We reply with a clear price and a named chauffeur. Nothing is booked or charged online.
Prefer to talk? +44 2030 048300 or WhatsApp, at any hour.
Questions people ask
About Southampton transfers
Can the car come to the aircraft?
Where the airport and the handling agent permit it for your movement. Otherwise the car waits at the terminal door. We confirm which it is before you land.
Can you take us all the way to Cowes?
We take you to the ferry terminal at Town Quay and, if you want a car waiting on the island, we arrange one there. A car can also travel with you on the East Cowes vehicle ferry when space is booked in advance.
Will my aircraft fit at Southampton?
The runway suits light, midsize and many super midsize types. Heavier long range aircraft usually use Farnborough or Bournemouth. Your operator confirms it against the day's conditions and load.
Can you arrange the yacht or the aircraft?
Yes. We arrange both. See yacht charter and private jet charter.
