Cardiff Airport is Wales's main international airport — south coast, ~12 miles south-west of central Cardiff. Smaller than Bristol but useful for travellers within Wales who don't want to transit Bristol or Heathrow.
The chauffeur run
Distance: ~130 miles via M27 / M4 / M48 / M4. Time: ~2:30-3:00 off-peak. Pricing: Per-mile rate from Southampton — ~£250 standard saloon, qualifies for 15% volume discount.
Cardiff's surcharge — cheapest in UK
- £3 drop-off for 10 minutes — the cheapest of any UK airport
- £4 short-stay for 20 minutes
- Free option at Car park 2 (6-minute walk)
Cardiff was free of drop-off charges until 2025; the £3 introduced in early 2026 keeps it the lowest in the country. Useful when comparing surcharge-inclusive totals against alternatives.
When Cardiff from Southampton
The route exists primarily for:
- Wales-based travellers returning home (rare booking shape from our Southampton hub)
- Direct seasonal routes that don't exist at Bristol (occasional charters)
- Welsh-bound business travel — Cardiff drop, onward to a Welsh destination by chauffeur
For most travellers, Bristol Airport (£160 fixed-fare from Southampton, +£40 vs Cardiff per-mile) is the practical south-west choice.
Reading
- /airports/cardiff
- Bristol Airport from southern England — closer alternative