Exeter Airport serves Devon, Cornwall, and the south-west peninsula. Smaller than Bristol but with a useful summer-charter and seasonal-route network — Flybe successors (Loganair, Aurigny, Eastern Airways) plus seasonal TUI and Jet2.
The chauffeur run
Distance: ~85 miles via the A303 / M5 corridor. Time: 1:45-2:15 off-peak. Fixed-fare from Southampton: £170 (standard saloon).
The relaxed surcharge
Exeter is the most relaxed of any south-west airport on drop-off:
- £6 for 30 minutes — covers both drop and pickup
- Same zone for pickup and drop-off (no terminal-distance walk)
- Free option at P4, 10-minute walk
The 30-minute window is generous compared to the 5-10 minute drop-off limits at LHR/LGW. For pickup, this means we can comfortably meet you inside the terminal without a strict short-stay clock.
Why Exeter from Southampton
The destinations are niche but useful:
- Channel Islands — Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney. Some routes only operate from regional airports like Exeter.
- Scottish Islands — Loganair Edinburgh / Glasgow / Aberdeen connections that work better than going via London.
- Summer Mediterranean charters — TUI / Jet2 seasonal-only routes.
Distance from Southampton makes the chauffeur cost ~£170 the lower-bound; we sometimes recommend Bristol (£160 fixed) if the destination is served from there at similar fare.
A303 routing note
The Southampton → Exeter run uses the A303 corridor through Stonehenge (visible from the road). Allow extra time on summer weekends — A303 traffic east of Stonehenge can stack at Amesbury and Ilminster. We pre-time pickups against this.
Reading
- /airports/exeter — airport detail page
- Bristol Airport from southern England — closer south-west alternative
- Bournemouth Airport cheapest fixed fare — for charter-departure alternatives
Booking
Book the fixed fare directly.