Gatwick to Cornwall Airport Newquay

Swap concrete cityscapes for Cornish seascapes

Fly from Gatwick to Cornwall Airport Newquay from just 45 minutes

From 27 March, FlyBe’s new, faster planes mean it will be possible to fly from Gatwick to Newquay from just 45 minutes – perfect for those seeking to escape the city without spending hours on the motorway. And, now that Cornwall is even closer, a spring short break (cue weekends filled with surfing, sandy beaches and seafood) is easier than ever. 

Fancy leaving the office on Friday evening and being back at your desk on Monday morning, refreshed and ready for the week ahead?

With hundreds of sandy beaches, wild moorland and picturesque harbour villages, the West-Country county of Cornwall is brimming with places to explore, all relatively near to each other. The pretty peninsula is already home to many of the UK’s key attractions – including the Eden Project, the Minack Theatre and St Michael’s Mount – but there are many more reasons why Cornwall’s star is shining even brighter this year.

Here’s what’s new in Newquay for 2016 (and under 20 minutes’ drive from the airport): 

• Some of the world’s best surfers are set to compete in a pioneering new competition called Surfaced Pro at the Extreme
  

  

  
  Academy at Watergate Bay (16-17 April). The surf competition will be the first date on the UK Pro Surf Tour for 2016.

• Rick Stein Fistral restaurant has just reopened after a January touch up and Lusty Glaze Beach Restaurant has announced new dates for its popular Secret Supper Club (25 February, 28 April & 26 May).
• The Headland Hotel and Spa has launched several new Ocean Rooms and a brand new outdoor swimming pool (with a retractable roof) is planned for autumn.

Here’s what’s new elsewhere in Cornwall for 2016 (and an hour’s drive or under from the airport):

• In May, Tate St Ivesreopens (21 May) after an extensive refurbishment and expansion project and the art deco Penzance Jubilee Pool – the largest surviving seawater lido in Britain – reopens after refurbishment. New developments for foodies include seafood specialist The Shore from former Rick Stein chef Bruce Rennie.

• Cornwall will be in the limelight once more when the second series of BBC drama Poldark airs, in the autumn.

• 2016 is also the 10th anniversary of Cornwall’s mining landscapes becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site and, in celebration, a steam-powered cast-iron giant of a miner, the ‘Engine Man’ (the largest puppet ever made in Britain) will spend two weeks in late July walking across Cornwall, stopping at mining locations en route.

NOTES

From 27 March, Flybe will switch its aircraft type to the larger 118-seat Embraer jet aircraft (40 seats more than currently available) on its three times a day London Gatwick service. This will get passengers to their destination with a reduced flight time – now from just 45 minutes each way, subject to weather conditions. This change will mean more availability, of course, but also better reliability of service and greater comfort on board. Fly from London Gatwick to Cornwall Airport Newquay from £30.99 one way with FlyBe.