Whether you have a layover, overnight sleepover or are just quickly passing through, our Glasgow Prestwick 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.
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I’m surprised Michael Ryan has not put in couches/cots/cubby holes to rent, he tries to screw money out of you every which way he can. – Jeff Geoff
PIK 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 Glasgow Prestwick International Airport.
What to Expect
Glasgow Prestwick Airport (code: PIK) is a small, one-terminal facility with only a few shops, restaurants, cafes and a duty-free shop, all of which close for the night, leaving only vending machines for late-night snacking. Plan ahead and buy your food and drinks before the concessions close. The airport offers free WiFi, which helps pass the time.
Sleeping in Prestwick Airport
The airport is considered safe, with staff and security generally tolerant of overnight sleepers. Reviewers have previously noted that a seating area near the landslide Starbucks has comfortable booths, loveseats and a few full-size couches. Noise and cold temperatures were two sleep hindrances, so consider earplugs/noise-cancelling earphones and a sweater or travel blanket. Airport security may wake you up around 6:00 AM to ensure you don’t have an early flight.
For uninterrupted sleep, there are some hotels within walking and driving distance. See Airport Hotels in the guide below.
Read the latest traveller 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 website for current information. For more airport information, continue scrolling down to explore more in our Glasgow Prestwick 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 Hours
The airport is open 24 hours.
Rest & Relaxation Zones
No dedicated sleeping areas, quiet areas or rest zones exist. If this information has changed, click here to update this guide.
Airport Hotels
If sleeping in the airport sounds like a nightmare, there are hotels near Glasgow Prestwick Airport:
- Premier Inn Prestwick Airport Hotel – No airport shuttle. » Check Rates
- Carlton Hotel Prestwick – No airport shuttle » Check Rates
For more options, visit Tripadvisor to see a list of hotels near Prestwick Airport that can be sorted by price, distance, traveller rating and popularity.
Airport Lounges
A reader tells us that there are no first-class lounges at Prestwick Airport. If this information is not correct, click here to update this guide.
Drinking Water
Information is unavailable. Does Prestwick Airport have water fountains or water bottle refill stations? Click here to update this guide.
Food & Drinks
As no 24-hour food concessions are available, you will need to stock up on food and water before the eateries close for the night, often by 5:00 PM.
Luggage & Storage
Not available. If this is incorrect, click here to update this guide.
Mobile Charging
Power sockets can be found at the Par + Eagle Bar.
Showers
Not available. If this is incorrect, click here to update this guide.
WiFi/Internet
Free WiFi used to be available at Glasgow Prestwick Airport for two hours. We could not confirm this at the time of our February 2024 update. If you know whether they are still there, click here to update this guide.
Security & Safety
The few travellers who have reviewed sleeping here reported feeling safe. It seems that airport staff are pretty tolerant of overnight travellers. Security may wake you around 6:00 AM to make sure you don’t have an early flight or to alert you that restaurants are beginning to open.
However, sleeping in any airport can include a certain level of risk, especially when travelling alone. It’s important to take certain precautions to ensure your safety and the security of your valuables. Here are a few tips:
- Safety First. It’s a good idea to know where the security office is located and look for video cameras where you plan to sleep. You can also ask the security personnel for advice on the safest places to spend the night.
- Don’t Seclude Yourself. If you’re travelling alone, we recommend you stay near other travellers or close to security. This will help you feel more secure and deter potential thieves.
- Hide Your Valuables. It’s also important to hide your valuables. Don’t leave them out in plain view, as this could make you a target for theft. Additionally, if you are a deep sleeper, you may want to padlock your bag to something or sleep with your bag up against a wall to make it harder for someone to access zippers and pockets. We have received reports of sleepers who woke up without their phones and laptop bags. The travellers were left with just their headphones and laptop bag strap.
- Stay Alert. It’s best to stay alert and awake if you feel unsafe or uncomfortable. Drink coffee or other caffeinated beverages to help you stay awake, and remember that you can always catch up on sleep during your flight. These simple precautions can help you enjoy a safe night at the airport.
Pro-tip: If you sleep in the public zone, don’t be surprised if you receive an early morning wake-up call. Security is known to make the rounds, waking people up as travellers arrive for morning flights.
More Airport Information
ATMs / Cash Machines – ATMs / Cash Machines – Need cash? ATMs are available. Fees may apply, so check your bank’s fee schedule and daily withdrawal limit if you are travelling internationally. You may also want to notify your bank of your travel plans. Locations: Landside, near information centre • Airside, Departure Lounge.
Baby Care Facilities – Diaper changing facilities used to be available in the following locations: UK Arrivals (landside) • in the unisex restrooms at Check-In (landside) • unisex restroom in the Departure lounge (airside) • International Arrivals Baggage Reclaim (airside) Toilets fitted with toddler toilet seats can be found in the UK Arrivals women’s restroom (landside) and the unisex restroom in the Departure lounge (airside). Unfortunately, we could not confirm this at the time of our September 2023 update. If you know whether they are still there, click here to update this guide.
Children’s Play Area – A colourful play area with toys, touchscreen gaming and Xbox Kinect used to be available airside in the Departures lounge. Unfortunately, we could not confirm this at the time of our September 2023 update. If you know whether they are still there, click here to update this guide.
Currency Exchange – Two ATMs dispensing both pounds and euros can be found landside, near the information centre and airside, in the Departure Lounge.
Duty-Free & Shopping – Duty-Free is available, along with a WHSmith store. All are open according to flight schedules.
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 – Smoking is prohibited inside the terminal, only in designated areas outside the airport.
Spa – AeroSpa offers manicures, pedicures, massages, eyebrow and eyelash services.
Bus
The airport is well connected to the city to the Buchanan Street Bus Station.
- Stagecoach Western Bus X77 offers direct service between the airport and Glasgow City Centre. Click here for more info.
For more information, visit the Glasgow Prestwick Airport website.
Hotel Shuttles
See also Airport Hotels above.
Ride Sharing
Uber operates throughout Scotland. A ride to the nearby city of Ayr will cost you about ￡13, while the fare to Glasgow city centre is roughly from ￡50 to ￡55.
Taxis
Metered five, six and seven-seater taxis are available outside the terminal on a 24-hour basis. Reservations are not required, but if no taxis are waiting outside the airport, a taxi can be requested using the direct-dial courtesy phone in the Arrivals Hall. Cash, credit and debit cards are accepted by all taxis.
Train
Prestwick Airport has a train station connected to the terminal by a covered walkway. The airport train station is served by trains travelling to and from Glasgow Central Station (40-minute ride), with onward service available to Edinburgh. All passengers travelling to or from the airport by train are eligible for a 50% discount on their train ticket. For more information, visit the Glasgow Prestwick Airport website.
Last updated: 2024-08-26
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.