Exeter Airport is the closest airport to Barnstaple, roughly forty-five miles away and about an hour's drive via the A361 and the M5. It is a straightforward run, which makes it the most practical option for most North Devon passengers.
We quote a fixed fare before you travel rather than running a meter, and we work the pickup time backwards from your departure rather than forwards from your front door. On the return, give us your flight number and we will track it, so a delayed landing does not mean waiting in arrivals for a car that has already gone.
How early should you leave Barnstaple?
For a typical short-haul departure we would normally suggest leaving Barnstaple around three hours before the flight. That covers the hour's drive with a sensible margin, plus check-in and security.
The A361 is generally reliable but it is a single carriageway for much of its length, and one slow vehicle or an incident can add twenty minutes with no warning. We build that in rather than cutting it fine — arriving early costs you a coffee, arriving late costs you the flight.
Coming home: delayed and late-night arrivals
Give us your flight number when you book the return. We check the actual landing time rather than the scheduled one, so if you are an hour late the driver arrives an hour later and you are not charged for the delay.
Late-night arrivals are no problem: we run 24 hours, so there is no cut-off after which you are stuck arranging something at the terminal.
Why not drive and park?
For a week away, airport parking plus the fuel each way often comes close to the cost of a transfer for two or more passengers — and that is before the walk or shuttle from the car park with luggage.
A taxi also removes the two most stressful parts: driving to a deadline on the way out, and driving home tired after a late landing.
Groups and luggage
Our 8 seater vehicles take groups of up to eight with luggage, which is usually cheaper and simpler than two cars. For a family of four with a full set of hold bags, ask for an estate rather than a saloon.
Tell us the number of passengers and bags when you book — luggage is the thing most often under-estimated, and it is the one thing that cannot be fixed at the kerb at 4am.
What is included
- Fare agreed before you travel, never metered
- Flight number tracked on your return leg
- Door-to-door — no parking, no shuttle bus
- Saloon, estate and 8 seater vehicles
- Available 24 hours for early departures
