Travel to Scotland from other continents

You can travel from China and the Middle East to Scotland via direct and indirect routes.

Direct flights

• Beijing – Edinburgh with Hainan (seasonal)
• Dubai – Glasgow and Edinburgh with Emirates (year-round)
• Doha – Edinburgh with Qatar Airways (year-round)

Indirect flights

• Flights to Scotland via Doha, Dubai and Istanbul airports with British Airways

You can travel from Australia and New Zealand to Scotland via indirect routes.

• From Australia and NZ via Doha and Dubai
• From Australia via Istanbul with Turkish Airlines
• From Australia via London Heathrow with British Airways (Perth – London non-stop) 

The easiest way to get to Scotland from Asia and Africa is to travel via airport hubs in Europe or the Middle East. 

The major European hubs are London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Frankfurt am Maine, Amsterdam Schiphol and Madrid Barajas airports. 

Those travelling from South America are best to travel via the European hubs, whereas routes from Central America also fly via US hubs. 

People travelling to the UK without a visa will soon need to get an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). This will give you permission to travel to the UK, and it is electronically linked to your passport.

Who will need an ETA

You’ll need an ETA if you are:

• Visiting the UK for up to 6 months for tourism, visiting family and friends, business or study
• Visiting the UK for up to 3 months on the Creative Worker visa concession
• Transiting through a UK airport – including if you’re not going through UK border control

You will not need an ETA if you have either:

• A British or Irish passport
• Permission to live, work or study in the UK
• A visa to enter the UK

Check if you’re eligible for a UK visa

Find out more about the ETA scheme

Get more information about the ETA scheme from the UK Government website