£63+ Cheap flights to Southend

City overview

Flights to Southend will connect visitors with a traditional British seaside resort which offers an array of entertainment, activities and sights to see, making it the perfect British seaside holiday. Situated on the north banks of the River Thames estuary, Southend is also conveniently placed for trips into London. It is home to the longest pier in the world, reaching out 1.33 miles (2.1 km) into the sea. When you have finished stretching your legs on the pier, take the hydraulic train back to the entrance. The seafront has plenty of other attractions for visitors of all ages to enjoy. At the pier entrance is Adventure Island, with over 50 rides, and the Sea-Life Aquarium. The town itself perches on a cliff above the seafront, but to save visitors’ legs there are two lifts; a modern vertical one and the Victorian funicular railway. Restaurants offering a wide range of food are open all day in the town; there are also several serving the holiday staple of fish and chips. For evening entertainment Southend boasts two theatres, with concerts and ice performances taking place in the Cliffs Pavilion and more traditional productions in the Edwardian Palace Theatre. Nightlife also includes wine bars, cinemas, nightclubs and the casino. Visitors interested in the area’s history can explore the Central Museum, Prittlewell Priory or Southchurch Hall. If you are looking to get out into the fresh air, try a visit to the Belton Hills reserve or enjoy the roses at Chalkwell Park. More energetic activities include horse riding, windsurfing and kitesurfing. And don’t forget that day trip into London, only a short train ride away.

Getting around London Southend

The town centre and the beaches with their attractions are all close together and easy to explore by foot, especially if use is made of the cliff lifts. There is a good local bus network and both trains and coaches run between the town centre and London. The tourist information office has leaflets about local attractions, suggested walks and cycle routes.

Getting from the Airport to the City

The closest airport to the town that serves flights to Southend is Southend International (SEN). The airport has a railway station which is on the Shenfield to Southend line, giving a quick and direct way into the town. There are also local buses and taxis at the airport. The major car hire operators all have desks in the arrivals hall.

London Southend airport overview

Many travellers were surprised when easyJet announced that it would start flying from London Southend Airport. From April 2012 (in time for the Olympic Games) the low-cost airline will operate 70 flights per week on ten scheduled routes to popular holiday and business destinations including Barcelona, Faro, Ibiza, Edinburgh and Belfast. EasyJet’s routes will add to the airport’s current offering of flights to Galway and Waterford with Aer Arann and summer flights to Jersey with Flybe.

Southend Airport is owned by the Stobart Group, which has invested heavily in the air field, constructing a new control tower and train station. Plans for a new terminal and hotel are well underway.

Southend’s USPs are reduced flight times, a speedy terminal experience (15 minutes from plane to train is the goal) and regular trains into London (eight per hour). Journey times to the city are about 50 minutes, roughly the same as the Stansted Airport-Liverpool Street journey.