The 2020 Grand National meeting will commence on 2nd April and will culminate on 4th April when the Grand National itself will be run. An annual National Hunt horse race, it is considered by many to be the finest of its kind, attracting more interest in a single race than many entire meetings achieve over the course of several days.
It was first run in 1839 and includes a huge number of fences, 30 in total, over two laps. Few horse races around the world can match it for endurance, excitement or history.
As usual, the 2020 edition of the Grand National will be held at Aintree Racecourse which lies just to the south of the village of Aintree, just off the A59. The nearest city is Liverpool which is to the south of the racecourse.
In 2019, over 150,000 people turned up to witness the race in person, making it one of the best attended sporting events of any in the UK. That said, the numbers of people who turn up to Aintree to enjoy the meeting in person are dwarfed by the global television audience which often exceeds over half a billion nowadays.
Therefore, more and more racegoers are choosing to fly to the race meeting from around the world, making it consequently harder to access airport ground handling services and aircraft parking. If you are seeking flight planning services to coincide with the race weekend, then there is no better place to turn than Flightworx. What are your main options?
Major Airports Serving Aintree
Liverpool John Lennon Airport (EGGP/LPL) is the major international airport that most international visitors to the north-west of England arrive at. Over five million people use it annually, especially travellers coming from Northern Ireland and Dublin.
The racecourse is approximately half an hour from the airport by car, although you could expect this to take a little longer during the Grand National weekend Manchester Airport (EGCC/MAN) is the other main option available to flight planners, however onward travel to the meeting by car will be over an hour during this weekend via the M62.
It offers two longer runways than Liverpool John Lennon Airport plus a premier VIP terminal which may be preferential for those with clients who only expect the best when passing through an international airport.
Smaller Airports for Aviation Planning During the 2020 Grand National
Hawarden Airport (EGNR/CEG) is 30 miles from Aintree Racecourse, closer to Chester than to Liverpool itself. Hawarden Airport only sees around 20,000 air movements in the average year but it still provides plenty of services for planners looking for a good alternative to Liverpool John Lennon Airport and Manchester Airport. This airport was the first in the UK to establish a permanent Radio Mandatory Zone, or RMZ.
Blackpool Airport (EGNH/BLK), previously known as Blackpool International Airport, is only 25 miles from the racecourse and, as you would bedriving to Aintree from the north, it may be beneficial as you will be avoiding a lot of traffic heading out from Liverpool. It offers the choice of three fixed base operators and numerous services for the crew, however, you’ll pay more for your fuel in this location.
