Cheap flights to Exeter
Set your departure airport and maximum budget: SniperAir tracks prices to Exeter and alerts you the moment a deal matching your criteria appears.
Quick summary
Country
United Kingdom
Continent
Europe
Airport
EXT
Currency
Pound sterling (GBP)
Time zone
UTC+0 (UTC+1 during summer time)
Deals already spotted to Exeter
Real flight examples detected by SniperAir, with their reference price.
Loading examples…
Why track Exeter with SniperAir
A Roman and medieval cathedral city on the River Exe, gateway to Devon
Choose your departure
Enter your departure airport and your maximum budget for a flight to Exeter (EXT).
SniperAir keeps watch
Our systems continuously compare new prices with the real price history of the route. SniperAir monitors prices and alerts you: it does not sell or book tickets.
You receive an alert
As soon as a price matches your criteria, you are notified, without having searched for anything yourself.
Exeter is the county town of Devon, in South West England, on the River Exe about 58 km north-east of Plymouth and 105 km south-west of Bristol (Wikipedia EN). Population figures vary from about 110,000 (Wikivoyage EN) to 137,894 for 2024 (Wikipedia EN), so think of it as a compact city of well over 100,000 people. Its Roman roots go back to Isca Dumnoniorum, founded around AD 50 according to the Visit Exeter tourist board, and sections of the Roman wall still stand. The cathedral, founded in 1050, holds the Exeter Book of Old English poetry, and Exeter's own City of Literature website says the city has held a UNESCO City of Literature title since 2019. Wartime bombing in 1942 destroyed large areas, but Wikipedia (EN) still counts more than 1,800 listed buildings, from medieval to Georgian. This guide presents Exeter as open sources describe it; SniperAir tracks flight prices to EXT, compares them with the route's real price history and alerts you when one drops below your budget.
Airport and getting into town
A small airport east of the city, with a bus to the station
Exeter – Exeter Airport (EXT)
Exeter Airport (EXT) is at Clyst Honiton in East Devon, 4 miles (6.4 km) east of the city according to Wikipedia (EN); Wikivoyage (EN) and Visit Exeter say five miles, so allow 6 to 8 km. Visit Exeter names Loganair services to Manchester, Newcastle, Jersey and Edinburgh, and Wikivoyage (EN) adds Ryanair and TUI flights from the Mediterranean. There is no railway station at the airport: the nearest is Cranbrook, about 3.5 km away by road, and a bus links the airport with Exeter St David's (Wikipedia EN). Visit Exeter says buses to the city run every 20 minutes, while Wikivoyage (EN) says hourly, so check before you travel. By rail, Exeter sits on the London Paddington to Penzance line, with about 2 hours 30 minutes to London (Wikivoyage EN) and a train roughly every hour to Bristol.
Distances from Wikipedia (EN): Plymouth 58 km, Bristol 105 km, and London about 270 km from the airport by road; Bristol, Plymouth, Bath, Salisbury and Truro are all within two hours' drive. We do not quote airline schedules or fares.
For a price alert, EXT is the airport to follow. If you are happy to go further, Bristol Airport is about 105 km north-east (Wikipedia EN), and Visit Exeter mentions a Stagecoach coach line connecting Devon with Bristol Airport. Entry rules, travel advice and flight availability depend on where you are travelling from and can change: check your own government's official guidance before booking.
Landmarks
The cathedral, the vault, the Close and the Quay
Exeter is best explored on foot around its cathedral and quayside. The four pictures below are followed by other places mentioned in the text.
The cathedral seen from the Green
Exeter Cathedral was founded in 1050 when the bishop's seat moved from Crediton, and the present building dates from about 1400 (Wikipedia EN, ES); Wikipedia (DE) gives a later start, 1112. The lawn of Cathedral Green opposite is a favourite spot for a summer picnic, according to Wikivoyage (EN).
The nave and its vault
Wikipedia (EN) calls the cathedral a superb example of Decorated Gothic and says it has the longest continuous medieval stone vault in the world; Wikivoyage (EN) makes a similar claim for the longest unbroken stone roof of any building. The cathedral also keeps the Exeter Book, a tenth-century anthology of Old English poetry (Wikipedia EN).
Cathedral Close and its red sandstone houses
Around the cathedral, the cobbled lanes of Cathedral Close are lined with old houses, many of them built of red sandstone, the stone that gives Rougemont Castle its name (Wikipedia ES). Wikivoyage (EN) points to independent shops around Cathedral Green and Gandy Street.
The Quay on the Exe
The quayside area at the south of the city has old stone warehouses, a canal basin and the 17th-century Custom House, the earliest purpose-built example of its kind in England (Wikipedia EN). Wikivoyage (EN) says bikes and canoes can be hired here and the canal towpath is the most scenic cycle route.
Other places in Exeter: the Norman gatehouse of Rougemont Castle, built from 1068, and the neighbouring Northernhay Gardens, laid out in 1612 (Wikipedia EN); the Guildhall of 1468 to 1470, claimed as the oldest municipal building still serving its purpose (Wikipedia EN, ES); St Nicholas Priory, founded in 1087 and called Exeter's oldest building by Visit Exeter; the 2.35 km circuit of city walls of Roman origin (Wikipedia EN); and the Old Exe Bridge, completed around 1200 (Wikipedia EN).
Museums and culture
RAMM, the underground passages, the priory and a cinema museum
The Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAMM)
RAMM holds collections of zoology, anthropology, fine art, archaeology and geology (Wikipedia EN). Visit Exeter adds that it houses objects from the Roman legionary bathhouse, one of the finest Roman buildings in Britain. We do not quote prices or opening hours.
The medieval underground passages
Visit Exeter and Wikivoyage (EN) describe a network of vaulted medieval passages built to carry the lead pipes that brought drinking water from springs outside the walls. They are visited on a guided tour, and Wikivoyage (EN) warns that it is not for the claustrophobic. Tour slots vary by season.
St Nicholas Priory and the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum
St Nicholas Priory, founded in 1087, is Exeter's oldest building according to Visit Exeter, and Wikivoyage (EN) says its guest wing is furnished as a prosperous family's home in 1602. On the university campus, the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum is one of Britain's largest public collections of material on the history of cinema (Wikipedia EN).
Food and drink
Cream teas, real ale and fresh fish from Topsham
The local specialities
Visit Exeter names cream teas, real ales and fresh fish as the specialities of Exeter and the nearby port of Topsham, where some restaurants change their menu according to the day's catch.
Markets and districts
Visit Exeter describes Princesshay as a modern pedestrian area of more than 60 shops and restaurants facing the cathedral, and Magdalen Road as the village street where you find fresh local produce. Wikivoyage (EN) says Magdalen Road has award-winning butchers and fishmongers and handmade gifts; farm shops on the edge of the city sell local fruit, vegetables, meat and fish.
Pubs and ale
Visit Exeter mentions one of the region's oldest pubs in the city centre, now with its own micro-brewery, and Wikivoyage (EN) recommends real-ale pubs and traditional pub food. We name no venues and no brands.
Getting around
On foot, by bike, by bus and by regional train
Walking and cycling
The centre is small: Wikivoyage (EN) says you can cross it east to west on foot in about two hours. Cycle paths run beside the River Exe and the canal, and the west bank leads to Starcross and Dawlish Warren.
Buses and park and ride
Most city buses are run by Stagecoach. Three park-and-ride sites at Honiton Road, Sowton and Matford serve the city, and the High Street is closed to cars (Wikivoyage EN).
Regional trains
Three main stations serve the city (Wikipedia EN): St David's, Central and St Thomas. Local lines run to Exmouth, Barnstaple, Paignton and Okehampton. We publish no fares.
Budget and precautions
Budget, health and general precautions
Price level
The open sources we consulted do not give reliable, cross-checked price ranges: Wikivoyage's amounts come from a single source and different years. We therefore quote no prices. The currency is the pound sterling, and the season and booking date affect both flight and accommodation prices.
Weather and kit
Pack a waterproof all year: Wikipedia (EN) describes a climate wetter and milder than the rest of the country, with most rain in autumn and winter.
Flights, entry rules and insurance
SniperAir tracks prices to EXT and compares them with the route's history, but it does not sell or book tickets. Entry rules for the United Kingdom, travel advice and health cover depend on where you are travelling from and can change: check your own government's official guidance before booking.
When to go
A mild, damp oceanic climate, partly sheltered by Dartmoor
Winter
Winters are mild but wet; Wikipedia (EN) says most rain comes with Atlantic depressions in autumn and winter.
Spring
Cathedral Green and Northernhay Gardens turn green; a pleasant season for riverside walks.
Summer
Picnic weather on the lawn by the cathedral and bike rides towards Dawlish and Teignmouth (Wikivoyage EN).
Autumn
The rain returns, which suits museums and the underground passages; days draw in.
Wikipedia (EN) describes an oceanic climate with rain all year, wetter and milder than much of England but drier than some parts of the region because Exeter sits in the rain shadow of Dartmoor. We give no numerical averages, since only one source supplies them.
By length of stay
What to do in Exeter by length of stay
The essentials
The cathedral, Cathedral Close, the Quay, the underground passages and a cream tea or a fish meal.
Exeter in depth
RAMM, St Nicholas Priory, the city walls, Northernhay and a day cycling along the Exe to Topsham or Dawlish.
Beyond the city
Dartmoor, the coast at Dawlish and Teignmouth, Killerton about 8 miles north (Wikivoyage EN), Plymouth or Bristol.
In pictures
Exeter in pictures
You might also like
Similar destinations
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about flights to Exeter
How far is Exeter Airport from the city centre?
EXT is at Clyst Honiton, east of the city, between 6 and 8 km depending on the source (Wikipedia EN, Wikivoyage EN, Visit Exeter). There is no station at the airport; a bus links it with Exeter St David's.
What should I see first in Exeter?
The cathedral and its medieval vault, Cathedral Close, the Quay, the underground passages, Rougemont Castle and RAMM, according to Wikipedia (EN) and Visit Exeter.
How long does the train from London to Exeter take?
Wikivoyage (EN) gives between 2 and 3 hours from London Paddington, averaging about 2 hours 30. Timetables change, so check them before you travel.
Is Exeter a university city?
Yes. The University of Exeter has two campuses in the city, Streatham and St Luke's (Wikipedia EN), and the city is also home to the Met Office, the UK weather service (Wikipedia EN).
Can I visit Dartmoor from Exeter?
Yes. Dartmoor is the upland just west of Exeter, and Wikivoyage (EN) says Okehampton, on its edge, is linked to the city by a regional rail line. Services change, so check before you go.
How many days do I need in Exeter?
One or two days cover the cathedral, the Quay and the underground passages; three or four let you add RAMM, the walls and a bike ride towards Topsham.
How much does a flight to Exeter usually cost?
The price depends mainly on your departure city, the time of year and how far ahead you book. The "opportunities" section above shows real examples of prices SniperAir has already detected to this destination.
How do I get alerted when a flight to Exeter drops below my budget?
Create an alert profile with your departure airport, Exeter (EXT) as the destination and your maximum budget. You are notified automatically as soon as a matching price is detected. SniperAir monitors and alerts, it does not sell or book tickets.
Ready to head to Exeter?
Set your budget and let SniperAir monitor fares for you.
Create my alert