Interesting Facts About Durham Tees Valley Airport

Durham Tees Valley Airport (MME), also known as Teesside International Airport, serves Teesside, County Durham and North Yorkshire in the northeast of England. Found around 12km from both Darlington and Middlesbrough, around 226,000 passengers use the airport every year. Here are 7 interesting facts that you might not know about Durham Tees Valley Airport.

Confusing Airport Code: You may wonder why Durham Tees Valley Airport, or even Teesside International Airport, has the code MME. This is due to its original name, Middlesbrough Municipal Aerodrome, which wanted to use the code MMA. However, Malmö Airport in Sweden already had the code MMA, so the then-named Middlesbrough Municipal Aerodrome opted to use MME instead.

Military History: The airport started out as a military base when it was first constructed in 1941 during the Second World War, and was known as RAF Middleton St. George, named after a local village.

Name Changes: The airport has gone through many name changes. To the dismay of many Teessiders, the airport was named Durham Tees Valley Airport in 2004, before being renamed in 2019 back to Teesside International Airport following a poll in which 93% of respondents preferred a return to Teesside International Airport.

Railway Station: There is a railway station around 1.6km from the airport terminal, which is officially the airport’s railway station. However, it is one of the least-used railway stations in the country, due to its distance from the airport making it inconvenient for many. Before a temporary closure in May 2022, only two passengers had used the station all year.

Fire Training Centre: Serco, a logistics company, operates its international fire training centre on the south side of Durham Tees Valley Airport. This is one of the largest fire training centres in Europe.

Good International Links: Despite its small size, many international destinations can be reached within two flights from Durham Tees Valley Airport, thanks to its connections via direct flights to major airports such as Schipol (Amsterdam) and Aberdeen (Scotland).

Public Transport: While rail isn’t the easiest way to get to the airport, there are buses which depart every hour and can reach nearby destinations such as Middlesbrough, Darlington, Durham, Hartlepool, Sunderland, Newcastle and more.

Things You Didn’t Know About Airport Parking at Durham Tees Valley Airport

Being able to leave your car in a secure car park before jetting off on holiday is ideal for a stress-free airport parking experience. You can also save money on taxi fares and those pesky drop-off fees that many airports (including Durham Tees Valley Airport) have in place.

Here are a few things that you might not know about parking at Durham Tees Valley Airport:

Pre-Booking Parking Discounts: If you opt to pre-book your parking, you can save money compared to buying it there and then on the day. You can also guarantee your parking space, whereas the car park many be full at the time of your arrival if you are relying on booking it on the day.

Easy Access to the Terminal: The car park is also situated right across from the terminal, meaning that even if you are parked in the furthest parking spot, you can still reach the terminal in less than a two-minute walk, compared to the five-minute walk from being dropped off outside the airport.

Safe and Secure Parking: Durham Tees Valley Airport has been awarded the Park Mark Award in recognition of its safe and secure parking. The car park is monitored on a 24/7 basis, so you can rest assured knowing that your vehicle will be kept safe and secure thanks to the airport security team.

Things You Didn’t Know About Airport Hotels at Durham Tees Valley Airport

If you want to beat the traffic and avoid any last-minute worries about being stuck in a traffic jam or being diverted and ending up late for your flight, simply opt to stay in an airport hotel at Durham Tees Valley Airport. This is especially ideal if you have an early morning flight to catch, so you can get a couple of extra hours of shut-eye.

Here are some things you might not know about hotels at and near Durham Tees Valley Airport:

Budget-Friendly Hotel: There is one hotel at the airport, called the Goosepool Hotel. Additionally, it is very budget-friendly and offers a complimentary breakfast option for those who don’t want to pay the often extortionate airport prices for food and drinks.

Free Shuttle Services: Guests can make use of the shuttle service offered by the hotel, or can simply make the 0.8km walk to the main airport terminal instead – the choice is yours.

Local Hotels: There are also many local hotels, such as Travelodges and Premier Inns, which offer excellent rates and are just a few kilometres from Durham Tees Valley Airport. You can reach the airport via bus or taxi from these hotels in Darlington or Middlesbrough.

Things You Didn’t Know About Car Hire at Durham Tees Valley Airport

Booking car hire from Durham Tees Valley Airport with FHR could not be simpler. Our extensive database searches through hundreds of car hire deals to find you the very best ones. Booking in advance is a must, especially if you are travelling during the peak holiday season. All you need to do is follow the signs for the car rental desks once you are at Durham Tees Valley Airport. These are to the left of the main entrance.

If you wish to return your car to a different location, this is entirely possible – just make sure that you let the team on hand know that you will be doing this, as well as where and when.

Durham Tees Valley Airport offers car hire through one of the industry’s most reliable providers, Enterprise.

Things You Didn’t Know About Booking With FHR

Consider FHR your reliable travel partner for everything car hire! With over 35 years of experience in the industry, you can expect an easy booking process, excellent deals and top-notch customer service.

Here at FHR, we also offer a wide range of other services unrelated to car hire – including access to hundreds of premium airport lounges, airport hotels and affordable parking options.

Human Interaction: We have a real-life customer service team, not just AI-trained robots to deal with generic requests! Talk to our dedicated customer service team, and we’ll help you get to the root of any queries you might have.

Free Cancellation: You can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before your booking starts.

Confirmation Options: You can get your confirmation sent directly to your phone via SMS at no extra charge.