Which is the nearest airport for Sunny Beach? It’s a common question asked by visitors to the Journey into Darkness blog.

TLDR; it’s Burgas.

Also known as Slynchev Bryag, Sunny Beach is a Magaluf-like resort on the Black Sea in Bulgaria. It is a popular destination for bargain hunters who want to enjoy nice, warm weather without the negative connotations of the Balearics or Costa Brava.

A picture of one of the stone towers in Nesebar, not far from Sunny Beach airport
Nesebar is a must-see when you visit Sunny Beach

And because Bulgaria has retained the Lev, your holiday money goes a lot further than in other Eurozone destinations.

Top tip: You can read our multi-day review of Sunny Beach and surrounding areas here.

Most package holidays include transfers to Sunny Beach from the airport. But if you’re arranging a budget break, you may have to make your own arrangements. Here’s what you need to know:

Burgas is the closest airport to Sunny Beach

Just 17 miles away, the nearest airport to Sunny Beach is Burgas. A private transfer in a taxi takes about 30 minutes. A resort transfer bus takes a lot longer as it loops around the various hotels, dropping off other holidaymakers.

Airlines serving Burgas include: WizzAir, Jet2, Ryanair, EasyJet, Eurowings, LOT and Smartwings, usually according to seasonal schedules.

Varna is an alternative airport for Sunny Beach

Varna Airport is sometimes billed as an alternative for Sunny Beach but it is much further away (62 miles!). Expect to pay £50 – £120 for a transfer (taxi, minibus etc).

Having not tried Varna Airport, we cannot recommend it.

Airlines serving Varna include: WizzAir, Tui, Turkish and Austrian. Again, seasonal schedules may apply.

Istanbul is closer than Sofia (as the crow flies)

Tempted to fly to the Bulgarian capital and travel cross-country? It takes more than four hours to drive the 250+ miles to the coast. If you are willing to make that kind of journey, you could also consider flying to Istanbul in Turkey…

BONUS: Useless Sunny Beach airport trivia

Technically, Sunny Beach has its own airport, just seven miles outside the town. However, there are no international flights – because it is little more than a grass airstrip in a field.

An aerial picture of Sunny Beach Airport as seen on Apple Maps

If you hold a private pilot licence and fancy taking your chances, the ‘airport’ is located here. And if you can read Bulgarian, check out the SunnyBeachAirport.com website. Good luck finding a taxi though!