Bristol Airport, at Lulsgate Bottom, on the northern slopes of the Mendip Hills, in North Somerset, is an international airport serving the city of Bristol, England, and the surrounding area. It is 7 nautical miles southwest of Bristol city centre. Built on the site of a former RAF airfield, it opened in 1957 as Bristol Airport, replacing Bristol Airport as Bristol's municipal airport. From 1997 to 2010, it was known as Bristol International Airport.