Timing of trip from Belfast to Giant's Causeway and back to Belfast Airport

I would take everything (luggage, etc.) with me in the morning and avoid returning to the hotel. Instead, drive from your last site (distillery) directly to the airport. The other option is to skip the visit to the distillery if you feel that it would jeopardize a timely arrival at the airport.

Gates close promptly 30 minutes before your departure.
https://www.easyjet.com/en/help/boarding-and-flying/boarding-and-on-board-services

You may want to build in an earlier arrival at the airport, especially if you have to check bags.

Thank you both! They are mid-size cars, and carry on for everyone, but not sure of the trunk space. I'd love to have everyone put luggage in the trunk prior to, but with 15 people, I can't vouch it will work. As I figure this out (using Google Maps), I come up with the following, which makes me think it will be too tight.

1:00-2:00 Tour at Distillery
2:15. Depart distillery
3:15-3:45 Arrive hotel
3:30-4:00 Leave hotel
4:00-4:30 Arrive rental car return at the airport
5:30 EasyJet flight

So, to answer my own question, unless we can fit the luggage into the trunk, it'll probably be too tight a connection. :-(

Any chance of upgrading one of the vehicles to a larger size - suv, van, etc. Hope you can make something work. I completely understand the desire to enjoy as much as possible during your trip. Good luck.

Edit: I really like your meticulous schedule/planning. You probably already recognized that if you are able to go directly from the distillery to the airport you’ll have additional time to allocate between the two locations.

If you drop the distillery, maybe you could squeeze in the Carrick A Rede bridge. It’s just over 8 miles east from the giant’s causeway.

Thanks all! I'll check on the rental cars and check on the bridge too, that sounds cool! I'll talk to the group and see. There might be an option to do the tour at 10 AM, then go to the Giants Causeway, and head back in plenty of time. Whiskey at 10?? Why not, we're on vacation! :-)

Reading this discussion, I realize how conservative I am about making flight times. There are a lot of uncertainties between Belfast and the Antrim Coast and DUB. The nonstop bus ride from central Belfast to DUB takes almost two hours. My and others' recent experiences at DUB suggest getting there several hours before flight time. I took about four hours (early morning, which might be worse) in Terminal 1 from the curb to the gate, two weeks ago.

Looks like you are pushing your luck on time.

yeah, we decided that too. Waiting for confirmation for a 10 AM tour and then out to Giant's Causeway, with time for a bite to eat and gather things to get to the airport.

Note that they are flying out of Belfast Airport, and not Dublin -although the slowness of travel around Northern Ireland does not make the attempt to jam everything in any easier.