Menu
I’ve said this many times but airports can be stressful!
After living in London for many years and having used all of them regularly, here is the ultimate guide to London’s airports.
BEST – Accessibility & small terminal
WORST – Choice of destinations & price
By far the smallest airport in London, LCY is also the best! It’s located on the DLR, which is part of the tube network, only a couple of miles away from The City and Canary Wharf, so it is mostly used by businessmen with important briefcases. You do, however, see the odd tourist at the weekend!
Serving just under 50 destinations by 10 airlines, the choices are definitely more limited compared to the other airports. The prices are also higher than its sister hubs, mainly because the travel experience is such a luxury!
London City Airport only has one terminal, all the gates are within walking distance and the choices for dining, drinks and shopping are less than a typical airside due to space but still a good variety. Here’s a list of the brands you can find: City Airport Terminal.
Serving far fewer passengers per year, the terminal is quieter and quicker whether you’re arriving or departing. If possible, I will always try and book my flight via London City!
For my fear of flying friends, here are a few tips for this particular airport.
Departures – Due to its location, London City has a short runway. The plane taxis’ to the end of it, build up the power in the engines with the breaks on and then release. This means, compared to a normal flight, you feel a slight jolt when the pilots take their feet off the breaks. You then accelerate quickly and rotate (aka leave the ground) in a shorter amount of time. Once, the plane has left the runway it always turns right, and when that’s done, it’s smooth flying from there.
Arrivals – Again, due to the location, the planes are subject to noise restrictions no matter which direction they land. If you are lucky you fly in over the City of London and have a stunning view. Even if you arrive from the other side, once the captain has asked the cabin crew to take their seats, there is a sharp, quick descent; don’t worry, this is completely normal! The captain has to fly at a certain altitude so as not to disturb the residents below but then has to be low enough to land the plane at the right angle. The descent is very short, you touch down, strong breaks come on and done!
Due to noise restrictions, the airport is closed to inbound and outbound flights between noon on Saturday and noon on Sunday.
BEST – Variety of airlines & destinations
WORST – Crowds
Gatwick is the second largest airport in the UK, Heathrow being the first.
Compared to LHR however, Gatwick offers a wider variety of flights from budget to charter for short and long-haul. This mix has made it the busiest single runway airport in the world. You can reach over 200 destinations via almost 60 airlines from its two terminals.
Getting between the North and South terminals is easy on the transit, which is free, operates 24 hours a day and only takes a few minutes. Use this handy guide to confirm which terminal you will be departing from. Both air sides offer several options for dining, drinks and shopping with all the classic brands.
Located 28 miles outside of London, it may not be the closest, but it is extremely easy to get to and from. It has its own train station under the departures hall that offers a direct link with London Victoria, which is on the tube network. It also passes through Clapham Junction; together the two stations offer routes that cover the entirety of the South of England.
Do not book the Gatwick Express! Opt for the local train instead (you can use your contactless card or buy a ticket at the airport)! It’s a third of the cost and uses the exact same track, it has only an extra couple of stops.
BEST – Long-haul
WORST – Queues
Heathrow is the main international airport in the UK. This gateway offers a huge variety of destinations via more than 80 airlines.
This being said, I tend to only travel via LHR if I am going long-haul. The main reason is due to consistently ranking in the top 10 busiest airports worldwide. More people means longer wait times at every turn, especially in passport control at arrivals.
Heathrow is also the second closest hub to Central London after City Airport and is especially easy to travel to. All terminals have their own tube stations via the Piccadilly Line. This could be even quicker if you can arrange to arrive or depart from Paddington, thanks to the Elizabeth Line which opened in 2022. London Tube Map link here for your convenience.
British Airways’ main base is London Heathrow. This means if you have a particular fondness for them as I do, or you’re hesitating between BA and another airline, BA is usually the safer bet. All their standby crew is nearby, so the chances of delays and cancellations are severely reduced.
When at the airport, each terminal offers a large variety of restaurants, shops, bars and lounges. There is plenty to keep you entertained until your departure. Be careful to leave enough time to get to your gate, however, which could be via the free transit train. The connection departs every 2 minutes and only has two stops so really easy to use. They have interactive maps for all of their terminals so you can plan ahead if you’re like me.
Consider distance vs time. Gatwick is further, but the queues are usually smaller, so it may be quicker than via Heathrow.
BEST – Choices & cheapness of destinations in Europe
WORST – Accessibility (especially for an early flight)
Stansted has understood the assignment and hasn’t tried to rival its sister hubs with luxury, size, or busyness. It does, however, provide the best network for European flights.
Served mainly by low-cost and package airlines, it’s a busy airport as they make up their profits in numbers. It currently offers direct routes to more than 35 countries via 15 airlines. Their terminal offers a variety of food and shopping brands along with a couple of lounges to escape the crowds.
Getting to & from Stansted, although not complicated, can be long and comes at an unavoidable cost. Unless you want to drive or get a taxi, which will be expensive, whichever way you look at it, the only option is to take the Stansted Express. Sadly, unlike Gatwick, there is no local train that runs alongside as a cheaper solution. My suggestion is to book your ticket as soon as you confirm your flight for the cheapest price! Book here.
The cheapest flights do come at a cost, so be prepared to rise many hours before dawn in order to make your flight. They start taking off around 6am! On the plus side, the first flights of the day are rarely delayed…
Always check the first train vs your boarding time. The Express does not run 24 hours a day and the line has yet to take into account how early some of the departures at Stansted can be!
BEST – Super cheap flights
WORST – Crowds & Accessibility
Ah. Luton!
It only just scrapped through as a London Airport, being over 30 miles away from the centre.
Getting to Luton is extremely annoying. The train ride departs from St Pancras and takes 21 minutes. Once arrived at the station you need to get a 10-minute shuttle bus to the airport, which if you have luggage isn’t particularly convenient. It can also be delayed and extremely busy at peak times (I don’t advise those who have high blood pressure to use LTN). Here’s their website to help plan the journey.
The main benefit which keeps Luton on people’s radars is that it’s cheap. Really cheap! Being so far from London means the airlines don’t have to pay a lot of the taxes and surcharges, so those savings are passed on to the passengers. How nice!
They currently serve over 85 destinations via 20 airlines, mainly low-cost. They connect travellers to holiday hotspots as a priority and several package operators use Luton as their main departing airport.
The base itself has only one terminal that offers a limited number of restaurants and shops due to the multi-million-pound renovation happening throughout. Space is therefore reduced during the works, but the number of flights is still increasing… this makes for a very busy time!
Personally, I will always pay a little extra to go from one of the other London airports.
BON VOYAGE!
Subscribe to the WWW newsletter for the latest travel, food and home design updates!
