Your ultimate guide to London airports
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Major airports in London
Discover London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow is Europe's biggest airport. It's a true global hub, since it's connected to nearly every part of the world.
Airport Code (IATA):
(LHR)
Location:
London
Address:
Hounslow, Middlesex TW6 2GW
Terminals:
4
Airlines:
Aegean Airlines, Aer Lingus, Aeroméxico, Air Algeria, Air Astana, Air Canada, Air China, Air France, Air India, Air Serbia, American Airlines, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Azerbaijan Airlines, Beijing Capital Airlines, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Bulgaria Air, Cathay Pacific Airways, China Airlines, China Eastern, China Southern, Croatia Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Egyptair, El Al, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Eurowings, EVA Air, Finnair, Gulf Air, Hainan Airlines, Iberia, Icelandair, Iran Air, Japan Airlines, JetBlue, Kenya Airways, KLM - Royal Dutch Airlines, KM Malta Airlines, Korean Air, Kuwait Airways, LATAM Airlines, Loganair, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, MEA, Oman Air, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Brunei Airlines, Royal Jordanian, RwandAir, SAS - Scandinavian Airlines, Saudia, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Sri Lankan Airlines, Swiss International Airlines, TAP Portugal, Tarom, Thai Airways, Tianjin Airlines, Tunisair, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, Uzbekistan Airways, Vietnam Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Vistara, Vueling, WestJet
Annual Passenger Traffic:
82,600,000
Brief History:
London Heathrow Airport was officially opened in 1946. It’s the most connected airport in the world and the busiest in Europe.
Discover London Gatwick Airport
London Gatwick Airport has everything you might need for comfortable travelling: global flights, premium lounges and proximity to the city. If Heathrow is too busy for you, this might be a good alternative.
Airport Code (IATA):
(LGW)
Location:
London
Address:
Horley, Gatwick RH6 0NP
Terminals:
2
Airlines:
Aegean Airlines, Air Arabia Maroc, airBaltic, Air China, Air Europa, Air India, Air Mauritius, Air Peace, Air Transat, Atlantic Airways, Aurigny, Azerbaijan Airlines, Azores Airlines, Badr Airlines, BH Air, British Airways, China Eastern, China Southern, Corendon Airlines, Croatia Airlines, Dan Air, Delta, Eastern Airways, easyJet, Emirates, Enter Air, Ethiopian Airlines, FlyErbil, Freebird, Iberia Express, Icelandair, ITA Airways, Jet2, JetBlue, KM Malta Airlines, Lufthansa, Maleth Aero, Norwegian, Nouvelair, Norse Atlantic, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Ryanair, Saudia, Singapore Airlines, Sky Alps, Sky Express, SmartWings, SunExpress, SWISS, TAP Portugal, Titan Airways, TUI, Tunisair, Turkish Airlines, Uzbekistan Airways, Volotea, Vueling, WestJet, Wizz Air
Annual Passenger Traffic:
40,900,000
Brief History:
London Gatwick Airport as we know it today first opened in 1958. It’s the busiest single runway airport in Europe.
Discover London Stansted Airport
London Stansted is an airport with mostly low-cost European flights. It offers various amenities, from cafes and restaurants to shops and resting areas.
Airport Code (IATA):
(STN)
Location:
London
Address:
Bassingbourn Road, Essex CM24 1RW
Terminals:
1
Airlines:
AJet, Albawings, Aurigny, British Airways, Corendon Airlines, easyJet, Emirates, FLYONE, Jet2, Pegasus Airlines, PLAY airlines, Ryanair, Royal Jordanian, Serenity Holidays, Sun Express, TUI
Annual Passenger Traffic:
28,000,000
Brief History:
London Stansted Airport was built by the US Air Force in the 1940s and it was used as a military airfield during WW2. It officially started working in 1991, when a £400 million new terminal opened.
Discover London City Airport
Like its name suggests, London City Airport is the most central airport in the capital. Its convenient location is what makes it popular, as well as the connection to numerous European destinations.
Airport Code (IATA):
(LCY)
Location:
London
Address:
Hartmann Road E16 2PX
Terminals:
1
Airlines:
British Airways, ITA Airways, KLM, Loganair, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Luxair, SWISS, Aurigny, Air Dolomiti
Annual Passenger Traffic:
3,400,000
Brief History:
London City Airport opened in 1987. There is an expansion project underway at the moment aimed at increasing the airport's capacity by an additional 2.5 million passengers per year.
Discover London Luton Airport
London Luton Airport is focused on affordable carriers, both with domestic and international flights.
Airport Code (IATA):
(LTN)
Location:
London
Address:
Airport Way, Luton LU2 9LY
Terminals:
1
Airlines:
easyJet, El Al, FLYONE, Ryanair, SunExpress, TUI, Wizz Air
Annual Passenger Traffic:
16,200,000
Brief History:
London Luton Airport first opened in 1938. In 2024 it was declared the best European airport in its category by Airports Council International.
Discover London Southend Airport
London Southend Airport is one of the quickest and fastest-growing airports in the UK.
Airport Code (IATA):
(SEN)
Location:
London
Address:
Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS2 6YF
Terminals:
1
Airlines:
easyJet, BHAir
Annual Passenger Traffic:
172,068
Brief History:
London Southend Airport started working in 1935, but it became a commercial airport in the mid-1950s. It played a role in military operations during World War I and II.
Flights to and from London
London is connected with the entire world through major airlines such as British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa and Air France. Some of the most popular destinations are Paris, Amsterdam, New York and Dublin.
Getting to and from the Airport
You can get to Heathrow by train, bus, taxi or car. If you choose trains, you can take the Heathrow Express train or the Elizabeth line, as well as London Underground’s Piccadilly line. Various bus and coach services can also take you to the airport, including hotel buses and Go2Gate minibuses.
You can also drive to or from the airport, whether it’s your car or a rental, but remember that there is a £5 charge for vehicles entering the drop-off areas. Some car rental companies at the airport are SIXT, Hertz, Enterprise and Europcar.
Train operators that can take you to London Gatwick Airport are Gatwick Express, Southern, Thameslink and Great Western Railway. You can also take a coach or a bus to 100 UK towns all year round.
If you’re driving your own car, parking costs start at £6 for 30 minutes. There are also several on-airport car rental companies, such as Alamo, Avis, Europcar and Hertz.
London Stansted Airport can be reached by public transport or by car. The Stansted Express train runs 7 days a week and departs from London Liverpool Street every 15 minutes. The Airport Bus Express also runs from Liverpool Street. You can also take the First Essex or National Express bus. If you’ll be driving your own car to the airport, parking costs start at £64.99 per day if you pre-book. You can also rent a car at the airport from companies such as Enterprise, Europcar or Hertz.
London City Airport can be reached by Docklands Light Railway, the Elizabeth Line train. If you plan on driving, you can pre-book airport parking and cancel for free in case you need to. Car rental from Avis & Budget, Europcar and Hertz is also available.
You can reach London Luton by Luton Airport Express train. Also, you can catch National Express and Green Line buses at central London. There are several car hire companies at the airport, such as Alamo, Europcar and Enterprise. Parking prices start at £67.50 per day, but you can get a discount if you pre-book.
You can travel to and from London Southend Airport by train or tube from London Liverpool Street, Shenfield and Stratford. You could also catch the X30 bus. If you’d prefer to drive, you can book parking for £35 a day. There’s also a Europcar car rental centre inside the terminal building.
London Heathrow Airport facilities and services
Lounges
Yes
Wi-FI
Yes
Dining
Yes
Duty-free Shopping
Yes
Currency Exchange
Yes
ATMs
Yes
Baggage Storage
Yes
Prayer room
Yes
Baby feeding facilities
Yes
London Gatwick Airport facilities and services
Lounges
Yes
Wi-FI
Yes
Dining
Yes
Duty-free Shopping
Yes
Currency Exchange
Yes
ATMs
Yes
Baggage Storage
Yes
Prayer room
Yes
Baby feeding facilities
Yes
London Stansted Airport facilities and services
Lounges
Yes
Wi-FI
Yes
Dining
Yes
Duty-free Shopping
Yes
Currency Exchange
Yes
ATMs
Yes
Baggage Storage
No
Prayer room
Yes
Baby feeding facilities
Yes
London City Airport facilities and services
Lounges
No
Wi-FI
Yes
Dining
Yes
Duty-free Shopping
Yes
Currency Exchange
Yes
ATMs
Yes
Baggage Storage
No
Prayer room
No
Baby feeding facilities
No
London Luton Airport facilities and services
Lounges
Yes
Wi-FI
Yes
Dining
Yes
Duty-free Shopping
Yes
Currency Exchange
Yes
ATMs
Yes
Baggage Storage
Yes
Prayer room
Yes
Baby feeding facilities
No
London Southend Airport facilities and services
Lounges
Yes
Wi-FI
Yes
Dining
Yes
Duty-free Shopping
Yes
Currency Exchange
Yes
ATMs
Yes
Baggage Storage
No
Prayer room
Yes
Baby feeding facilities
Yes
London airports currency exchange
Currency exchange at airports can be incredibly expensive, with high fees and poor exchange rates. It may often seem like the only option for travellers. Our tip is to avoid airport currency exchange unless it's absolutely necessary.
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