London Airports
London has six international airports, and choosing the right one, and the right way into the city, can save you an hour and a surprising amount of money. Terminals, transfers, late arrivals and airport hotels explained.
London is served by six international airports: Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, London City and Southend. Only London City lies inside the city itself; the others are well outside the centre, and the time and cost of getting into town varies a great deal between them. When you compare flights, compare the whole journey, not just the ticket.
Heathrow is by far the largest, with the widest choice of long-haul flights and three separate rail links into London: the Piccadilly line, the Elizabeth line and the Heathrow Express. It opened as London Airport after the Second World War and later took the name of the hamlet that once stood on the site. Gatwick, south of the city, is the second busiest and has fast trains into central London.
Stansted and Luton, north of London, are major bases for low-cost airlines. They are further out, so check the last train or coach before you book a late arrival. Our guides below explain each airport, compare the transfer options and help you choose the right airport for your trip.
28 guides in this section.
Heathrow
Heathrow Airport: A Guide for Arriving Visitors
Terminals, arrivals and the best ways into central London.
Heathrow to Central London: Every Option Compared
Express train, Elizabeth line, Tube, coach or taxi compared.
Heathrow Terminals Guide
Which airline uses which terminal, and how to transfer.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
The other London airports
Gatwick Airport and Getting to London
Two terminals and three rail options into London.
Stansted Airport and Getting to London
Express train or coach, and what to know about early flights.
Luton Airport and Getting to London
The DART shuttle, the trains and the coach alternatives.
London City Airport
The closest airport to the centre, linked by the DLR.
London Southend Airport
A small airport in Essex with a direct train to the City.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
Choosing and connecting
Which London Airport Is Best for You?
The six airports compared on distance, cost and convenience.
Transferring Between Heathrow and Gatwick
Coach, train or taxi between the two biggest airports.
Staying Overnight at a London Airport
When an airport hotel makes sense, airport by airport.
Late-Night and Early-Morning Airport Transport
Night buses, first trains and coaches outside normal hours.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
Getting to and from the airports
Gatwick to Central London
Train, coach or car, and which station you actually want.
Stansted to Central London
The Express, the coaches, and what runs in the middle of the night.
Luton to Central London
A four-minute automated shuttle, then the train into London.
Connecting Between London Airports
How long to allow, and when self-transfer is a bad idea.
Airport Lounges in London
What you can buy your way into, and whether it is worth it.
Flying With Children from London
Security with a pushchair, and the rules for babies' liquids.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
Long waits and awkward connections
Heathrow With a Long Layover
Six hours is enough for central London. Four is not.
Special Assistance at London Airports
What the airport must provide, and how far ahead to book it.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
Inside the terminal
Heathrow Terminal 5: A Guide
Three buildings, one terminal, and the transfer that catches people out.
Gatwick: North or South Terminal?
Trains stop at one, your flight may leave from the other.
Airport Security and the Liquid Rules in Britain
The rules differ by airport. What to expect at each one in London.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
Onward journeys people get wrong
The Stansted Express or the Coach?
Train or coach from Stansted: what each costs, and when the coach wins.
Heathrow to Windsor and Legoland
Twelve miles from Terminal 5. The best first or last day of a trip.
Gatwick to Brighton
Half an hour to the sea. Fares, luggage and the last train back.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
The two airports the guides skim
Flying Out of London City
Twenty minutes from Bank, fifteen-minute check-in, shut on Saturday nights.
Arriving at Gatwick: What Happens
Door to train, step by step, with the real timings.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.