As we all know, London is the UK’s beating heart. A capital city bursting with culture, history and modern art, this city is popular with tourists across the globe, including in the UK and for that reason, it now plays host to a number of major airports. Here, we’re taking a look at them all.
Heathrow Airport
Heathrow Airport is London’s biggest and busiest, serving over 75 million passengers every year. With four active terminals numbered 2-5 (Terminal 1 was put out of commission in 2015), it sits just 14 miles outside of central London and is one of the easiest to access from the city, with a Woking airport taxi. It’s often thought to be more of a shopping centre than an airport, with numerous designer and high street brands all located here for a spot of shopping before you hop on your flight. There are plenty of lounges to relax and even a spa available for those wanting to truly unwind before a flight or while waiting for a connection and regardless of what food you fancy, there’ll be a restaurant here to cater.
Gatwick Airport
A little further outside of London, Gatwick sits 24.3 miles away from the city centre and sees over 45 million passengers every year. Traveling here can be expensive without advance booking and public transport links are prone to stressful delays, leading to more passengers opting for airport taxi services. Once you’re at the airport, however, security is typically faster than at Heathrow, and automatic gates have sped up immigration services considerably. Like Heathrow, Gatwick is also fitted with countless high street and designer brands and plenty of opportunities to relax and grab a bite to eat while you wait.
London City Airport
This is the only airport actually situated in the city and, as a result, is relatively small. Due to its location near Canary Wharf, it mainly serves businessmen and women and doesn’t really have budget airlines available. Domestic flights are also available in many cases, which is an increasingly popular choice due to the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of flying rather than catching a train.
Luton Airport
Luton plays host to mostly budget airlines but does contain some mid-to-premium airlines along the way. While it has been criticised for its less-than-stellar cleanliness, it does offer shopping and restaurants, just like the alternatives. Despite the reputation it’s gained, Luton is still a good airport for those looking to make longer, yet budget-focused flights.
Stansted Airport
Stansted is the airport of choice if you want to go anywhere in Europe. With more flights scheduled for European destinations here than anywhere else in the UK, it’s abundance of budget airlines makes it popular with those wanting to fly cheaply. The airport itself is relatively small when compared to Gatwick or Heathrow and despite only having a single terminal, can be confusing when it comes to finding your gate. There are plenty of shops and restaurants, however, and you’ll walk straight through World Duty-Free following security clearance, giving you the chance to browse and relax while you wait for your flight.
London Southend Airport
London Southend Airport is undoubtedly the smallest and, unless you live on the east side of London, may not be worth the hefty journey it will take to get there. Like Stansted, it only really hosts budget airlines, and a handful of them at most, but is considerably smaller and therefore, far less busy. If you’re a nervous flier or want to take full advantage of budget flights, Southend could be your best bet.
London’s airports are some of the busiest in the entirety of the UK, offering an array of budget and premium flights depending on where you want to go and which airport you’re flying from. To secure your airport transfer to any of these airports, get in touch with a member of our team, today.
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