Geographically and administratively, Gatwick Airport is not in London; it is located approximately 28 miles (45 km) south of the city center, in the county of West Sussex, within the borough of Crawley. However, for branding and aviation purposes, it is officially known as "London Gatwick" and is part of the London airport system alongside Heathrow, Stansted, and Luton. The "London" designation is used because it primarily serves the capital's population and is linked to the city by the Gatwick Express and Southern rail lines, which can deliver passengers to London Victoria station in about 30 minutes. If you are traveling to Gatwick in 2026, it is important to realize you will be in a much more rural area than Heathrow; the airport is surrounded by the English countryside and the towns of Horley and Crawley. While you can use your Oyster card or Contactless payment to travel to and from Gatwick (placing it within the London fare zone for transport), you are definitively outside the Greater London boundary. For travelers, this means you must factor in a longer and more expensive transit journey than if you were landing at the centrally located London City Airport.