Is London City a busy airport?

London City had over 4.5 million passenger movements in 2017. It is the fifth-busiest airport by passengers and aircraft movements serving the London area — after Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton — and was the 14th-busiest in the UK in 2017. In 2019, the airport handled over 5 million passengers.



London City Airport (LCY) is "busy" in terms of its efficiency and the frequency of flights, but it is much smaller in scale than London’s mega-hubs like Heathrow or Gatwick. In 2024 and 2025, the airport handled approximately 3.4 to 3.6 million passengers annually. While this is a fraction of Heathrow's 80 million, London City is exceptionally dense; because it has a single runway and is located just miles from the Canary Wharf financial district, it serves a constant stream of business travelers. In late 2024, the UK government approved an increase in the airport's passenger cap from 6.5 million to 9 million, indicating plans for significant growth. For a traveler, it often feels busier than its numbers suggest because the terminal is compact, designed for 20-minute "curb-to-gate" transits. It is the preferred choice for those working in the City of London due to its proximity and the sheer number of short-haul European business routes operating daily.

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Americans who are combining a trip to London with a visit to Europe should consider flying in (or out) of London-City airport. This small airport is located much closer to the center of London than the other main London airports, making it more convenient.

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you could get there 30-40 mins before departure and get through easily with time to spare. Security is always v quick helped by the fact everything can stay in your bag and then larger liquid allowance. It's a very small airport so departure gates not a long trek.

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Because it's a smaller airport, arrivals and departures at LCY can be much quicker and easier than larger airports in London.

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It is not as if the city of London planned where to put each airport. They were there when the need for additional capacity appeared; in some cases the airports initially served local municipalities and cargo airlines, later to be used by charter and other airlines when the airports closer to London were full.

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Bournemouth Airport may not be one you've ever actually heard of, but that works to its advantage, serving just 693,798 passengers every year compared to the 61,599,196 that use heathrow. Despite this Bournemouth Airport still flies out to numerous different cities across Europe across three different airlines.

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Heathrow is by far the largest airport in London. When taking an intercontinental flight from the US, you will most likely end up here. Transportation to west and central London is cheaper and faster than from airports outside London due to the Underground connection.

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London City Airport was ranked best by the study, with the average queue lasting just 12 minutes. Half of travellers reported waiting between five and 10 minutes. It was also the only London airport where customers did not suffer any waits of more than an hour.

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A single DLR train ticket from City airport (zone 3) to the Bank DLR station in the city centre of London (zone 1) costs just €5.10 (£4.50). Tickets can be bought at the DLR station at City airport from the ticket desks or automated ticket machines.

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Because of space limitations and just one, very short runway, large aircraft is not permitted to use the airport, which limits long-haul flight availability. The lack of space also means that London City Airport operates out of a relatively small terminal building.

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For domestic flights in the United States, most airlines recommend that passengers arrive at the airport at least 1-2 hours before the scheduled departure time for check-in and security screening.

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London City Airport (LCY) London City is the least busy of London's airports. It primarily serves business travellers as the airport operates only short-haul flights throughout the UK and Europe and is within close proximity to Canary Wharf.

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As was perhaps to be expected, London City Airport, the closest airport to the City, is also the most expensive.

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London City Airport (LCY) London City Airport is located closest to the city and since it is connected to the Underground network, it gets you there fastest too. Situated near the city center and Canary Wharf, the financial heart of London, City Airport is popular for business trips.

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Europe's largest airport in terms of passenger traffic is located in the UK. It is London Heathrow, with 80,884,310 visitors in 2019. It is also one of the largest intercontinental airports in the world, ranking 7th. In particular, Heathrow attracts the most international passengers annually in Europe.

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1. Heathrow (LHR) Heathrow Airport, London's main hub, is also one of the world's busiest airports, with 80.1 million passengers coming through in 2018. Spread across five terminals and just 14 miles west of central London, it's the easiest airport for getting into town.

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