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Is London Luton a small airport?

It is the fourth-largest airport serving the London area after Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, and is one of London's six international airports along with London City and Southend.



London Luton Airport (LTN) is often perceived as "small" when compared to the gargantuan size of Heathrow or Gatwick, but it is actually a major international hub and the fifth busiest airport in the UK. In 2025, it handled over 16 million passengers, which is more than many "main" national airports in other European countries. It features a single, relatively compact terminal building, which makes it easier to navigate on foot than larger airports, but this can also lead to significant congestion during peak travel hours. Luton is the primary base for low-cost carrier easyJet and a major hub for Wizz Air, serving over 150 destinations across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. While it lacks the multiple terminals and vast transit systems of Heathrow, the 2023 opening of the Luton DART (Direct Air-Rail Transit) has significantly modernized its connection to the railway station, making it feel like a more integrated part of the London airport network. So, while it is physically smaller in footprint, its "weight" in terms of flight volume and passenger traffic is quite substantial.

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Luton has one terminal and is London's fifth largest airport. You'll find check-in desks for all airlines flying from Luton, including WizzAir, Ryanair, easyJet and Tui, in the main hall on the ground floor.

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London Southend Airport (SEN) Southend Airport is London's smallest airport, and one of the low-cost hubs for destinations across Europe.

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Heathrow Airport (LHR) And, in the video below, I go over the different ways of getting to Central London from Heathrow Airport. Because London Heathrow Airport is so large, it's fairly easy to get to and from and you have a number of options to choose from.

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Luton is more of a low-cost, no frills hub and is much smaller than Gatwick. I would go with Luton but see which airport has the cheapest fares. There are Gatwick trains (run by First Capital Connect) that take you to St Pancras as well - you don't have to go to Victoria.

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Luton (LTN) Like Gatwick and Stansted, London's fourth airport, at Luton, is nearly 30 miles from the city center.

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