London Stansted Airport (STT) is technically located in the county of Essex, approximately 42 miles (68 km) northeast of Central London. While it carries the "London" name for branding and flight-routing purposes, it is geographically much closer to the city of Cambridge than to Buckingham Palace. In 2026, Stansted remains the UK's third-busiest airport and a major hub for low-cost carriers like Ryanair and Jet2. Because of its distance, it is not connected to the London Underground (Tube) network. Instead, travelers must use the Stansted Express train, which takes about 45–50 minutes to reach London Liverpool Street station. For 2026 travelers, a high-value "pro-tip" is that while Stansted is "further out," it often offers the cheapest European flight deals. Just be sure to factor in the roughly £25–£35 round-trip train fare and the 1-hour travel time when comparing it to "inner-city" airports like London City or Heathrow.