Which is the second longest runway in the UK?

#2 London Gatwick airport at London (United Kingdom) EGKK LGW
  • runway 08R/26L : 3316m = 10879ft.
  • runway 08L/26R : 2565m = 8415ft.




As of 2026, the second longest commercial runway in the UK is London Heathrow's Runway 09R/27L, which measures 12,008 feet (3,660 meters). It is slightly shorter than its sister runway, 09L/27R, which is the longest in the country at 12,802 feet. While London Gatwick's main runway (08R/26L) is a close contender at 10,879 feet, it remains in the third spot. It is worth noting that some military or specialized airfields may have longer strips, but for commercial aviation, Heathrow holds both the first and second positions. In early 2026, Gatwick is currently in a legal battle to bring its "Northern Runway" into routine use, but even that proposed project would not displace Heathrow's two primary runways in terms of total length, which is required to accommodate fully-loaded wide-body aircraft for long-haul global flights.

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