Why are there 2 airports in London?

'London's largest airport, Heathrow, is hemmed in by the suburbs and limited to just two runways,' he explains. 'Because it can't expand, the demand for air travel is met by smaller, single-runway airports around the South-East: Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and Southend.



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Despite being a bit farther from the city centre than Heathrow, Gatwick offers efficient and well-connected transportation options, making it a popular choice for both short-haul European flights and travellers heading to south coast destinations.

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London has six major airports: London City, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, London Luton, London Stansted and London Southend. Find all the information you need about London's airport facilities, locations and connections, including a London airports map.

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London-Heathrow is one of the busiest and most well-connected airports in the world, easily making it the main London airport. As of July 2023, a whopping 81 airlines operate flights from London-Heathrow to 218 destinations across 86 countries.

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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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Gatwick can be quicker to get to from London compared with Stansted. Where are you staying, one block off Holborn can mean anywhere in a large area. Gatwick is a much larger airport and maybe is more expensive to get to and further away. Security isn't really any different at either airport.

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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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Gatwick Airport is about 28 miles (45km) south of the centre of London.

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The route of about 45 miles between Heathrow and Gatwick is along heavily congested motorway/freeway. Mondays to Fridays between 6.30am and 10am traffic congestion is routine, expect delays of 15 minutes or more in the Gatwick-Heathrow direction.

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Generally, the journey from Gatwick Airport to London by train takes around 48 minutes, although the fastest services take just 28 minutes. As there are around 935 direct trains on this route every day, you don't need to make any changes during your journey.

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The nearest airport to London is London City (LCY) Airport which is 7.7 miles away. Other nearby airports include London Heathrow (LHR) (14.4 miles), London Gatwick (LGW) (24.5 miles), London Luton (LTN) (28 miles) and London Stansted (STN) (31.4 miles). How long does it take to get to London from the Airport?

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How much is the train ticket from Heathrow to London? The cheapest tickets we've found for trains from Heathrow to London are US$15.12, and there isn't much difference in price depending on when you book. If you book 30 days in advance, tickets will cost around US$15.

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Bus from London City Airport The bus is definitely the cheapest option, but might not be the most convenient from London City Airport depending on your destination. Cost: A ticket costs £1.50. Journeys cannot be paid in cash, you must have a contactless card or an Oyster card.

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Are you looking for a fast and easy connection to the city? Then, Heathrow and London City are the best options, especially if you're flying from the US. Do you want the cheapest deal, even if it means traveling a little longer? Then Stansted, Luton, and Southend are excellent options.

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Their full names are London Heathrow International Airport and London Gatwick International Airport respectively. Heathrow is London's (and the country's) main and busiest airport. Gatwick follows as the secondary and second busiest airport.

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Heathrow Airport (LHR) is the largest airport in London. It has 4 terminals, which are confusingly numbered 2 to 5. Terminal 1 closed in 2015 after 47 years of service. The airport's planned expansion continues well into 2030, including for its Terminal 2.

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