What are the main London airport hubs?
London has three major international airports dotted around its sprawling perimeter: Heathrow in the west, Gatwick in the south and Stansted in the north. None are particularly close to the city centre (most of London was built long before air travel was a thing!) but all have good transport links. There is an airport in the east, too, called London City Airport, which is much closer. But while it’s technically international, the short runway means the airport doesn’t cater for larger jets, like those used on routes from the US, so it’s unlikely you’ll land here.
London Heathrow / LHR: Located about 15 miles from central London, Heathrow is the UK’s largest airport, with five terminals and two runways (and a third planned). If you’re trying to balance cost and efficiency, the best way to get into the city centre is by Tube - the Piccadilly Line (the dark blue one on Underground maps) creates a direct connection. It’ll take about 40 minutes and cost about £3 ($4). A quicker but more expensive option is the Heathrow Express, which’ll take you to Paddington Station in about 15 minutes.
London Gatwick / LGW: About 30 miles south of the city centre, London Gatwick is the UK’s second largest airport, with two terminals and two runways. There is a train station at the airport’s South Terminal (if you land at North Terminal, there is a free shuttle to South) which has regular and direct trains into London Victoria. The normal journey takes about 30 minutes and costs about £15, but there is a quicker option—the Gatwick Express—if you’re in a hurry, which is a bit quicker (no stops) but costs more.
London Stansted / STN: The fourth largest of the UK’s airports, Stansted is located about 40 miles north of the city centre, and like Gatwick, has a train station and regular trains, though the journey time is longer—about an hour. A cheaper option is to use the National Express service, which runs 24 hours a day and costs less - about £5 ($6.50) if you book in advance.