London Airports Guide 2026: Heathrow vs Gatwick vs Stansted - Complete Comparison

# London Airports Guide 2026: Complete Comparison ## Quick Answer: Which Airport is Best? | Airport | Distance to Central | Best Transport | Time | Cost | |---------|-------------------|----------------|------|------| | **Heathrow (LHR)** | 15 miles | Elizabeth Line | 30 min | £12.80 | | **Gatwick (LGW)** | 30 miles | Gatwick Express | 30 min | £19.90 | | **Stansted (STN)** | 40 miles | Stansted Express | 47 min | £19.40 | | **Luton (LTN)** | 35 miles | Thameslink | 45 min | £18.50 | | **City (LCY)** | 6 miles | DLR | 20 min | £4.50 | **Best Overall:** Heathrow (most convenient, best connections) **Best Budget:** Stansted/Luton (cheaper flights, but further) **Best for Business:** London City (closest, fastest) --- ## Heathrow Airport (LHR) - London's Main Airport ### Overview - **Location:** West London - **Distance to Central:** 15 miles (24 km) - **Terminals:** 4 (T2, T3, T4, T5) - **Airlines:** All major airlines, Emirates hub - **Annual Passengers:** 80+ million ### Which Terminal? | Terminal | Airlines | |----------|----------| | Terminal 2 | Star Alliance (Lufthansa, United, Turkish) | | Terminal 3 | OneWorld (American, Cathay Pacific), Emirates, Virgin | | Terminal 4 | Gulf carriers (Qatar, Etihad, Kuwait Airways) | | Terminal 5 | British Airways only | ### Getting to Central London #### Elizabeth Line (Recommended) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - **Time:** 30 min to Paddington - **Cost:** £12.80 (Oyster/contactless) - **Frequency:** Every 5 minutes - **Hours:** 5:30 AM - 11:30 PM - **Stops:** Paddington, Bond Street, Liverpool Street **Why Best:** Modern, spacious, direct to central stations, no luggage restrictions. #### Piccadilly Line (Budget Option) - **Time:** 50-60 min to central London - **Cost:** £5.50 (Oyster/contactless) - **Frequency:** Every 5 minutes - **Hours:** 5:00 AM - 11:45 PM (Night Tube Fri-Sat) **Best For:** Budget travelers, hotels near Piccadilly line stations. #### Heathrow Express (Fastest) - **Time:** 15 min to Paddington - **Cost:** £25 single (£13 advance online) - **Frequency:** Every 15 minutes **Best For:** Business travelers, tight connections. #### Private Transfer - **Time:** 45-90 min (traffic dependent) - **Cost:** £80-150 (sedan), £100-200 (Mercedes V-Class) - **Best For:** Families with luggage, VIP service --- ### Halal Food at Heathrow | Terminal | Restaurant | Type | |----------|------------|------| | T4 | Comptoir Libanais | Lebanese, full halal | | T5 | Gordon Ramsay Plane Food | Halal options | | T3 | Caviar House | Halal seafood | | All | Pret A Manger | Halal-marked items | ### Prayer Facilities - **Multi-faith rooms** in all terminals - **Terminal 4:** Near Gate 10 (closest to Gulf carrier gates) - **Terminal 3:** Near Emirates lounge - **Wudu facilities:** Available in all multi-faith rooms --- ## Gatwick Airport (LGW) - South London ### Overview - **Location:** South of London (Surrey) - **Distance to Central:** 30 miles (48 km) - **Terminals:** 2 (North and South) - **Airlines:** British Airways, EasyJet, Norwegian ### Getting to Central London #### Gatwick Express (Fastest) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - **Time:** 30 min to Victoria - **Cost:** £19.90 single (advance: £12.10) - **Frequency:** Every 15 minutes #### Thameslink (Best Value) - **Time:** 35-45 min to London Bridge/St Pancras - **Cost:** £12-15 (Oyster rates) - **Frequency:** Every 15 minutes #### Private Transfer - **Time:** 60-90 min - **Cost:** £90-180 ### Halal Food at Gatwick | Terminal | Restaurant | |----------|------------| | South | Nando's (halal chicken) | | North | Leon (some halal options) | | Both | Marks & Spencer (halal sandwiches) | --- ## Stansted Airport (STN) - Northeast London ### Overview - **Location:** Essex (northeast) - **Distance to Central:** 40 miles (64 km) - **Main Airlines:** Ryanair hub, EasyJet ### Getting to Central London #### Stansted Express ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - **Time:** 47 min to Liverpool Street - **Cost:** £19.40 (advance: £8.40) - **Frequency:** Every 15 minutes #### National Express Bus (Budget) - **Time:** 60-90 min to Victoria - **Cost:** £12-15 - **Frequency:** Every 20 minutes ### Halal Food at Stansted - **Limited options** - eat before security or bring food - Pret A Manger has some halal-marked items --- ## Luton Airport (LTN) ### Overview - **Location:** Bedfordshire (north) - **Distance to Central:** 35 miles (56 km) - **Main Airlines:** EasyJet, Wizz Air, budget carriers ### Getting to Central London #### Thameslink Train - **Time:** 45 min to St Pancras - **Cost:** £18.50 - **Note:** Requires shuttle bus from terminal to station #### National Express Bus - **Time:** 60-90 min to Victoria - **Cost:** £12-15 --- ## London City Airport (LCY) ### Overview - **Location:** East London (Docklands) - **Distance to Central:** 6 miles (10 km) - **Main Airlines:** British Airways, KLM, Swiss - **Best For:** Business travelers, short European flights ### Getting to Central London #### DLR (Docklands Light Railway) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - **Time:** 20 min to Bank station - **Cost:** £4.50 (Oyster) - **Frequency:** Every 10 minutes **Best For:** Business travelers, Canary Wharf, City of London --- ## Airport Comparison Table | Feature | Heathrow | Gatwick | Stansted | Luton | City | |---------|----------|---------|----------|-------|------| | Distance | 15 mi | 30 mi | 40 mi | 35 mi | 6 mi | | Best Transport | Elizabeth | Express | Express | Train | DLR | | Time to Central | 30 min | 30 min | 47 min | 45 min | 20 min | | Cost | £12.80 | £12-20 | £8-19 | £18.50 | £4.50 | | Prayer Room | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Halal Food | Good | Good | Limited | Limited | Limited | | Lounges | Many | Several | Few | Few | Few | --- ## Which Airport Should You Choose? ### Choose Heathrow If: - Flying major airline (Emirates, BA, etc.) - Want easiest transport to central London - Need good halal food options - Arriving late/departing early (Night Tube option) ### Choose Gatwick If: - Flying British Airways short-haul - Staying in South London - Good balance of convenience and price ### Choose Stansted/Luton If: - On a budget (flights are cheaper) - Don't mind longer journey - Flying Ryanair/EasyJet/Wizz Air ### Choose London City If: - Business travel - Flying to European cities - Need to be in City/Canary Wharf quickly --- ## Tips for Arab/Muslim Travelers ### At Any London Airport 1. **Prayer rooms** available in all airports (ask staff) 2. **Wudu facilities** usually included 3. **Halal food** varies - Heathrow and Gatwick best 4. **Arabic signage** at Heathrow T4 (Gulf carriers terminal) ### Gulf Carrier Passengers - **Emirates:** Heathrow T3 - **Qatar Airways:** Heathrow T4 - **Etihad:** Heathrow T4 - **Kuwait Airways:** Heathrow T4 - **Saudia:** Heathrow T4 --- ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Which airport is closest to central London? **London City Airport** (6 miles, 20 min by DLR). ### Which airport has the best transport? **Heathrow** via Elizabeth Line - fast, frequent, and central stops. ### Can I pray at London airports? **Yes**, all airports have multi-faith prayer rooms with wudu facilities. ### Which airport for Emirates flights? **Heathrow Terminal 3**. ### Which airport is best for families? **Heathrow** - best facilities, halal food, and transport options. --- ## Conclusion For most travelers, **Heathrow** offers the best overall experience with convenient transport, good facilities, and excellent halal food options. Budget travelers can save money flying into Stansted or Luton, but factor in the longer journey time and cost to central London. **Pro Tip:** Book Elizabeth Line or Gatwick Express tickets in advance online for significant savings.