London airport costs compared

When people search for airports in London, results commonly include six: Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, London City and Southend. Heathrow and London City are inside Greater London; the other four are outside the boundary, so the final ground journey can be a large part of the real trip cost.

London City Airport is geographically closest to central and east London, but the quickest practical airport depends on the final address. Heathrow can work better for Paddington and west London; Gatwick has direct rail links to Victoria, London Bridge and the Thameslink corridor. Compare the airport-to-door journey rather than distance alone.

There is no single cheapest airport for every trip. A low airfare can be cancelled out by baggage charges, a costly airport train, terminal drop-off, parking or a late-night taxi. Price the flight and the complete ground journey for the same passengers, luggage and travel time before choosing.

Heathrow is usually the more convenient choice for west London and places on the Elizabeth line or Piccadilly line. Gatwick is often practical for Victoria, London Bridge, Blackfriars, Farringdon and St Pancras. The better airport is the one that reduces the full journey to your real London stop, not the one with the cheapest flight headline.

Gatwick offers rail routes towards Victoria and the Thameslink corridor. Stansted Express serves Tottenham Hale and Liverpool Street, while coaches serve several London stops. Check which arrival point is closest to your accommodation and whether the service still runs after your flight is expected to clear immigration and baggage reclaim.

Luton can suit St Pancras, Farringdon, City Thameslink, Blackfriars and London Bridge, but the terminal requires the Luton DART from Luton Airport Parkway. Stansted has a rail station under the terminal and works well for Tottenham Hale or Liverpool Street. Neither is automatically easier; the useful London station decides it.

London City is the nearest of the six and has a direct DLR connection towards Canary Wharf. Heathrow can also be practical because the Elizabeth line reaches Canary Wharf without a central London change. Compare the flight schedule, live fare, luggage and the exact destination before deciding.

At airports that operate a terminal drop-off charge, the fee normally applies per entry rather than per booking or per day. The amount, maximum stay, payment deadline, Blue Badge process and free car-park alternative differ by airport. Follow the airport-specific guide and official payment page for the visit date.

Not always. Rail and coach tickets usually multiply by passenger, while a private vehicle is priced for the vehicle and journey. Public transport can still be much cheaper for one traveller. For a family or group, total every live ticket, station connection and terminal transfer before comparing it with a written door-to-door quote.

Check the first or last train, engineering work, terminal check-in deadline and a realistic allowance for immigration and baggage reclaim. Do not plan around the scheduled landing time alone. If the public-transport margin is weak, price a later coach, an airport hotel or a pre-booked vehicle before travel day.

The best option is the route with the fewest difficult interchanges and a confirmed accessible path from platform to terminal. Check lift status, step-free access, level boarding, luggage limits and any terminal shuttle. A direct train can still require an awkward onward journey after reaching London.

AirportCosts checked the airport and operator sources shown on this page on 1 September 2026. Fares, timetables and airport charges can change, so use the comparison to choose a likely route and then confirm the live price and rules with the operator before paying.