Britain is a small country with an enormous amount of air traffic, most of it concentrated in the south-east. Heathrow alone handles around 80 million passengers a year.
The London airports
Six serve London, and they are not interchangeable:
- Heathrow (LHR) — the largest, 15 miles west, and the main long-haul hub. On the Piccadilly line, the Elizabeth line and the Heathrow Express.
- Gatwick (LGW) — 30 miles south, strong on Europe and leisure long-haul. The busiest single-runway airport in the world.
- Stansted (STN) — 40 miles north-east, dominated by Ryanair and low-cost European routes.
- Luton (LTN) — 35 miles north, low-cost, with a fiddly transfer to the terminal.
- London City (LCY) — in the Docklands, close to Canary Wharf, short runway and small aircraft. By far the fastest for anyone working in the City.
- Southend (SEN) — 40 miles east, minor.
The distances matter. “London” airports can be an hour and a half from central London, and booking a flight to Stansted assuming it is convenient for Westminster is a common and expensive mistake.
Outside London
Manchester is the largest regional airport and a genuine long-haul hub. Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Bristol, Newcastle, Belfast and Leeds Bradford all carry substantial traffic, and flying into a regional airport is frequently easier than routing through Heathrow.
The third runway
The longest-running infrastructure argument in Britain. Heathrow has operated at effective capacity for years, and expansion has been proposed, approved, challenged, quashed, reinstated and delayed since the early 2000s.
The objections are noise for west London, air quality, and — decisively in recent years — carbon commitments. A 2020 Court of Appeal ruling found the government had failed to account for the Paris Agreement; the Supreme Court overturned that in 2021, restoring the policy without resolving the politics.
Nothing has been built. It has become the standard British example of an infrastructure decision the political system cannot make.
Air Passenger Duty
Britain levies among the highest aviation taxes in the world, charged per departing passenger and rising with distance and cabin class. It adds a substantial amount to a long-haul fare, and the airline industry campaigns against it continuously.
A quirk worth knowing: because APD is charged on departures from UK airports, a return flight originating abroad avoids much of it, which is why some travellers structure trips accordingly.
Practical notes
- Liquids — the 100ml rule is being phased out as new scanners are installed, but rollout has been uneven and airports differ. Check before you pack.
- Domestic flights rarely make sense against the train south of Scotland. London to Manchester is quicker by rail once airports are counted.
- Since Brexit, British passports are stamped in the EU, e-gates are not always available, and travellers need at least six months’ validity for some destinations.
- Getting into town — the Elizabeth line from Heathrow and the Gatwick Express are the reliable options; the coach is cheaper and slower.