London Gatwick Airport

About London Gatwick Airport

London Gatwick Airport (IATA: LGW, ICAO: EGKK) is the second busiest airport in the United Kingdom. It lies next to Crawley in West Sussex, about 28 miles (45 km) south of London, with a direct link to the M23 motorway at Junction 9. According to the UK Civil Aviation Authority, Gatwick handled 42,769,164 terminal passengers in 2025, around 42.8 million.

The airport is operated by Gatwick Airport Limited. VINCI Airports holds a 50.01% majority stake, and the remaining 49.99% is held by funds managed by Global Infrastructure Partners. Gatwick has two passenger terminals, North and South, which are connected by a free shuttle.

Gatwick has two parallel runways. The main runway, 08R/26L, is 3,316 metres long, while the northern runway, 08L/26R, is 2,565 metres long. The two are too close together to be used at the same time, so only one operates at any moment. On 21 September 2025 the government granted development consent to bring the northern runway into routine use by moving its centre line 12 metres north. The High Court upheld that decision in June 2026, and in August 2026 the Court of Appeal rejected the remaining legal challenge, allowing the project to move into delivery.

How to get to London Gatwick Airport

By train

Gatwick Airport station is at the South Terminal, about a five-minute walk from departures and arrivals. Passengers for the North Terminal can take the free shuttle, which takes around two minutes. Four train operators serve the station:

• Gatwick Express: non-stop trains to London Victoria twice an hour, taking about 30 minutes.
• Southern: services to London Victoria, Clapham Junction, Brighton, Horsham, Eastbourne, Portsmouth, Southampton and local stations.
• Thameslink: direct trains to London Bridge, London Blackfriars, City Thameslink, Farringdon and St Pancras International, continuing to Bedford, Peterborough and Cambridge, and south to Brighton.
• Great Western Railway: direct services to Reading, taking about 1 hour 30 minutes.

Contactless payment cards and Oyster cards can be used for rail journeys between Gatwick and London.

By road

Gatwick is linked directly to the M23 at Junction 9 and to the A23 London to Brighton road. The M25 is about ten minutes' drive away, giving access to the national motorway network. Official parking is available on site for both terminals, including short stay, mid stay, long stay, valet and premium options.

By bus and coach

Coach operators serving Gatwick include National Express, Flixbus and The Airline, with services to London, Oxford, Brighton and other destinations. Coach tickets can be booked in advance with each operator.

Terminal and facilities

Gatwick has two terminals, North and South, linked landside by a free automated shuttle. Passengers should check which terminal their airline uses before setting off. Facilities and services include:

• Assisted Travel, which can be booked in advance for passengers who need extra help.
• Fast Track security and a fast track option at passport control, both available to book.
• Airport lounges that can be pre-booked.
• Official car parks serving both the North and South terminals.
• An online chatbot and contact page for enquiries. Gatwick does not publish a general London Gatwick Airport contact number.

Airlines and destinations

Gatwick handles a large volume of short-haul flights to European cities and leisure destinations around the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands, together with long-haul routes to North America, the Middle East and Asia. British Airways uses Gatwick as a hub, and easyJet has its largest base at the airport. Other airlines flying from Gatwick include Emirates, Norse Atlantic Airways, Singapore Airlines and TUI. Routes and schedules change by season, so passengers should confirm current services with their airline.

History

Flying at Gatwick began with the Surrey Aero Club in 1930, and the site was licensed as a public aerodrome in 1934. In 1936 the Beehive opened alongside a new railway station; it was the world's first circular terminal building. After service as an RAF base during the Second World War, Gatwick was chosen in 1950 as London's second airport. Following redevelopment costing £7.8 million, the new Gatwick was officially opened by the Queen in 1958, becoming the first airport in the world with a direct railway link.

The runway was extended in stages during the 1960s and 1970s to allow non-stop flights to the United States. Work on the North Terminal started in 1983, and the Queen opened it in 1988. In 2009 BAA was required by the Competition Commission to sell Gatwick, which was bought by Global Infrastructure Partners. VINCI Airports took its majority stake in 2019.