London Gatwick Airport is the second-busiest airport in the United Kingdom after Heathrow and the ninth-busiest in Europe. Over 46 million people pass through London Gatwick Airport, and if you’re going to be one of them, be sure to read this guide so that you know what to expect!
London Gatwick, or Gatwick Airport, is 47km south of London itself, located near the town of Crawley in West Sussex. It is one of six airports that service London. Unlike many other large airports, Gatwick operates with only one runway making it the busiest single-runway airport in Europe. There are two terminals, connected by a monorail system, called the North Terminal and South Terminal. The North Terminal is the newer of the two and boasts a 2005 addition of the largest air passenger bridge in the world, which passes over a plane taxiway.
British Airways use Gatwick Airport as a secondary hub, while low-cost carriers Easyjet and Norwegian use the airport as a focus city for their services. Gatwick Airport represents Easyjet’s largest base of operations with over 40% of the airport’s passengers flying with the airline. TUI also has a significant presence at Gatwick, flying to many destinations both across Europe and long-haul.
The airport is very versatile with all carrier types flying from there; full-service, low-cost, and charter. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Virgin Atlantic moved all of its Gatwick operations to Heathrow, intending to return in the future when they can.
With so many bargain deals available from Gatwick Airport, Flynous visitors will no doubt encounter flights to or from this London airport, so our guide will help you make your journey even better!
London Gatwick Airport At-a-glance
Official Website: www.gatwickairport.com
Airport Code: LGW
Terminals: 2
Address: Gatwick Airport,
Horley,
Gatwick,
RH6 0NP
GPS Postcode for South Terminal: RH6 0NP
GPS Postcode for North Terminal: RH6 0PJ
Gate Checker: https://www.gatwickairport.com/flights/?type=departures
Terminal Checker: https://www.gatwickairport.com/flights/which-terminal
All Easyjet flights depart from the North Terminal, while all British Airways departures are from the South Terminal
Contact Number: +44 344 892 0322
Timezone: GMT+0 October-March, GMT+1 March-October
Lost Property Contact:
Phone Number: 01293 223 457
Website: www.lostproperty.org
Map: https://www.gatwickairport.com/at-the-airport/passenger-services/airport-maps – 2 links to PDF versions of each terminal. There is no interactive or 3D map available.
WiFi: Free WiFi is available throughout the airport. The network name is ‘Free Gatwick Wi-Fi’.
Apps: Gatwick has apps for both Android and iOS.
London Gatwick Airport Facilities
Both of the terminals at London’s Gatwick Airport are well equipped for travellers. As passengers might expect, there are plenty of shops, cafes, restaurants, fast food, duty-free, currency conversion, ATM’s, multi-faith rooms, luggage services, and airport lounges to choose from. Mobile charging points can be found airside (i.e. after security) if your device is low on battery.
There are also free newspapers and magazines that passengers can pick-up. Travellers can find these when making their way to their departure gate, although some pick-up points can be found in restaurants too. Both terminals have kids zones for families travelling with children, which are free to use. Another option for family travellers is the pushchairs/strollers that are available for a £/€1 deposit.
Gatwick Airport offers various add-on options to provide any traveller to experience a higher level of service – for a fee. The Gatwick Premium service allows passengers to experience fewer queues and VIP treatment to enhance their airport experience, irrespective of the airline or class they are flying. Premium facilities are possible for passport control, car parking, and security, for those who want a hassle-free journey.
Gatwick Airport has many sleep offerings for those staying overnight, or with hours to kill between connections. YOTELAIR is inside Gatwick’s South Terminal but is landside (i.e. before security) allowing any traveller to make use of their pod-style room offerings. Alternatively, the Bloc hotel offers a similar on-site experience in the South Terminal with different stylishly finished rooms overlooking the airport.
For a more standard sleeping arrangement, a Hampton by Hilton is physically connected to the North Terminal. Nearby hotels within minutes of the airport include Premier Inn, Sofitel and Hilton. Be aware that the town of Crawley is only a few minutes away on a train from the airport and offers a much wider selection of hotels. You can look for Crawley hotels on Booking.com or Hotels.com to find the best rates.
Shower facilities are only available for those who have access to, or who have paid for lounge access. There are no free public showers that passengers can make use of. For those looking to shower, the Regus Express, Club Aspire, Emirates Lounge, and British Airways Lounges have showers inside. Those using the Club Aspire or Regus Express Lounge will need to pay an additional fee to gain shower access. More information on where lounges are situated are at the bottom of this London Gatwick Airport Guide.
Luggage storage is provided in both terminals by Excess Baggage Company. In the South Terminal, the location is at the back of the check-in area, while the North Terminal position is next to the monorail. Costs are the same at both with a £6 fee for the first three hours, or £11 for up to 24 hours. Each item is then £7.50 for subsequent 24 hour periods until a reduced price of £5 per 24 hours when stored for over 72 hours. There is no reduction or increase in cost for smaller or larger items.
London Gatwick Terminal Layout
South Terminal
The South Terminal is actually located to the south-east of the North Terminal and is the original facility of Gatwick. Gatwick Airport Railway Station connects to the South Terminal so if you are arriving at Gatwick Airport by train you will arrive at the South Terminal. Once clear of security and the duty-free shop you are forced to walk through, the departure lounge has a variety of shops to browse, with most food option on the floor above. The gates can be up to 10 minutes walk away and are without the choice of amenities, so be sure to be stocked up before heading over.
North Terminal
If you are arriving by rail to Gatwick, you will need to make your way to the North Terminal by the free monorail shuttle service. You can find this signposted when exiting the railway station, to the right when heading towards the South Terminal. Similar to the South Terminal, most food options in the departure hall are on the upper level, with shopping choices entirely found on the same floor as when you leave the duty-free shop. If your departure gate is 101 or above, then there will be a long walk ahead and multiple escalators. Pier 6 is home to gates 101-113 and is accessible by crossing the longest air passenger bridge in the world, which takes passengers above a taxiway. If you wait a while on this overpass, you will be able to look down and see planes passing underneath you!
London Gatwick Airport Connections
London Gatwick has several options allowing you to depart the airport onto your destination. However, if you are flying to Gatwick to visit London, rail is almost always the quickest and easiest way to get to the city. For other destinations in the U.K., the airport is next to the M23 motorway. The M23 feeds into the circular M25 motorway that loops around London. However, rail links are also plentiful once in London, but a journey to a National Rail station via the London Underground may be required.
Bus: The majority of bus services depart from the South Terminal. Bus stops are found when passing through the train station towards car parking. You can follow the in-airport signs. Stop 1 is on the far right, and stop 10 to the far left when you walk from the terminal. National bus services are available, mainly by National Express and Megabus. These allow connections to London’s other airports such as Heathrow, Stansted, and Luton, as well as to other U.K. cities. Local buses also depart from the South Terminal and leave from the road near the arrivals area. Unless you are travelling in the local area, you should head to the bus stops near the train station.
Rail: Gatwick Airport Railway Station serves Gatwick Airport and over 20 million passengers a year pass through the station. Trains provide direct access to over 100 stations in the U.K., and over 700 when making just one connection. The ticketing machines are directly above the train platforms which are accessible by escalator or elevator. If travelling into London, using a contactless credit or debit card can avoid the need to queue for a ticket. You can ‘tap on’ and ‘tap off’ at the station barriers, and the appropriate cost will be deducted from your card will automatically.
The quickest way to get to central London is to use the Gatwick Express, which is a direct service to London Victoria station that departs every 15 minutes. It takes around 30 minutes to reach London. Tickets are purchasable in advance for a 10% discount and are £19.90 if bought at the station.
However, several non-express services run trains to central London too, with London Bridge and London Victoria as the destination stations. If cost is a factor, it will be cheaper not to use the Gatwick Express service in most situations, albeit with slightly longer journey times. Also, note there is a direct train to Luton Airport with Thameslink that takes around 80 minutes if you need to transfer between the two airports.
Car: Although London isn’t a particularly car-friendly city, Gatwick has a useful road link to Britain’s motorway network if travelling elsewhere in the country. Car hire offices are in the North Terminal so arrivals to the South Terminal should use the free monorail shuttle to switch terminals if looking to hire a car. All the major companies have an operation at Gatwick such as Europcar, Hertz, and Avis. The offices are next to domestic arrivals, or if arriving internationally, past the WH Smith to the right. If you are coming from the South Terminal, you should head down a level when entering the terminal.
Taxi: Both terminals have taxi ranks where you can find a taxi to take you to your destination. In the North Terminal, you should head towards the long term car park, and you will find taxis near the special assistance help point. In the South Terminal, again head towards the car parks (long and short stay), and taxis will be near the Bureau De Change. You can expect a cost of £60-£100 for a journey to central London, depending on traffic conditions. A minicab may be a cheaper option but would require pre-booking. Many companies will provide a fixed fee service if pre-booked, avoiding any price hikes due to congestion.
Connections
Gatwick Airport recommends a minimum connection time of 60 minutes if connecting within the same terminal, or 90 minutes if you need to change terminal. When booking tickets with an airline or travel agency, the transfer time will already be considered, and your bags checked through. Flights with the same airline will generally depart from the same terminal you arrive.
If you are self-transferring, however, you would need to collect your luggage and check it in once again. This could be the case if you have purchased two separate tickets to benefit from a cheap deal leaving Gatwick. If you arrive on an international flight, you will need to clear customs and then go through security once more, with another customs clearance if your next trip is also international. If you have a long layover at London Gatwick, check out our guide on what you can spend your time doing!
The airport sells a service for £7 that provides the printing of a boarding pass and luggage check-in to be done in the baggage reclaim area. If you have a tight connection, this may be worthwhile as Premium Security is included in the price.
London Gatwick Airport Lounges
With Easyjet being the primary flight provider at the airport, and the low-cost carrier not providing a lounge service, airline lounges are scarce at Gatwick. Instead, several independent lounges operate in both terminals which passengers can pay to access regardless of who they are flying. Emirates and British Airways are currently the only airlines that have lounges in operation. Virgin also have lounges but halted their Gatwick services due to Covid-19.
South Terminal Lounges
Regus Express Business Lounge (this lounge has shower facilities for a fee)
Located landside on the ground floor Arrivals Area
Club Aspire (this lounge has shower facilities)
Located between Sunglasses Boutique and WHSmith in the departure hall
No1 Lounges, Gatwick South
Located between Dixons and JD Sports in the departure hall
My Lounge, Gatwick South
Located on the upper level of the departure hall
Clubrooms, Gatwick South
Located between Dixons and JD Sports in the departure hall
British Airways Club Lounge (this lounge has shower facilities)
Located on the upper mezzanine via the elevator (follow the signs)
British Airways First Lounge (this lounge has shower facilities)
Located on the upper mezzanine via the elevator (follow the signs)
North Terminal Lounges
My Lounge, Gatwick North
Located in the lounge area en route to gates 45-55 in the departure hall
No1 Lounges, Gatwick North
Located in the lounge area en route to gates 45-55 in the departure hall
Clubrooms, Gatwick North
Located in the lounge area en route to gates 45-55 in the departure hall
The Emirates Lounge (this lounge has shower facilities)
Located in the lounge area en route to gates 45-55 in the departure hall
Club Aspire
Located in the lounge area en route to gates 45-55 in the departure hall