City
London City Airport (LCY) is a single-runway airport that serves London's financial district. It is sometimes referred to as a STOLport, meaning that the airlines serving the airport operate on a Short Take Off and Landing basis.
Located on a former Docklands site, flights to London City Airport are usually booked by business people looking to gain quick access to the major financial district of Canary Wharf. However, the number of leisure travelers using London City Airport is increasing every year – especially during ski season, when flights to Zurich, Geneva and Milan are especially popular.
Just 6 miles (10km) from the city-center, London City Airport offers very easy transport links for passengers looking to access London's CBD. In fact, in the July 2008 issue of Business Traveler magazine, London City Airport was voted as having the “best public transport links in the world.”
The airport is currently in the process of expanding and upgrading its terminal and runway facilities, and aims to be able to handle 8 million passengers per year by 2030. London City Airport is just 3km (2 miles) from the site of the 2012 Olympic Games – a fact which is sure to see its passenger traffic increase.
Note that London City Airport is not open 24 hours a day and keeps the following schedule: Monday to Friday from 5am to 10pm, Saturday from 5am to 1pm, and Sunday from 11am to 10:20pm.
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Gatwick
London Gatwick Airport (LGW) is the United Kingdom's second-busiest international airport in terms of passenger traffic. Despite its sizeable distance from central London – it is situated north of Crawley, about 28 miles (45km) from the capital's CBD – great transport links to and from the airport ensure that it remains an incredibly popular entry-point for visitors to the UK.
In fact, London Gatwick saw 31.3 million passengers in 2010, making it Europe's ninth-busiest airport, and the continent's leading airport for point-to-point flights. This impressive traffic is sure only to increase with the 2012 Olympic Games in London next summer.
Flights to London Gatwick Airport are offered by a variety of operators, including charter airlines such as Monarch and Thomson Airways, low-cost carriers such as easyJet and Flybe, and more established airlines, like British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. The huge range of international destinations you can access from Gatwick is illustrated by the diversity of its seven most-popular flights: Malaga, Dublin, Orlando, Alicante, Faro, Dubai, and Geneva.
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Heathrow
London Heathrow Airport (LHR) is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom, and the fourth-busiest in the world, in terms of passenger traffic. However, Heathrow has the distinction of handling more international passengers than any other airport in the world – a testament to its importance as a transit-point for intercontinental travel.
Flights to Heathrow Airport are provided by an incredible 90 airlines, serving 180 destinations worldwide. Heathrow is home-base for British Airways, which operate direct and indirect flights to basically every major city you can think of, from Heathrow's beautiful, new Terminal 5 building.
London – a compelling, cosmopolitan city – certainly has an appropriate gateway in Heathrow Airport: a highly modern, convenient hub that is truly geared toward providing the best possible experience to travelers. Located 15 miles (24km) from central London, there are plenty of easy, hassle-free transport options available to travelers looking to get downtown. The flocks of tourists, who are no doubt going to descend on London for the 2012 Olympic Games, can look forward to a warm welcome and efficient service.
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Luton
Despite its small size and inconvenient distance from central London, London Luton Airport (LTN) still handles nearly 10 million passengers every year. There are plans in the works to extend the airport's limited runway facilities, which will eventually enable it to receive larger aircraft, and so serve more travelers.
Flights to London Luton Airport are mainly offered by low-cost carriers such as easyJet, Monarch Airlines, Thomson Airways and Ryanair. The cheap flights to London that these airlines offer prove too enticing for many travelers, who are willing to put up with the 35-mile (56km) commute into the city that flying into Luton entails.
Most flights in and out of London Luton Airport serve European destinations, though there are some connections available to North African and Middle Eastern destinations, as well.
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Stansted
Located about 35 miles (55km) from central London, London Stansted Airport (STN) is a popular choice for travelers looking to find cheap flights to England's capital city. Stansted Airport is home-base for low-cost carrier Ryanair, which serves more than 100 international destinations from the airport.
The most popular flights out of Stansted Airport are to European vacation destinations such as Dublin, Alicante, Malaga, Rome, Faro and Palma de Mallorca. However, you can also access some interesting, more out-of-the-way places from Stansted – so get creative next time you're planning a break.
A highly functional, efficient airport – enjoyed as much by business passengers as those traveling with families in tow – Stansted Airport is a lovely gateway to the United Kingdom's most important city. Last year, the airport handled nearly 19 million passengers. Expect that figure to rise, as hordes of tourists descend on London for the 2012 Olympic Games.
View Stansted (STN) Airport Guide
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