General Information

Gatwick Airport has two terminals, the North Terminal handles most British Airways flights, Delta Air Lines, some overseas airlines' services plus a limited number of charter flights and the South Terminal handles the bulk of Gatwick's traffic, serving domestic, international and charter flights plus BA Express.

London's second airport has gone a long way towards shedding its old dependence on the leisure/charter business. It is now established as a major international hub and its owners BAA are investing more than GBP£100 million (USD$160 million) in the airport.

It hasn't completely shrugged off the sun n' sand image but there is a growing network of scheduled services and business travelers now make up a quarter of all Gatwick's passengers. Their rising influence is being catered for by the introduction of a variety of fast track business facilities.

Although it is located 28 miles (45km) south of London the airport has fast rail and convenient road links and is a much easier place to navigate than its sprawling sister Heathrow. Facilities at its two terminals - North and South - are good, particularly for those who count shopping as part of the airport experience but its growing popularity is also Gatwick's biggest problem. Now the sixth busiest international airport in the world it operates all flights from a single runway and is crying out for more capacity.

Gatwick has held the unwanted position as the UK's worst airport for delays, with charter traffic hold-ups averaging 46 minutes. A second runway is needed but that will prove difficult to negotiate in these environmentally-conscious times.

• Number of terminals: Two
• Passengers: 10 Million
• Airlines: 86
• Destinations: All over the world
• Runways: One
• Telephone: +44 (0)870 000 2468
• IATA Code: LGW

Travel Directions

By Car
Gatwick Airport is at Junction 9 of the M23 motorway and on the A23 London to Brighton road. Access Motorway Local Access to North & South Terminals at M23 Junction 9 and A264 or A217. Journey time from central London approx 60-70 minutes.

Taxi
Journey time from central London 60-70 minutes. Fare approx £65.

Train
A number of train services run direct to Gatwick Airport Station. Direct services from London Victoria station. Gatwick Express trains run every 15 minutes from 05:00 to 23:45 and hourly overnight. Journey time 30 minutes. Information line: 0870 530 1530.

Fare: £10.20 one way, return/round trip is £19.50. Same day return (valid from 9.30 am) is £11.70. Connex South Central's service from Victoria at 35 minutes takes a little longer but is cheaper. There are four trains each hour, Monday to Friday, with hourly service overnight.

Fare: £8.20 one way, £16.40 return/round trip. An off peak day return is £8.30. Through trains from King's Cross station. Thameslink trains run from Bedford, Luton and St Albans through King's Cross Thameslink, Farringdon, Blackfriars and London Bridge stations to Gatwick. There are four trains an hour during the day. Journey time from King's Cross is 45 minutes.Fare: £9.50 one way, £10.50 day return/round trip.

Bus
There is a frequent Airbus service, the A5, from Victoria coach station, London. The first service departs 06.35, the last at 23.25. During the day there is an hourly service departing Victoria at 25 minutes past the hour. Journey time is around 90 minutes. The A5 service serves both North and South Terminals.

Fare: £8 one way, £10 return/round trip. Information line: 0870 574 7777. There are direct Speedlink bus services from Heathrow, Stansted and Luton airports and services from major towns and cities in the UK.

The Coach Station is at the South Terminal. Principal services also drop off at the North Terminal.

Bus & Coach Traveline: 0990 747777

Terminal Information

North Terminal
The North Terminal is the newer of Gatwick's two terminals, built to handle the increasing traffic at London's second busiest gateway. It handles British Airways international and domestic flights and its partner airlines TAT, Deutsche BA, Brymon and GB Airways. Other airlines include American, Delta, and Northwest. Business Class passengers have their own Fast Track access through security to passport control.

The Departures and Arrivals floors are separated by a mid-level containing The Avenue where most of the shops and catering facilities are located. Upstairs on the Departures level the check-in area is bright and spacious with TV monitors indicating the check-in zone and desk for each flight. The North Terminal has not yet reached the passenger numbers that the South Terminal processes and usually feels calmer and more relaxed than its older sister.

The Avenue shopping area on the mid-level floor has a good choice of 'High Street' stores containing a wide selection of goods. The area is so attractive to shoppers that rumour has it that residents from the surrounding areas go to Gatwick to shop rather than use other malls.

The selection of food outlets range from a table service restaurant, a burger bar to the ubiquitous 'English pub'. In Gatwick's case the choice of shops is almost as good Landside as it is Airside, but the attraction of duty free prices may lure the passenger through security for that last minute purchase.

The North Terminal is bright, clean and efficient. It has the added attraction of not having as many charter flights as the South Terminal and consequently doesn't get as busy. Altogether a pleasant terminal to use.

South Terminal
The South Terminal handles the bulk of Gatwick's traffic, serving domestic, international and charter flights plus British Airways Express services.