London Gatwick Airport

London Gatwick Airport, also called Gatwick airport, is based on total passenger traffic the second busiest airport in the United Kingdom. Heathrow Airport is the busiest airport of the United Kingdom. London Gatwick Airport also holds the place of the tenth busiest airport in all of Europe.

Gatwick Airport spreads over a massive area of 674 hectares. It operates with two terminals, namely, the North and the South Terminals. However, it is a single-runway airport. It uses only one runway strip, which is a little longer than 3 km.

The airport flies more than 46 million passengers every year to over 230 destinations in about 70 countries, over a network of nearly 60 routes. In doing so, London Gatwick enabled more destinations than any other airport in the UK in 2019.

If you are about to book a flight via London Gatwick, read on to know everything about it. From its terminals and airlines to facilities on offer and transport options to get to Central London, you will find it on this website.
 

Table of contents

➡️ Basic Information

➡️ History of London Gatwick

➡️ Terminals of London Gatwick

➡️ Airlines at London Gatwick

➡️ Lounges at London Gatwick Airport

➡️ Internet and Wi-Fi

➡️ Restaurants, Shops, and Cafes

➡️ Other Facilities at London Gatwick

➡️ Transfers from London Gatwick to Central London


 


 

Basic Information

Before we move into the details, let’s get our basics ready.

Airport Code: LGW

Airport Location: Near Crawley, 47 kilometres (29.5 miles) south of Central London

Airport Address: Horley, Gatwick RH6 0NP, United Kingdom

Contact Number: +44 344 892 0322

Terminals: North and South Terminals

Time Zone: GMT +0000, Greenwich Mean Time
 


 

 

History of London Gatwick

London Gatwick Airport came into existence as a little club for flying aficionados called the Surrey Aero Club in 1930. From there, it quickly expanded. Just four years later, it acquired its license for serving as a public airport. Its first terminal, called “The Beehive,” was constructed in 1935.

Authorities intended to relieve the traffic of the London Croydon Airport by taking up regular flights to Paris. Gatwick Airport attained its initial scheduled flights, namely the Hillman’s Airways, to Paris and Belfast.

Hillman’s Airways subsequently went on to make a part of the well-known British Airways. While they continue to fly from London Gatwick, British Airways are now one of the 56 airlines that take off from here to 228 locations, servicing over 46 million travelers.

The airport expanded considerably through the 1950s. In the next decade, Dan-Air and the British United Airways became two of the biggest independent airlines at London Gatwick Airport.

The number of charter flights at Gatwick further grew with impetus by the Aviation Ministry, which encouraged the airlines to transfer some of these routine flights to Gatwick from Heathrow.

Today, the airport has become the second busiest in the United Kingdom, with annual passenger traffic edging close to 50 million. Gatwick Airport Limited, a fully-owned offshoot of Ivy Holdco Limited operates this airport. Among others, Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) owns the latter.
 


 

Terminals of London Gatwick

London Gatwick Airport has two terminals, terminal North and terminal South. Both terminals offer a wide choice of cafes, restaurants, and shops, designed with special consideration to be accessible to disabled passengers.

Also included are facilities for child care, feeding, and changing. Specialized lounges are accessible to business class passengers. The two terminals are linked by a two-way people mover for over 1 km, till security clearance, after which they separate.
 

North Terminal

The North Terminal of London Gatwick is full of restaurants, shops, bureaux de change, cafes, left-luggage facilities, and has help-desks for passengers’ convenience. Some of the other thoughtfully included facilities are cash machines, mobile phone charging stations, entertainment zone for children, and internet kiosks.

The North Terminal was built on an area reserved for the construction of another runway initially. Built-in the 1980s, it was the most significant development project in the region, with costs running up to £200 million.

It has gone through multiple expansions and modifications over the years. A second aircraft landing was added to the terminal in 1991, followed in 2005 by another one at £110 million.

The latter is connected to the terminal’s main building by the world’s largest air passenger bridge, crossing above a taxiway and presenting travelers with the sights of the planes and the airport.

More recently, former Prime Minister John Major inaugurated another large expansion project at the North Terminal in 2011.
 

South Terminal

The South Terminal is the oldest terminal of Gatwick Airport. Like the North Terminal, It also features various cafes, shops, help desks, bureaux de change, restaurants, left-luggage facilities, and cash machines.

The primary and central pier of the South Terminal, with its 11 airplane stands, was formally

opened in 1958. It thus became one of the first airports in the world with such a covered pier-based terminal. This structure enabled travelers to walk to the aircraft under extended cover.

The design of the South Terminal keeps in mind the possibility of subsequent expansion. Such a modular, spaced-out design allowed it to be extended from time to time as the need arose.

With an eventual increase in passenger traffic, a winding satellite pier had to be attached to the terminal’s central building. The first elevated, automated people mover linked the dock to the main terminal. The new pier replaced the previous one that dated back to the early 1960s.

Travelators and walkways have now replaced the automatic people mover.
 


 

Airlines London Gatwick

Gatwick Airport hosts a wide variety of airline carriers and operators, including more than 50 operating routinely from the airport.

It allows a more diverse choice for the passengers in terms of cost, distance, destinations, and service. Multiple flights in a single day service some destinations. Travelers can also find charter services at London Gatwick Airport.

About 20% of the travelers at Gatwick fly to long-distance destinations worldwide, which are conveniently serviced by the 60 long-haul charts being offered at the airport. It is supplemented by similarly diverse short-haul travel options to destinations throughout Eastern Europe.

Some of the prominent airlines that regularly fly out of Gatwick Airport are:
EasyJet
British Airways
TUI
Norwegian Air Shuttle
Virgin Atlantic
Aegean
Air Baltic
Air China
Air Europa
Emirates
Jazeera
Qatar
Ryanair
Swiss
WestJet
Wizz

Gatwick continues to expand in terms of its partnerships with airline operators, thereby expanding travelers’ choices.
 


 

 

Lounges at London Gatwick Airport

Regardless of the class, you are travelling in; you can book any of the lounges at your terminal based on the services you wish to avail.

While you can always pay at the airport itself and access any of the lounge areas, you have the option to save on bookings if you do it online.

Apart from the clubrooms and self-service lounges available at both terminals, you will find two beautifully-designed lounges with all kinds of facilities that allow you to start your trip just right.
 

Club Aspire Lounge

The large, modern Club Aspire lounge features an attractive variety of facilities and provides just the right, peaceful space for you to unwind before your flight. It provides a quiet zone away from the terminal’s rush with an assortment of means to help you enjoy.

Some of the comforts the lounge offers are listed here:
Premium treats and snacks
Assisted buffet table
One complimentary hot dish per passenger
Diverse drink selection, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
Digital newspapers and magazines
Unlimited free Wi-Fi
Phone and laptop charging facilities
 

No1 Lounge

The No1 Lounge, designed while keeping comfort in mind, is a beautiful, sophisticated space for leisure and business travelers wanting to relax before boarding the plane.

Having on offer a combination of remarkable facilities, the No1 Lounge allows you to have the perfect luxurious beginning to your journey.

Some of the facilities you will find here are:
The fresh, locally-sourced, seasonal menu
Complimentary snacks, hot and cold dishes
A varied assortment of drinks, including alcoholic, soft, as well as hot beverages
Premium drinks, including champagne also available.
Private meeting rooms
Specialized spaces like the sports bar and library
Unlimited free Wi-Fi
Designer seating areas
Panoramic views of the runway
Contactless reception
Table service
Device charging facilities
 


 

Internet and Wi-Fi

The airport offers free Wi-Fi to all passengers, which achieves a maximum speed of 50mbps. To avail of the free Wi-Fi facility, you need to pull up the list of available wireless networks on your device, select the ‘Free Gatwick Wi-Fi’ option, and mention your email address.

You can also get linked to the Wi-Fi through one of the internet kiosks at the airport. Gatwick Airport also offers paid Wi-Fi, which achieves speeds of up to 100mbps, twice what is being provided by the free Wi-Fi. To access this faster WI-Fi, you need to sign up to your Gatwick account, verify it, and use the same login details to connect to the Wi-Fi.

You will also find numerous self-service Surfbox internet kiosks, which also offer printing facilities and charging points for your phone and laptop. The price plans are on display, and you can make payments through credit cards or coins.
 


 

Restaurants, Shops, and Cafes

At London Gatwick Airport, there are four World Duty-Free shops, out of which three are open throughout the day, for 24 hours. Several retail stores at the airport also function 24 hours a day.

Some of these shops include WHSmith, the Boots Drugstore, and the London News Company.

The cafes and restaurants you will come across at the airport include Starbucks, Costa, Jamie’s Coffee, Pret a Manger, Marks & Spencer Simply Foods, the Beehive, and the Nicholas Culpeper Pub & Dining, among others.

For parents travelling with their little ones, there are also facilities for pre-ordering baby milk, such as at the Boots Drugstore and warming milk bottles for children at Pret a Manger.
 


 

Other Facilities at London Gatwick

London Gatwick offers more services and facilities at the terminals.
 

Lost Property

In case you misplace any of your belongings at the airport, there are ways you can get them back. If any such belonging is found at the airport, it is kept in the lost property office, managed by the Excess Baggage Company.

All such items are entered into a database, which usually takes between 24 to 48 hours. The office keeps all unclaimed items for up to three months.

You can log on to your item at the lost property office website, upon which they will check if the description matches an article there. If found, you will be given a reference number to collect it from the office.
 

Family Services

For baby care and feeding, the airport has dedicated individual rooms. In the restrooms, you will also find folding tables for a diaper change.

To move around with your child comfortably, you can also use the strollers available at the airport. These can be used for free but need a deposit of £1, which is refunded upon the stroller’s return.

You can take your children to the play areas made for children, called the Kid Zones. These can be found on both the terminals and are equipped with televisions and toys for kids’ entertainment.

The family services provided by the airport also include family-friendly parking bays, early check-in, and bag drop, as well as select “Family Lanes” at security, keeping in mind the needs and comfort of families travelling together.
 

Baggage

You can also avail of premium storage and handling services for baggage at the airport.

To carry and manage your bags, you can make use of the baggage trolleys available at the airport for a small refundable fee of £1. Note that this fee is refundable.

Luggage storage options are also available, offered by the Excess Baggage Company. You can deposit your extra baggage for a certain period in lockers for a fee based on the duration in both terminals.

Luggage wrapping, luggage shipping, tourist information, courier, and several other services are also available on both the terminals at the airport.
 

Chapel and Prayer Room

Another unique service provided by Gatwick Airport is that of chapel and prayer rooms, open to people of all faiths and religions.

Available on both the terminals, these can be used by the passengers for purposes of private prayer and meditation or just for the tranquility they offer. These are open for 24 hours a day and provide specific services for Christian and Buddhist travelers.
 

Currency Exchange

While you will find it cheaper to order your currency online in advance and collect it at the airport, in case you forget, you can always withdraw at the airport, through the multiple Moneycorp ATMs and units on both terminals.

These services save you from having to take an extra trip to an ATM outside. They are convenient, easy to use, and open 24 hours a day. They facilitate exchanges in more than 80 currencies.

The cash machines at the airport accept all legitimate UK bank cards. Moreover, this service is available free of charge.
 


 

 

Transfers from London Gatwick to Central London

London Gatwick is located 47 kilomtres from central London. You can get from the airport to central London by taxi, bus, train and car.
 

Taxi

Gatwick International Airport offers taxi services to travelers to assist travel to and from the airport. You can find kiosks for this purpose on both terminals.

There is no booking fee to get a taxi from Gatwick Cars Ltd. In case you need to cancel or reschedule your ride, there is no extra fee charged. You can pay for the service with cash or a card.
 

Bus

Local bus service connects Gatwick Airport to more than a hundred cities in the UK. You can avail bus service from both terminals.

For a low-cost bus ride from the airport to the Victoria Coach Station in central London, there is the National Express Bus Service, which operates 24 hours a day. Another bus service to central London is the easyBus.

An hourly service to Oxford is provided by the Oxford Bus provides, popularly called the “The Airline.”
 

Train

London Gatwick provides one of the best train connections among all Britain Airports. You can find the train station a short walk away from arrivals and departures at the South Terminal. You can also take a free shuttle from North Terminal to reach the station.

The London Gatwick Airport hosts four train operators which connect with other 120 stations in Britain.

Gatwick Express offers a direct service to London Victoria. At peak times, it extends its services to Brighton. It is an important premium service providing railway station at Gatwick Airport.

Thameslink offers direct service to Luton Airport Parkway. It connects Gatwick to Brighton’s south coast, north to Bedford, Central London to Farringdon, St. Pancras International, and London Bridge.

Southern offers services through South-East and London, which includes Clapham Junction, Portsmouth, London Victoria, and other stations.

Great Western Railway offers an hourly facility between Reading and Gatwick Airport through Guildford, Reigate, and Redhill.
 

Car Rental

Some of the companies offer car rental services from Gatwick Airport: Avis, Alamo, Enterprise, Budget, Hertz, Europcar, Sixt, and National. You can find a car rental facility across the North Terminal.
 

Car Parking

The airport also offers several parking options, including premium parking, valet parking, long-stay parking, and short-stay parking services.