London is one of the most important capitals in Europe, receiving a large number of visitors each year for both work and leisure. To be able to serve all these guests, the city of London has five main airports. Flights to London depend on the airport you land at and, of course, the airline you choose. On your next trip to the UK capital, make sure you choose a suitable airport for your travels. Let's find out one by one these five airports:

Heathrow Airport

London Heathrow Airport is the 2nd busiest airport globally and the most popular in Europe. Heathrow Airport serves 90 airlines with 170 destinations worldwide. Dating back to 1929, Heathrow now has two main runways as well as five terminals. Heathrow Airport is located 32 miles from central London.

Once you land at Heathrow Airport, there are many ways to get to central London. The Metro and Piccadilly Line, which starts at all terminals, will take 50 to 60 minutes to reach central London. The Heathrow Express train is the fastest way as the journey takes only 15 minutes. It starts every 15 minutes in the direction of Paddington Station in Westminster in central London.

The Heathrow Connect train also ends at Paddington Station but makes several intermediate stops. It starts every half hour from Heathrow Station. London taxis are another way to get from Heathrow Airport to central London, but the fare will cost you.

City Airport

London City Airport is the one closest to the city centre. It is the only airport in London that operates only during the day. London City Airport is located in the Docklands area of London Borough of Newham, approximately 11 miles east of London City. The best way to cover this distance is by train. City Airport accepts flights from mainly European cities as its runway is small and cannot accommodate large aircraft.

Gatwick Airport

Gatwick Airport, 56 km from central London, is the second busiest airport in London after Heathrow and the second largest airport in the United Kingdom. Once you land at Gatwick Airport, you can get to central London if you take the Gatwick Express train, which runs on a total of four trains per hour to and from London Victoria Station. You can also take a Terravision bus, which is probably the most convenient option on your way to and from the airport. Terravision buses in partnership with the Gatwick Express train depart from the station to Gatwick Airport. Booking return tickets means you will save money as Terravision provides a good discount on your ticket and you will also not have to worry about finding a means of transport to get you to the airport for your departure from London.

Stansted Airport

Stansted Airport is located 63 miles northeast of London and is home to low-cost airlines. Also at Stansted Airport is the most extensive base for the low-cost airline Ryanair with over 100 flight destinations. The best way to get to central London and get around the city comfortably is to rent a car from the Enjoy Travel branch located in the airport area. This way, you can pick up your car immediately after landing at Stansted Airport, with absolutely no delay.

Luton Airport

Luton Airport is located 56 km north of central London and is the fastest growing airport in London. Luton Airport Parkway Station near the airport is connected by a regular bus. Train passengers can purchase tickets directly from the airport. To get from Luton Airport to central London, you can use the various budget buses available at the airport. For example, Terravision buses leave Luton Airport about every 20 minutes and make six stops to their final destination, which is Victoria Station

Photo by Sohel Patel from Pexels