A guide to England's airports: strategies and tips for an easy landing

If you’re planning a vacation to England, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll be flying into London. As one of the major transportation hubs in England, London alone has six airports. But England is so much more than this cosmopolitan city; here’s our guide to England’s airports and depending on where you’re planning to explore, which one is the best option for you to fly into.

Location: Hillingdon, Greater London

Best for: International travelers headed to London

London Heathrow Airport is the largest international airport in England serving over 80 international airlines from all over the world; British Airways and Virgin Airlines have their hubs here. While Heathrow has top-notch facilities, buffer in lots of transit time for its notoriously long immigration lines—it’s one of the busiest airports in the world after all. Heathrow is well connected to central London via public transportation–the Heathrow Express train takes just 15 minutes to get to Paddington Station, while the London Underground is the cheapest option which takes about an hour.

Location: Crawley, West Sussex, South London

Best for: Travelers connecting from Europe

London Gatwick Airport is the second-busiest airport in England with two terminals: North and South. EasyJet’s hub is located here, and while Gatwick is connected worldwide with around 40 international airlines, most of its connections come from around Europe. Gatwick’s facilities are good and it’s generally less busy compared to Heathrow. The Gatwick Express train is the fastest way to connect from Gatwick to central London (Victoria station) in just 30 minutes. Also, there are frequent trains running on the Southern, Thameslink and Great Western Railway lines.

Location: Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex, Northeast London

Best for: Travelers on budget airlines connecting around Europe

London Stansted Airport is the main base for many European budget airlines like Ryanair and Jet2.com, and private carriers like Titan Airways. The fourth-busiest airport in England, it focuses on shorter flights and has a strong European route network. The Stansted Express train is the fastest way to reach London, connecting to London Liverpool Street station in 50 minutes. Buses are your cheapest option but take about 2 hours, depending on traffic conditions.

Location: Newham, Docklands, East London

Best for: Business travelers connecting to east London

London City Airport is the closest to London’s city center in the Zone 3 Docklands area east of the city, just six miles away from the Canary Wharf financial district. City Airport’s main users are business travelers hopping from around Europe to the financial district, though it’s also quite busy during winter, connecting to popular ski resort destinations. London City Airport is on the Docklands Light Railway and taxis take just 20 minutes to central London.

Location: Bedfordshire, Luton, North London

Best for: Budget travelers connecting from Europe

Luton Airport, considered a no-frills airport, is located in the north of London and has just one runway. It’s the base for nine low-cost airlines with European routes like EasyJet, TUI Airways, Ryanair and Wizz Air. A shuttle bus links the airport to Luton Airport Parkway station in about 10 minutes. You can then take the Thameslink or East Midlands Railway trains and arrive in the city center in about 25 minutes.

Location: Southend-on-sea, Essex, East London

Best for: Exploring eastern England

London Southend Airport is the smallest of London’s airports and mostly serves low-cost airlines—EasyJet is the only carrier using the airport as of now. This small airport is located in east London’s Southend-on-sea, the perfect starting point for those looking to reach the eastern seaside resorts. Trains from Southend Airport to London Liverpool Street station take just under an hour.

Location: Ringway, South Manchester

Best for: Visiting northwestern England around Manchester

Manchester Airport is the busiest airport in England outside of London with three passenger terminals and two runways, connecting to over 200 destinations around the world. This busy airport has good amenities and is the main gateway to North England. Similar to Heathrow, it can be very crowded during peak season. Manchester Airport is well connected to the city center—it takes just 20 minutes by train to get to Manchester Piccadilly station, but buses are your best option at night.

Location: Yeadon, Leeds, West Yorkshire

Best for: Visiting Leeds and Yorkshire in northeast England

Leeds Bradford Airport is the highest airport in England with an elevation of 681 feet. It’s a hub for Jet2.com along with around 14 other airlines, and mostly serves short-haul routes to cities around Europe. Leeds Bradford Airport is quite small but has three luxury lounges alongside a few food outlets. The airport in Yeadon is about nine miles outside of Leeds—you can hop on a FLYER bus that takes about 30 minutes to get to Leeds train station, which offers the most rail connections around the Yorkshire region.

Location: Speke, Southeast Liverpool

Best for: Visiting Liverpool and northern Wales

Liverpool John Lennon Airport was named for the late Beatles star—his statue can be seen in the terminal along with lyrics from the song “Imagine”. Designed as a low-cost airline hub with an open layout, it caters to European budget airlines flying short-haul routes around the region like Easyjet and Ryanair. Located in Speke along the River Mersey, Merseyside buses take about 30 minutes to reach Liverpool’s city center, while a Hackney Cab or private hire car takes about 20 minutes and costs about $18-24.

Location: Woolsington, Newcastle-upon-tyne, North Newcastle

Best for: Visiting England’s northeast like Northumberland, Cumbria and the Scottish borders

Newcastle Airport is the busiest international airport in northeastern England with flights covering over 80 destinations around the world. The airport serves 16 airlines including Jet2.com, Ryanair, and TUI Airways. The airport’s facilities are accessible and modern, including a lounge that anyone can pay to book. The Tyne and Wear Metro light rail system gets you to Newcastle city center in about 25 minutes, while the airport’s dedicated taxi service Arrow Cars takes about 15 minutes.

Location: Bickenhill, Solihull, Southeast Birmingham

Best for: International travelers looking to explore the Midlands or heading west to Wales

Birmingham Airport is a major airport and gateway to England’s Midlands region. This busy airport is a hub for British regional airline Flybe and sees a mix of long-haul carriers alongside budget airlines from around the European region, covering over 150 destinations worldwide. The facilities here are modern and comfortable. Located eight miles east of the city center, the train that connects to Birmingham New Street station takes 10-15 minutes, while driving takes about half an hour.

Location: Castle Donington, Leicestershire

Best for: Heading to central England and places like Derby

East Midlands Airport is a major airport servicing Midlands cities like Derby, Nottingham, and Leicester. It’s the hub for low-cost airlines like Jet2.com and Ryan Air and mostly connects over 90 domestic and short-haul destinations around Europe. There are food options, shopping, and an airport lounge here. The closest cities to East Midlands Airport are about 20-30 minutes away by car and there are train, coach and taxi services as well.

Location: Lulsgate Bottom, North Somerset

Best for: Heading to west England cities like Bristol and Bath, or Wales

Bristol Airport is a small airport with just one terminal but is in the top 10 of the U.K.’s busiest airports. Bristol is a base for low-cost carriers like Jet2.com, EasyJet, TUI Airways, and Ryanair. It mostly covers short-haul routes around Europe. Located eight miles southwest of Bristol, the airport is served by buses and coaches that connect directly to major cities nearby. Bristol is just 20-30 minutes drive away.

Location: Devon, Cornwall

Best for: Exploring southwest England like Plymouth, Devon and Exeter

Exeter Airport is a small airport in southwest England that’s a hub for TUI Airways. Most of its flights are short-haul flights that connect around the U.K. with a handful of other destinations around Europe and the Mediterranean. Located about six miles east of Exeter, buses are the best way to connect to Exeter Airport from the city center in about 30 minutes, or you can take Apple Taxis Exeter for a quicker ride.

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