You’ve booked your hotel, sorted your flights and even picked a seat – but have you figured out how you’re getting to the airport?
It’s a part of travel planning that’s easily overlooked, yet the journey to and from the airport can be insanely expensive – sometimes even pricier than a ticket to Spain.
While booking last-minute trains or relying on Ubers might be convenient, there are usually much cheaper (and faster) options available.
Metro has investigated the most budget-friendly routes to the UK’s major airports – so you can save your hard-earned cash for the other side.
Gatwick Airport
This West Sussex airport handles over 40 million passengers a year and serves over 200 destinations around the world. But it’s not exactly the easiest – or cheapest – to reach from central London.
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If you’re looking to save money, the best way to get from London to Gatwick is by coach.
National Express tickets from Victoria coach station to Gatwick’s North Terminal start from £6 one-way. The journey takes just over two hours and comes with a guaranteed seat reservation.
If you’re travelling from central London via rail, Off-peak travel using an Oyster card or contactless is the cheapest option via any station on the Thameslink line.
This will set you back just £10.10. Off-peak fares are usually valid after 9:30am on weekdays and all day on weekends. The maximum peak fare to Gatwick Airport using contactless or Oyster is £22.10.
Trains run directly to Gatwick from key central stations including St Pancras International, Farringdon, City Thameslink, London Blackfriars, and London Bridge. The journey ranges from 35 to 50 minutes, depending on where you board.
The priciest option is the Gatwick Express service from London to Victoria. A one-way ticket starts from £21.50, while a return starts from £36.90 when booked online. The direct train takes just 30 minutes.
It might be the most convenient option, but booking a taxi or Uber can be significantly more expensive. You can expect to pay between £60 and £100 depending on the time of day and your travel point in London.
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Heathrow Airport
With 83 million passengers passing through each year, Heathrow is the UK’s biggest and busiest airport. And getting there isn’t as much of a hassle as you might think.
The cheapest way to get to Heathrow from London is via Tube. Travel on the Piccadilly Line to Heathrow’s four terminals starts from £5.80 at all times of day, starting from Zone 1. The journey can take 50 minutes or longer, depending on where you board.
Travelling on the Elizabeth Line costs slightly more, starting from £12.80 for a journey to or from Heathrow Airport from Zone 1. The journey takes around 30 minutes.
The Heathrow Express is another option; the direct train service connects Heathrow to London Paddington Station within 15 minutes. Advance tickets start from £10 for a one-way Standard Class journey. While Standard tickets purchased on the day cost £25.
Meanwhile, National Express coach tickets from Heathrow to London Victoria cost £8.40 one way, with the journey time taking 35 minutes.
Booking a taxi or Uber remains the most expensive option at around £60-£100. The journey time could also work out longer, between 45-60 minutes.
Luton Airport
Despite having just one passenger terminal, Luton is one of the busiest airports in the UK and serves as a major hub for low-cost airlines, with over 18 million passengers passing through last year.
To get from Luton Airport Parkway to Luton’s terminal, passengers must take the four-minute DART service, which costs £4.90 one-way.
The cheapest single from London St Pancras International to Luton Airport Parkway currently starts from £5.50 with the journey time taking around 40 minutes.
Passengers can also get to Luton via the National Express coach. The journey takes 35 minutes from its Golders Green Station and starts from £7. If you’re travelling from central, the London Victoria to Luton Airport service starts from £6 and takes an hour and a half.
Manchester Airport
Manchester Airport is the busiest northern UK airport, and connects major cities to over 200 international destinations.
Stagecoach operates several bus routes between Manchester City Centre and Manchester Airport. Tickets start from £2, but the journey time is one hour and 20 minutes.
The train is much quicker, with Northern train services starting from £3.20 for a 15 to 20-minute journey from Manchester Piccadilly.
If you want to travel by taxi or Uber, you can expect to pay less than you would for a London airport transfer. A taxi from Manchester airport to the city centre generally costs between £25 and £35.
Stansted Airport
Stansted is London’s third busiest airport (after Heathrow and Gatwick) and is a favourite for budget travellers. But while it’s well connected to popular holiday destinations, it’s a bit of a trek from central London.
The quickest way to get to central London and Stansted Airport is by train. The Stansted Express departs every 15 minutes and takes around 50 minutes.
Advanced tickets start from £9.90, but for tickets on the day, you can expect to pay £25.
Passengers can pay slightly less for a 50-minute service between the airport and Stratford via the Airport Bus Express. Prices start from just £8.
If you want to get a taxi or Uber into London, you’ll have to leave some holiday money aside. It costs an average of £67 to get to central London from the Essex-based airport — that can soar to over £100 depending on traffic and time of day.
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