Let us be straight with you from the start. The gatwick vs heathrow question does not have one single right answer. It has a right answer for you, based on three things: which airline you are flying, where in London you live, and how stressful you want the journey to the airport to be. This guide goes through every factor in plain English so you can make the right call in five minutes.
We run taxi transfers to both airports every single day. We know both airports inside out. We are not going to pretend one is always better — that would be dishonest. What we will do is give you the real information so you can decide for yourself, quickly.
Gatwick Taxi Transfer — Both Airports Covered
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The Short Version — Gatwick vs Heathrow in One Paragraph
If you are flying easyJet, Ryanair, Jet2, or TUI to a European holiday destination, your flight is from Gatwick. If you are flying long-haul with British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Emirates, United Airlines, Lufthansa, or any major world carrier, your flight is almost certainly from Heathrow. In most cases, the airline makes the decision for you — you do not actually have a choice. This guide helps you understand what that means for your journey to the airport, and what to do if you genuinely do have a choice.
| What we are comparing | Gatwick (LGW) | Heathrow (LHR) |
|---|---|---|
| Distance from Central London | 29 miles via A23 and M23 | 15 miles via M4 |
| Passengers per year | About 45 million | About 80 million |
| Number of terminals | 2 (North and South) | 4 (T2, T3, T4, T5) |
| Best train option | Southern Rail from £11 | Elizabeth line from £10 |
| Fast train option | Gatwick Express £20–£22 | Heathrow Express £25–£37 |
| Taxi from Central London | £45–£65 (drop-off included) | £45–£75 (drop-off included) |
| Budget airlines base? | Yes — easyJet and Ryanair main base | No — budget carriers do not use Heathrow |
| Long-haul flights? | Limited selection | Extensive — 200+ destinations |
| British Airways hub? | Some short-haul only | Yes — all long-haul at Terminal 5 |
| Closer to South London? | Yes | No |
| Closer to West London? | No | Yes — as close as 5 miles |
Step One — Find Out Which Airport Your Airline Uses
Before reading anything else, check your booking confirmation email. It will show the airport code. LGW means Gatwick. LHR means Heathrow. If you already know your airport, jump to the taxi or train section below. If you are still choosing between flight options and want to understand which airport makes more sense for your situation, here is a clear guide to which airline goes where.
| Airline | Airport | Terminal | Main types of routes |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Airways (long-haul) | Heathrow | Terminal 5 | USA, Caribbean, Asia, Africa, Australia |
| British Airways (short-haul) | Heathrow and some Gatwick | T5 / LGW South | European cities |
| easyJet | Gatwick (biggest UK base) | North Terminal | 100+ European routes |
| Ryanair | Gatwick | South Terminal | European budget routes |
| TUI | Gatwick | North Terminal | Holiday package destinations |
| Jet2 | Gatwick | North Terminal | European holiday destinations |
| Norwegian | Gatwick | North Terminal | Scandinavia and some USA |
| Virgin Atlantic | Heathrow | Terminal 3 | USA, Caribbean, Africa, Asia |
| United Airlines | Heathrow | Terminal 2 | All US routes |
| American Airlines | Heathrow | Terminal 3 | All US routes |
| Emirates | Heathrow | Terminal 3 | Dubai and worldwide connections |
| Lufthansa | Heathrow | Terminal 2 | Frankfurt, Munich, Germany |
| Air Canada | Heathrow | Terminal 2 | Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal |
| Singapore Airlines | Heathrow | Terminal 2 | Singapore and Asia-Pacific |
| KLM | Heathrow | Terminal 4 | Amsterdam and connecting routes |
The pattern is clear and simple. Budget and holiday airlines use Gatwick. Full-service long-haul carriers use Heathrow. The airport choice follows from the airline almost every time.
The Real Distance Story — Which Airport Is Closer to Your Home
The headline figures say Heathrow is closer at 15 miles from Central London and Gatwick is 29 miles. But your journey does not start from the middle of Central London — it starts from your house. And where your house is changes the picture completely.
Here is a simple way to think about it. Imagine you live in Croydon, which is in South London. You are already about 10 miles south of the centre. From Croydon to Gatwick is only about 18 miles. From Croydon to Heathrow is about 25 miles going round via the M25. For you, Gatwick is clearly closer. Now imagine you live in Ealing in West London. From Ealing, Heathrow is barely 5 miles away. From Ealing to Gatwick is about 35 miles. For you, Heathrow is the obvious choice. The is gatwick or heathrow closer to london question only makes sense when you add your home postcode into the equation.
| Where you live | To Gatwick (miles) | Taxi to Gatwick | To Heathrow (miles) | Taxi to Heathrow | Which is closer? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Croydon (CR0) | 18 miles | £35–£52 | 25 miles | £55–£78 | Gatwick wins |
| Clapham (SW4) | 22 miles | £40–£58 | 16 miles | £42–£65 | Very similar |
| West End (W1) | 29 miles | £45–£65 | 15 miles | £45–£75 | Similar in total cost |
| Ealing (W5) | 35 miles | £60–£85 | 5 miles | £35–£48 | Heathrow wins easily |
| Hounslow (TW3) | 38 miles | £65–£90 | 3 miles | £30–£42 | Heathrow easily |
| Islington (N1) | 38 miles | £62–£88 | 18 miles | £55–£80 | Heathrow |
| Hackney (E8) | 42 miles | £68–£95 | 22 miles | £60–£85 | Heathrow |
| Brighton (BN1) | 28 miles | £42–£65 | 65 miles | £90–£130 | Gatwick very easily |
Look at the taxi fare column. From Croydon, the taxi to Gatwick is £35 to £52. The same taxi to Heathrow costs £55 to £78. That is a difference of about £20 to £26 for a saloon car, and more for a larger vehicle. For a family of four taking a big summer holiday, that difference is real money. For full detail on distances from every London area, see our London to Gatwick distance guide and London to Heathrow distance guide.
Getting There by Train — What the Options Actually Are
Both airports have good rail connections from London. Here is what you need to know about each one.
For Gatwick, the two main options are the Gatwick Express and Southern Rail. The Gatwick Express runs non-stop from London Victoria in 30 minutes and costs £20 to £22 per person. Southern Rail is slower at 35 to 50 minutes from Victoria or London Bridge, but costs only £11 to £14 per person with an advance booking. If you are in the City of London, North London, or near Farringdon, Thameslink also goes directly to Gatwick, which means you do not have to travel across to Victoria first.
For Heathrow, the best value train is the Elizabeth line from Paddington, which takes 27 to 30 minutes and costs £10 to £12 per person. The Elizabeth line is particularly useful because it connects directly from Liverpool Street, Farringdon, Whitechapel, and Canary Wharf — so East London and City passengers can get to Heathrow without going anywhere near Paddington. The Heathrow Express is faster at 15 minutes from Paddington but costs £25 to £37 per person, which is more than twice the Elizabeth line price for saving just 12 minutes.
Now here is the part most guides miss. The train fare is the price of the train. It does not include getting to the station, waiting on the platform, handling your luggage through stations, or navigating from the train station to the terminal once you arrive. For someone travelling alone with a small bag, all of that is manageable. For a family of four with two large suitcases, a carry-on each, and a 6-year-old and a 3-year-old, managing luggage through multiple stations is a genuine challenge — especially at 5am for an early flight.
| Train service | From | Journey time | Cost per person | Cost for 4 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gatwick Express | Victoria | 30 min | £20–£22 | £80–£88 |
| Southern Rail (advance) | Victoria or London Bridge | 35–50 min | £11–£14 | £44–£56 |
| Thameslink | St Pancras, Farringdon, Blackfriars | 45–65 min | £14–£20 | £56–£80 |
| Elizabeth line | Paddington + 8 other stations | 27–30 min | £10–£12 | £40–£48 |
| Heathrow Express | Paddington only | 15–21 min | £25–£37 | £100–£148 |
Why the Pre-Booked Taxi Is the Smarter Choice for Most Passengers
Let us be completely honest here. The train is cheaper per person if you are travelling alone with hand luggage. If you are a solo business traveller with a laptop bag heading to Heathrow from Paddington, the Elizabeth line at £10 to £12 is a perfectly good option. But the majority of passengers at UK airports are not solo business travellers with laptop bags. They are families, couples, groups of friends, people with suitcases, people flying for a fortnight, and people who have an 18kg checked bag and a carry-on and a handbag and a neck pillow.
For those passengers, here is what happens when you take the train to Gatwick from Clapham. You haul your suitcase to Clapham Junction station. You buy your tickets. You wait on the platform. You lift your suitcase onto the train. You get to Gatwick Airport station at the South Terminal. You discover your flight is from North Terminal. You wheel your suitcase to the free shuttle. You wait for it. You take it to North Terminal. You have been travelling for an hour since leaving your house. You are already tired and you have not gone through security yet.
Here is what happens when you pre-book a taxi. The driver arrives at your front door at the time you chose. You put the suitcases in the boot. You sit down. Forty-five minutes later you are at the North Terminal entrance. The driver takes your bags out of the boot. You walk through the door into the terminal. That is it. The taxi from Clapham to Gatwick costs about £40 to £58 for the whole car. For two adults that is £20 to £29 each. The Southern Rail from Clapham Junction to Gatwick for two people costs £22 to £28 combined in advance — and they still have to deal with everything described above.
The difference in price between the taxi and the train is often smaller than people assume, especially for two or more people. And the difference in experience is enormous. A pre-booked Gatwick airport taxi or Heathrow airport taxi with Gatwick Taxi Transfer includes the airport drop-off charge, flight monitoring so the driver knows if your inbound flight is delayed, and meet-and-greet with a name board in the arrivals hall for incoming passengers. Nothing extra to pay at the airport. The price confirmed when you book is the price charged.
| Vehicle | Passengers | To Gatwick | To Heathrow | Per person (4 pax) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saloon car | 1–4 | £45–£65 | £45–£75 | £11–£19 |
| 6-seater MPV | 4–6 | £65–£85 | £70–£100 | £12–£17 |
| 7-seater | 6–7 | £80–£110 | £85–£120 | £12–£17 |
| 8-seater minibus | 7–8 | £100–£130 | £105–£145 | £13–£18 |
For a group of six friends going on holiday together, a 6-seater taxi at £65 to £85 total costs about £11 to £14 per person. That is the same as or less than individual Southern Rail tickets. An 8-seater minibus for eight people at £100 to £130 total is about £13 to £16 per person — less than two Gatwick Express tickets. For families needing child seats, these are provided free of charge on all bookings. See our taxi with baby seat UK guide for full information on child restraint options.
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Get Your Fixed Price →Gatwick Terminals — North and South Made Simple
Gatwick has two terminals. North Terminal handles easyJet, TUI, Jet2, Norwegian, and most other holiday and budget carriers. South Terminal handles British Airways short-haul, Ryanair, Vueling, and a handful of others. The two buildings are connected by a free shuttle train that runs every three minutes and takes about four minutes.
The important thing to know: the Gatwick Express and Southern Rail trains both arrive at the South Terminal station. If your flight is from North Terminal, you will have to take the free shuttle from the station to get to your terminal. That is an extra step with luggage. A pre-booked taxi delivers directly to whichever terminal entrance you specify at booking. No shuttle, no extra step. When you book with Gatwick Taxi Transfer, tell us whether you need North or South Terminal and the driver goes straight there.
Heathrow Terminals — Four Terminals Explained Simply
Heathrow is bigger and more complex than Gatwick. Four active terminals, each serving different airlines, positioned around a large site on the western edge of London. Arriving at the wrong terminal means a 10 to 20-minute bus journey to correct the mistake. So knowing your terminal matters.
Terminal 5 is British Airways. All BA long-haul and most BA European flights. Terminal 2 is the Star Alliance terminal — United, Lufthansa, Air Canada, Singapore Airlines, and others. Terminal 3 handles Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines, Emirates, and Qantas. Terminal 4 serves KLM, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Oman Air, and a few others. We have full guides for each one: Terminal 5 guide, Terminal 2 guide, Terminal 3 guide, and Terminal 4 guide.
Who Should Use Gatwick and Who Should Use Heathrow — A Simple Verdict
Use Gatwick if: your airline is easyJet, Ryanair, Jet2, TUI, or Norwegian. You live in South London, Sussex, Surrey, or Kent. You are flying to a European holiday destination on a budget fare. You are connecting from a cruise at Southampton or Dover and need the nearest London airport. Your postcode is south of the Thames and every journey calculation puts Gatwick closer.
Use Heathrow if: your airline is British Airways (long-haul), Virgin Atlantic, Emirates, United Airlines, Lufthansa, Air Canada, Singapore Airlines, or any other major full-service carrier. You live in West London and Heathrow is on your doorstep. You need the widest choice of destinations and connection options. You are a business traveller and your company travel policy routes through Heathrow. Our executive chauffeur service and corporate taxi service cover all Heathrow terminals at confirmed fixed fares.
For passengers connecting between the two airports — arriving at one and departing from the other — the pre-booked taxi covers the 40-mile M25 route in 45 to 75 minutes at £59 to £75. There is no direct train. The taxi is not just faster; for anyone carrying luggage from a long-haul arrival, it is the only sensible option. See our Gatwick to Heathrow transfer guide and our how to transfer between London airports guide for full inter-airport information.
Early Morning Flights — Which Airport Is Easier at 4am
Early morning flights are one of the most common reasons people worry about airport transport. If your flight is at 6am, you need to be through security by about 4:30am, which means leaving home somewhere between 2:30am and 3:30am depending on where you live. At that time of night, the trains are not running. The first Gatwick Express from Victoria does not leave until around 4:30am. The first Elizabeth line to Heathrow from Paddington is around 5am. If you need to leave home at 3am, you are taking a taxi. There is no other option.
The good news is that a pre-booked taxi to either Gatwick or Heathrow costs exactly the same at 3am as it does at 10am. Gatwick Taxi Transfer does not charge a night rate or an early morning surcharge. The confirmed fixed price you see when you book is the price you pay, whatever time the driver arrives at your door. For early morning airport runs, a pre-booked taxi is not just the most convenient option — for many passengers and many departure times, it is the only option. Book via gatwicktaxitransfer.com at least 24 hours before travel to guarantee your vehicle.
Returning to London — Arrivals at Gatwick vs Heathrow
The comparison works differently on the way home. When you land, you are tired, your luggage has been on a conveyor belt, and the last thing you want to do is navigate a crowded train station. Both airports have train services back to London, but the experience of getting home by train with suitcases after a long flight is significantly more difficult than the journey out.
With a pre-booked taxi collection, the driver monitors your inbound flight from the moment it departs. If it is delayed, the driver already knows and adjusts. You do not need to phone anyone or worry about the pickup. At Gatwick, the driver is in the arrivals hall at the correct terminal (North or South) with a name board when you exit. At Heathrow, the driver is in the arrivals hall of your specific terminal (T2, T3, T4, or T5) with your name. You walk out of customs and into a car. No waiting at a taxi rank, no queueing for the Gatwick Express with suitcases, no tube with bags at 11pm. The gatwick vs heathrow arrivals experience on the way home is where the taxi makes the clearest difference of all. For arrivals at either airport, the Heathrow airport taxi and Gatwick airport taxi both include 45 minutes free waiting for domestic arrivals and 60 minutes for international arrivals, measured from actual landing time.
Comparing Taxi Fares — Gatwick vs Heathrow by London Zone
To make the gatwick vs heathrow taxi comparison as useful as possible, here are confirmed fares from the main London zones to each airport. All fares include the airport drop-off charge and are confirmed at booking with no changes on travel day.
| London zone | Postcodes | To Gatwick | To Heathrow | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South London | CR, SW16, SE19, SM | £35–£52 | £55–£78 | Gatwick ~£20 cheaper |
| South West London | SW4, SW6, SW15 | £40–£60 | £42–£65 | Very similar |
| Central London | W1, SW1, WC, EC | £45–£65 | £45–£75 | Similar |
| West London | W5, W7, TW, UB | £60–£85 | £35–£52 | Heathrow ~£25 cheaper |
| North London | N, NW, HA, EN | £62–£90 | £60–£92 | Similar |
| East London | E, RM, IG | £68–£95 | £60–£85 | Heathrow slightly cheaper |
For full confirmed fares from your specific postcode to both airports, see our Gatwick taxi prices guide and Heathrow taxi prices guide. Both pages show confirmed fares from every London postcode zone and cover the full range of vehicle types for different group sizes.
Gatwick vs Heathrow — Which Is Better for Specific Passenger Types
Solo business travellers flying to European capitals on full-service carriers: Heathrow is almost always the answer because Lufthansa, Air France, Swiss, and Austrian all operate from Heathrow Terminal 2, and the Elizabeth line from the City and Canary Wharf provides a fast direct connection. The executive chauffeur service is the right choice for corporate travellers who need to arrive composed and on time, without train platform stress. Our executive chauffeur service covers all Heathrow terminals at confirmed fixed fares with premium vehicles.
Large family groups flying to a Tenerife or Lanzarote all-inclusive on TUI: Gatwick North Terminal is where you will be. The most practical way to get there with young children is a pre-booked taxi directly from home. For a family of five with an infant, trying to manage the Gatwick Express with a pushchair and five pieces of luggage is unnecessary stress when a pre-booked 6-seater taxi delivers everyone door-to-terminal for about £75 to £100 total. Our 6-seater taxi carries up to 6 passengers with luggage at a single confirmed fare.
Groups of friends heading to Ibiza or Barcelona on easyJet: Gatwick. Eight of you? Book an 8-seater minibus from your shared starting point. One vehicle, one price, everybody at the North Terminal door at the same time, with plenty of space for holdalls. The cost per person is less than the Gatwick Express per head and the experience is completely different.
Passengers arriving from a cruise at Southampton or Dover: Gatwick is the natural connection airport for both cruise ports. Our cruise port taxi service covers Southampton Docks and Dover cruise terminal to Gatwick at confirmed fixed fares. If your returning cruise docks at Southampton, Gatwick is about 65 miles and approximately 70 to 90 minutes by taxi — far simpler than Southampton rail to London and then back out to Gatwick.
Long-distance passengers from Oxford, Cambridge, Bath, or Brighton arriving in London for a flight: the airport depends on the airline, but the transport logic is the same. A long-distance taxi from your starting city directly to the terminal is often comparable in total cost to rail plus airport connections, and it eliminates every change and every luggage-on-a-platform moment. Our long distance taxi service covers Oxford, Cambridge, Bath, Brighton, and all major UK cities to both Gatwick and Heathrow at confirmed fixed fares. See our distance guides for Oxford, Cambridge, Bath, and Brighton for fares and route detail.
Frequently Asked Questions — Gatwick vs Heathrow
Is Gatwick or Heathrow better for flights to the USA?
Heathrow is far better for USA flights. British Airways runs all its American routes from Terminal 5. Virgin Atlantic, United, American Airlines, and Delta all operate from Heathrow. Gatwick has some US routes but far fewer. Your USA flight is almost certainly from Heathrow.
Which is closer to London — Gatwick or Heathrow?
Heathrow is 15 miles from Central London. Gatwick is 29 miles. But if you live in South London, Gatwick can be closer to your home. If you live in West London, Heathrow can be as close as 5 miles. The right answer depends on where you live, not on a number measured from the middle of the city.
Is Gatwick or Heathrow better for budget flights to Europe?
Gatwick. easyJet has its biggest UK base at Gatwick North Terminal. Ryanair operates from Gatwick. Heathrow does not have budget carriers — its costs are too high for easyJet or Ryanair to operate from there. If you are flying cheap to Europe, you are going to Gatwick.
How much does a taxi from Gatwick to Heathrow cost?
About £59 to £75 for a saloon car via the M25, taking 45 to 75 minutes. The price is fixed at booking. No direct train exists between the airports — the taxi is the fastest, most direct connection for passengers connecting between the two.
Which airport is better for families with children?
The best airport for your family is whichever one your airline uses. For the journey there, a pre-booked taxi from your front door is far easier than public transport with children and suitcases. Free child seats are included on every booking — just request the age group when you book.
Does British Airways fly from Gatwick or Heathrow?
Heathrow Terminal 5 is British Airways main hub for all long-haul flights. BA does some short-haul from Gatwick South Terminal, but all long-haul BA flights — USA, Asia, Caribbean, Africa, Australia — are from Heathrow T5.
Is a taxi or train better for getting to Gatwick or Heathrow?
For one person with light luggage, the train is cheaper. For two or more people with suitcases, the pre-booked taxi is usually cheaper per head and incomparably easier. From Central London for four people: the taxi costs £45 to £75 total — about £11 to £19 per person. That is similar to four train tickets but the taxi picks you up at your door and drops you at the terminal entrance, with no luggage dragging through stations.
Related pages:
- Gatwick Airport Taxi Transfer
- Heathrow Airport Taxi Transfer
- London to Gatwick Distance Guide
- London to Heathrow Distance Guide
- Stansted vs Luton Comparison
- Cheapest Way to Heathrow
- Cheapest Way to Gatwick
- Heathrow Terminal 5 Guide
- Heathrow Terminal 2 Guide
- Gatwick to Heathrow Transfer
- Gatwick Taxi Prices
- Heathrow Taxi Prices
- 6 Seater Taxi to Airport
- 8 Seater Minibus Hire
- Taxi with Baby Seat UK
- Book Online Taxi
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