Loading
This is taking longer than expected.
This is taking longer than expected.
This is taking longer than expected.
London airport choice usually depends on airline, route network, and whether your trip is built around a full-service hub or a point-to-point airport.
Use Heathrow for the largest full-service international hub and alliance connections. Use Gatwick for many leisure, low-cost, and point-to-point routes when the fare or destination is better.
Last reviewed 2026-06-17
| Code | Airport | City | Country | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LHR | London Heathrow Airport | London | GB | Best for full-service long-haul airlines, alliance connections, and Heathrow-specific international routes. |
| LGW | London Gatwick Airport | London | GB | Best for leisure routes, low-cost long-haul or short-haul options, and trips where Gatwick has the better fare. |
Heathrow acts like a global hub. Gatwick is still large, but it is more useful when the airline, fare, or destination specifically points you there.
These pages are meant to answer a search query quickly, then point readers into the underlying FlightQ database. The table gives the extractable answer; the linked route, seat, airline, airport, or aircraft page carries the deeper data.
The page uses a concise direct answer, a labeled comparison table, FAQ schema, and stable internal links. That makes it easier for search engines and chatbots to identify the best source page for a specific aviation data question.
Heathrow is usually better for hub connections and premium long-haul choice. Gatwick can be better for leisure routes and lower fares.
LHR is London Heathrow.
LGW is London Gatwick.