Any London ski holidays
London's airports form the world's busiest city airport system (by passenger numbers). If you're based in or near the capital, you'll find a number of international airports within easy reach for your ski trip - including Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and Southend.
To make your journey to the mountains a breeze, all airports can be reached within an hour via train from central London, with Heathrow being the nearest (15 minute journey) and Stanstead the furthest (45 minutes). You'll also find them near the main motorways, and with frequent coach and bus services.
Driving to London airports:
Below you'll find the Sat Nav codes for the London Airports. If you're flying from Heathrow or Gatwick, check which terminal you're flying from as the routes can differ slightly. For driving directions, please see our individual airport pages for Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Southend and Luton.
Heathrow Terminal 1: TW6 1AP
Heathrow Terminal 2: TW6 1EW
Heathrow Terminal 3: TW6 1QG
Heathrow Terminal 4: TW6 3XA
Heathrow Terminal 5: TW6 2GA
Gatwick (North Terminal): RH6 0P
Gatwick (South Terminal): RH6 0NP
Luton: LU2 9QT
Southend: SS2 6YF
Stansted: CM24 1RW
Parking at London airports:
All London airports have a range of parking options. If your airport has more than one terminal (like Heathrow and Gatwick), there are separate car parks for each one.
You'll find pick-up and drop off points near the terminals. The Long Term bays are the best value for a week long ski holiday, with most of them linked to the terminal by a free shuttle. Parking can often be heavily discounted when you book in advance through the airport website.
Public Transport to/from London airports
London airports buses:
Local buses serve London's airports and their nearest towns. Heathrow is within the Oyster zone, where buses require an Oyster or contactless payment card. For more information on the services available, please see the individual airport pages for Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Southend and Luton.
Trains to/from London airports:
All London airports have their own railway stations, with fast access into the centre of London as well as links to the rest of the country. Heathrow is also on the TFL tube network (Piccadilly line), as is London City Airport (DLR).
Coaches to/from London airports:
National Express have coaches to Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton, including a service between Heathrow and Gatwick.
easyBus also have services to Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton.
Taxis to/from London airports:
You'll find taxi ranks near the terminal / arrivals areas of the London airports. Sometimes if you've booked through a private cab company, they have to use the usual drop-off / pick-up area, though this is usually only a couple of minutes' walk from the terminal.
London airports facilities:
Lounges:
The lounges available depend on the size of the airport. Heathrow has the most choice, while smaller airports like Southend have just one lounge. Common facilities include: Wi-Fi access, comfortable seating, complimentary alcoholic drinks, soft drinks and hot drinks, snacks, newspapers and magazines.
Food and Drink:
You'll find a range of cafes (like Costa, Caffe Nero and Starbucks), restaurants (like Wetherspoon, Giraffe, Jamie's Italian) and food shops (like M&S food) before and after security. Bigger airports like Heathrow and Gatwick have a range of eateries in both terminals, while the choice is slightly smaller in Luton and Southend.
Shopping:
All airports have the likes of World Duty Free, WH Smith, Boots, Fat Face and Accessorize. Heathrow and Gatwick both have a Harrods and designer stores like Ted Baker.
Wi-Fi:
All of the London airports have Wi-Fi access, but the cost varies from airport to airport. Usually access is free for the first half an hour / hour, with an hourly fee thereafter.