London Heathrow International Airport, popularly known as Heathrow Airport, and the London Gatwick International Airport, also known as Gatwick Airport, are international airports in London.
Heathrow Airport is located near Hillingdon, London, England, and Gatwick Airport is located near Crawley, West Sussex, England.
They are among the six international airports that are functional in the London region, along with City, Luton, Stansted, and Southend.
Key Takeaways
- Heathrow Airport, located west of London, is the largest and busiest airport in the UK, with five terminals and more international passengers.
- Gatwick Airport, south of London, is the second-largest and second-busiest airport in the UK, with two terminals and a focus on European and domestic flights.
- Choosing between Heathrow and Gatwick depends on factors such as flight destinations, airline preferences, and proximity to specific locations in London.
Heathrow Airport vs Gatwick Airport
Heathrow Airport is one of the six major international airports in London that was first opened in 1946 and was later renamed to its present name in 1966. Gatwick Airport is an international airport that is located South of London and is the second busiest airport in the country.
Heathrow Airport is one of the six major international airports in London. Until 1966, it was called the London Airport. It was opened on 31 May 1946 and is located in Hillingdon, London, England.
This airport facility is operated by Heathrow Airport Holdings. It is the third busiest airport in Europe as far as passenger traffic is concerned.
On the other hand, Gatwick Airport is an international airport located 29.5 miles to the South of London. When total passenger traffic is considered, it is the second busiest airport after Heathrow.
It is also ranked as the tenth busiest airport in Europe. It was initially opened as an aerodrome In 1920 and has been used by commercial flights since 1933. It is located at an elevation of 203 ft.
The airport comprises two terminals and one runway.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Heathrow Airport | Gatwick Airport |
|---|---|---|
| About | Heathrow airport is one out of the six international airports of London which is the primary hub for the British Airways. | Gatwick airport is an international airport located 29.5 miles to the South of London. |
| Operator | Heathrow airport limited | Gatwick Airport Limited |
| Serves | London | London and South East England |
| Location | Hillingdon, London, England | Crawley, West Sussex, England |
| Focus city for | Virgin Atlantic | EasyJet UK TUI airways Wizz Air UK |
| Ownership | British Airports authority | Global infrastructure partners |
| Opened | 31 May 1946 | 1933 |
| Elevation AMSL | 83 ft/ 25 m | 203 ft/ 62 m |
| Runways | Four | Two |
| Terminals | Five | Two |
| Preferred by | Americans | Europeans |
| Rail links | Faster and better than Gatwick | Slower than Heathrow |
What is Heathrow Airport?
Heathrow Airport is one of the six international airports in London. Until 1966, it was called the London Airport. This airport facility is operated by Heathrow Airport Holdings.
It was opened on 31 May 1946 and is located in Hillingdon, London, England. It is the third busiest airport in Europe as far as passenger traffic is concerned.
It has a total of five terminals, out of which four are passenger terminals and one is a cargo terminal. It is located at an elevation of 83 Feet. It is the primary hub for the British Airways and the main base for the Virgin Atlantica.
Heathrow Airport is used by 80 airlines that travel to 185 destinations situated in 84 different countries. There is a multi-faith prayer room and a counselling Room at each terminal of Heathrow Airport.
The internal roads of the airport are coded by the initial letter of the area, such as Newall Road is found in the North, Elmdon Road is found in the East, Stratford Road is found in the South, Walrus Road is found in the West and Camborne road is found in the central region.
What is Gatwick Airport?
Gatwick Airport is an international airport located 29.5 miles to the South of London. When total passenger traffic is considered, it is the second busiest airport after Heathrow. It is also ranked as the tenth busiest airport in Europe.
It is located at an elevation of 203 ft. It opened as an aerodrome In 1920 and has been used by commercial flights since 1933. The airport comprises two terminals and one runway.
The Gatwick district of Sussex Police manages the security of Gatwick Airport. The airport is a base for British Airways, Wizz Air, and EasyJet, as well as chartered operators like TUI Airways.
Gatwick is considered to be a unique airport because of the availability of all three services, including low-cost, full-service, and charter planes.
Main Differences Between Heathrow Airport and Gatwick Airport
- Heathrow Airport is bigger than Gatwick Airport.
- The Heathrow airport is owned by the British Airports authority, while the Gatwick airport is owned by the Global infrastructure partners.
- There are 4 runways and 5 terminals at Heathrow Airport, while there are two runways and two terminals at the Gatwick airport.
- Gatwick Airport is preferred for chartered flights.
- Americans prefer to travel from Heathrow Airport, while Europeans prefer the Gatwick airport.
- The Heathrow Airport is located at an elevation of 83 ft, while the Gatwick Airport is located at an elevation of 203 ft.
- The Heathrow Airport is the base for Virgin Atlantic, while the Gatwick airport is the base for EasyJet UK, TUI Airways, and Wizz Air UK.
- The Heathrow Airport serves London, while the Gatwick airport serves both London and South East England.
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/621533
- https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=I2O1BAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT4&dq=Gatwick+airport&ots=90DUTNIaRp&sig=HeI8nJOe7Mu6klPxgiaoCD6Dedg
Last Updated : 10 September, 2023
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
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