Got a flight from Italy to London? Be careful not to land at the wrong airport
With the start of Aeroitalia's flights from Bergamo to London Southend, from next March 25 all six airports in the [...]
Wizz Air
Vueling
Ryanair
ITA Airways
easyJet
British Airways
STD
United Kingdom
With the start of Aeroitalia's flights from Bergamo to London Southend, from next March 25 all six airports in the British capital will be connected to Italy.
In this article:
No city in the world is served by such a large number of international commercial airports. Ed it is good to know exactly where you are coming from when you book a flight, Because the six 'London airports' are very far from each other and can be convenient for reaching some parts of the English capital, but very inconvenient, in terms of transfers, for reaching others.
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Another factor to consider is the cost of ticket, which will average higher (even by a lot) if you choose to fly to London City or Heathrow, less if you choose Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, or Southend which are served mostly by low-cost airlines. Here then A guide that can help you in choosing the 'right' airport.
London Heathrow
It is located 22km west of the city center. ITA Airways flies there from Italy. (from Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate) and British Airways (from Rome Fiumicino, Milan Linate and Malpensa, Turin, Bologna, Venice, Pisa, Naples).
The airport has 4 separate terminals. ITA arrives at Terminal 4, while British has its 'home' at Terminal 5. Between terminals one can move by shuttles that connect them 'airside,' that is, across aprons and runways. If, on the other hand, you are picking up your luggage and then moving to another terminal, you can do so by using the Piccadilly line (blue line) subway.
Terminal 5, for British Airways premium passengers are available Three business class lounges and two first class lounges, while lounges with paid admission are the Plaza Premium and the Aspire Club Where a three-hour stay costs in both cases. 40 pounds.
Terminal 4, ITA Airways Business Class passengers have free access to the Plaza Premium, which instead costs 46.50 pounds For a stay of up to three hours. Same price for access to the Blush Lounge.
The airport is convenient for those planning to travel to the southwestern regions of the United Kingdom and to reach any part of London, given the subway connection, which has stations at all terminals. The train Heathrow Express connects it to London Paddington station in 15 minutes with the ticket costing from £16.50 each way. Trains run every 15 minutes from 5 a.m. to midnight.
London City
The 'docks' airport is located at 10km east of the City, the financial heart of London, along the Thames and is the closest to the city center. ITA Airways flies us from Italy. with its A220-100 from Milan Linate e British Airways from Florence with ERJ-190s (The 'City' has a very short runway and only a few aircraft can land and take off there).
Being in the middle of a residential area, it is open Monday through Friday from 4:45 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday mornings only from 4:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Sunday from 10:45 a.m. to 10 p.m. Does not have premium lounge but has a 'beauty lounge' that offers treatments such as massages, manicures and pedicures.
Among London's stopovers Is the most convenient to reach the City and the center of the English capital e its compact terminal ensures rapid procedures for both embarking and disembarking. But with a predominantly business clientele, it is also the most expensive, in terms of average airfare prices to get there.
It is connected to Canning Town and Woolwich Arsenal subway stations within seven minutes of the Docklands Light Railway, with trains leaving every 8 or 15 minutes depending on the time of day and day of the week.
London Gatwick
It is located 48km south of London. The low-cost easyjet (the airport is the airline's main hub). and Wizz Air fly there from several Italian cities. The Spanish Vueling has some weekly flights to Rome Fiumicino, while TUI Airways operates seasonal flights to several Italian cities during the summer months. It has two terminals: north and south. Easyjet and TUI Airways both use them (you need to check at which one your flight operates), while Wizz Air and Vueling use only the South Terminal. The two buildings are a few hundred meters apart and are connected by a shuttle bus that takes two minutes to cover the distance.
Gatwick offers a wide variety of lounges accessible for a fee: at the South Terminal are the My Lounge, where you can stay for up to three hours at a cost of 32 pounds, while to access the N°1 you spend 40 pounds. At the North Terminal you will find the N°1 always accessible with 40 pounds, the Clubrooms by N°1 with 45 pounds, the Flight Lounge (£37), the Plaza Pemium (£36) and The Gateway (£32).
The fastest and most convenient way to get to London is by the Gatwick Express, which reaches Victoria station in 30 minutes. Trains run every 15 minutes from 5 a.m. to midnight. Ticket prices (purchased online) start at £19.50.
London Stansted
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It is located 68 kilometers northeast of central London and is considered the third international 'gateway' to the British capital. It is the 'home' of low-cost Ryanair, which just operates its largest number of weekly flights from here, including flights to numerous Italian cities. It is also the airport served by SkyAlps for its seasonal flights between Bolzano and London. British Airways will connect it to Florence starting next May 19. And Jet2.com flies us from Rome Fiumicino. year-round and from several other Italian cities during the summer months.
It has a single terminal connected to three 'satellites' via pedestrian walkways or the Stansted Track Transit System, a free electric train that reaches the farthest gates of 'satellites' 1 and 2. There is only one lounge, accessible for a fee: the Escape Lounge, which with online admission booking allows a three-hour stay at a cost of 31.99 pounds.
The airport is very convenient for reaching a major tourist destination such as the university town of Cambridge. If, on the other hand, one wants to reach London, the quickest and most convenient means is the Stansted Express, which connects the airport to Liverpool Street station. Trains run every 15 minutes between 4-4:30 am and midnight. The journey takes 53 minutes and the ticket starts from 21.50 pounds one way.
London Luton
It is located 56km northwest of the English capital. It is easyjet's second London stopover, in terms of numbers of flights operated, including to some Italian cities. It is also connected to Italy by Ryanair. It is equipped with a single terminal. No. 1 lounge is available for access for a fee of £38 For a maximum stay of three hours.
It is the only one among London's airports to Do not have a direct rail link to the city. However, in March 2023, the Luton DART, an automated train that connects the stopover to Luton Airport Parkway train station. From there, one can reach London's St. Pancras station in 30 minutes.
London Southend
E' the least known and least busy of London's six airports. It is located 58 kilometers southeast of the city center and is convenient for visiting tourist attractions such as the town of Canterbury or the Cliffs of Dover. Starting March 25, it will be connected six times a week by Aeroitalia to Bergamo Orio al Serio. La SkyLife Lounge is accessible for three hours at a cost of 28 pounds.
London's Liverpool Street station can be reached by train in 55 minutes with trains running from Southend Airport station, a hundred meters from the terminal, up to six times an hour. The service operates from 4:30 a.m. to midnight, and ticket prices start at £12.50 each way.
