I need to fly on March 8, 2024 from Barcelona to London. There are several possible variations within my desired time frame. There is London City Airport, Gatwick and Heathrow. Stanton seems too far out. What should I be considering? General ease of moving through the airport, perhaps more importantly getting into the city. I need to get this settled so I csn move on to hotel choice. Advice appreciated.
Posted by
Preston UK
1232 posts
All other things being equal (price, time etc), then City wins hands down. It’s a small airport which you can be through in minutes and in the centre of London very quickly. All other options are large, busy and require quite a journey to get into the city.
Posted by
Lake District, England
8134 posts
By Stanton you must mean Stansted. But while in terms of mileage it might seem further, in terms of travel time it is no further than Gatwick or Heathrow. But LCY is clearly easier, and shortest travel time.
Having said that, if you choose a hotel a long way west in Zone 1 then the time advantage of LCY is lost.
Posted by
Royaume-Uni nul points, pas plus
2600 posts
You're putting the cart before the horse.
Find a hotel you like in a location you like. Don't worry about the airports; they all have straightforward access to central London.
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7991 posts
If you were flying home, and just connecting in London between Barcelona and your home airport, then figuring out the fewest hassles and least cost to get from one London airport to the other would be important. But if you’re going to be staying in London for a while after Barcelona, then as already mentioned, the arrival airport isn’t a significant issue. Go with the flight with the best price/schedule, and getting into downtown London from its arrival airport won’t be a problem.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17560 posts
We discovered London City Airport on our recent (September 2023) trip and will use it again—so very easy to navigate, and easy access into the center of London. You can take the DLR train (Docklands Light Rail) to Bank Station and stay near there, then for going to Heathrow there is the Elizabeth Line from Liverpool Street Station or Farringdon Station. There are hotels near both (fairly expensive ones), or chose an apartment hotel like Locke at Broken Wharf, or Marlin Queen Street.