A Complete Guide to the Most Popular International Airports in the UK
Before planning a trip to the United Kingdom it’s important to familiarise yourself with all of the international airports in the UK so that you don’t end up having to pay extra to get from the airport to wherever you’re staying. No matter where you’re planning staying, this guide will provide you with all the information you need on which international airports will fit best with your itinerary. From where to stay near the airport to which airport is the easiest to get to, and even a map of all the international airports in the UK, we’ll cover everything that will help you plan the perfect trip right from the start.
Quick answer: main international airports in the UK
There are 14 international airports in the UK with 10 in England, 2 in Scotland, 1 in Wales and 1 in Northern Ireland. Starting in the south of England you’ll find Bristol Airport with Cardiff Airport just across the border in Wales. There are 5 international airports in London including London Stansted, London Luton, London City, London Gatwick and London Heathrow. Birmingham Airport is in the Midlands and then there’s Manchester Airport, Liverpool John Lennon Airport and Newcastle Airport in the north of England. Moving into Scotland there’s Glasgow Airport in the west and Edinburgh Airport in the east, and finally Belfast Airport in Northern Ireland.
What’s in this post?
If there’s an airport in this post that you’re particularly interested in you can skip straight there by clicking on the name of that airport in the contents section below. If not, then continue reading to learn all about international airports in the UK.
- Quick answer: main international airports in the UK
- What's in this post?
- Which cities in the UK have international airports?
- How to get to popular UK destinations
- Map of the international airports in the UK
- What are the international airports in London?
- London City Airport (LCY)
- London Gatwick Airport (LGW)
- London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
- London Luton Airport (LTN)
- London Stansted Airport (STN)
- What are the international airports in the UK?
- Belfast International Airport (BFS)
- Bristol Airport (BRS)
- Birmingham International Airport (BHX)
- Cardiff Airport (CWL)
- Edinburgh Airport (EHI)
- Glasgow Airport (GLA)
- Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LPL)
- Manchester Airport (MAN)
- Newcastle International Airport (NCU)
- FAQs on the international airports in the UK
- Summary of the international airports in the UK
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Which cities in the UK have international airports?
There are 13 international airports in the UK across 10 cities including,
- Belfast
- Bristol
- Birmingham
- Cardiff
- Edinburgh
- Glasgow
- Liverpool
- London
- Manchester
- Newcastle upon Tyne
How to get to popular UK destinations
International airports near Cambridge
The closest large international airport to Cambridge is London Stansted Airport at around a 40 minute drive.
International airports near Nottingham
The closest large international airport near Nottingham is Birmingham International Airport at around an hours drive
International airports near York
The closest large international airport near York is Manchester Airport at around one hour and 20 minutes drive
International airports near Snowdon
The closest large international airport near Snowdon is Liverpool John Lennon Airport at around 2 hours and 15 minutes drive
International airports near Liverpool
The closest large international airport near Liverpool is Liverpool John Lennon Airport at around 25 minutes drive from Central Liverpool
International airports near Manchester
The closest large international airport near Manchester is Manchester Airport at around 25 minutes drive from central Manchester
International airports near the Scottish Highlands
The closest large international airport near the Scottish Highlands is Glasgow Airport or Edinburgh airport, both at between 3 and 6 hours drive depending on where you’re staying in the Highlands.
International airports near Cornwall
The closest large international airport near Cornwall is Bristol Airport at around 2 hours and 46 minutes drive
International airports near Oxford
The closest large international airport near Oxford is London Heathrow Airport at around 1 hours drive
International airports near Derry
The closest large international airport near Derry is Belfast International Airport at around 1 hour and 15 minutes drive
Map of the international airports in the UK
What are the international airports in London?
There are 5 international airports in London, some are more central to London than others but all have direct links to the city either by tube, train or bus. London Luton is in Buckinghamshire and London Stansted is in Essex, both are around an hour from Central London. London Gatwick also isn’t on a tube line or in one of the London zones 1-5. If you’re looking for an airport within zones 1-5 then book your travel to arrive at London City Airport or London Heathrow Airport.
London City Airport (LCY)
London City Airport Code: LCY
Address: Hartmann Rd, London E16 2PX
Closest City: London
London City Airport is the airport that is most central to London and can be found in the South East of the City. To get into central London you can join the DLR line at the London City Airport station, this will take you into Bank where you can connect to the Northern, Central or Waterloo and City underground lines.
Where to stay near London City Airport
Use the map below to take a look at all of the hotels near London City Airport on Booking.com
London Gatwick Airport (LGW)
London Gatwick Airport Code: LGW
Address: Horley, Gatwick RH6 0NP
Closest City: London
London Gatwick Airport website
Gatwick airport is located around 30 miles south of London and is the second largest airport serving the London area. Whilst it’s not on a tube line, you can jump on the Gatwick Express which takes you directly into London Victoria where you can connect to the Circle, District and Victoria tube lines. Trains run every 30 minutes and take around 30 minutes to get into London.
Where to stay near London Gatwick Airport
Use the map below to take a look at all of the hotels near London Gatwick Airport on Booking.com
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
London Heathrow Airport Code: LHR
Address: Hounslow TW6 1QG
Closest City: London
London Heathrow Airport website
Heathrow is the biggest and busiest airport in the UK, serving 61.1 million passengers every year. It’s such a popular airport because of its proximity to London and ease to travel the rest of England. Located on the Piccadilly and Elizabeth tube lines, Heathrow Airport has a direct link to central London making it ideal if you’re visiting the city. London Heathrow is also well placed for a road trip around England. You can pick your car up from the airport and get straight on to the M25 – one of the man motorways in the country.
Where to stay near London Heathrow Airport
Use the map below to take a look at all of the hotels near London Heathrow Airport on Booking.com
London Luton Airport (LTN)
London Luton Airport Code: LTN
Address: Airport Way, Luton LU2 9LY
Closest City: St Albans
London Luton Airport is located to the North of London, around 3 miles from the town of Luton and 26 miles from Milton Keynes City. If you’re travelling into Central London jump on a National Rail Service train for a direct link. There are several stops in London so it can take between 25 minutes to 1 hour and depending on which part of London you’re heading to.
Where to stay near London Luton Airport
Use the map below to take a look at all of the hotels near London Luton Airport on Booking.com
London Stansted Airport (STN)
London Stansted Airport Code: STN
Address: Bassingbourn Rd, Stansted CM24 1QW
Closest City: Chelmsford
London Stansted Airport website
London Stansted Airport is located to the east of London in Essex, around 30 miles from Cambridge, 35 miles from Colchester and 30 miles from Brentwood for those TOWIE fans! If you’re travelling into London you can jump on the Stansted Express directly into Liverpool Street station where you can connect to the Central, Circle, Hammersmith and City, Metropolitan, and Elizabeth tube lines. Trains run every 15 minutes and take around 1 hour to get into London.
Where to stay near London Stansted Airport
Use the map below to take a look at all of the hotels near London Stansted Airport on Booking.com
What are the international airports in the UK?
There are 9 other international airports that you need to know about for a visit to the UK, these are across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Belfast International Airport (BFS)
Belfast Airport Code: BFS
Address: Airport Rd, Belfast, Crumlin BT29 4AB
Closest City: Belfast
Located in the East of Northern Ireland, Belfast Airport is ideally placed to visit Derry and the Causeway Coast. The closest city is Belfast at around 20 miles away.
Where to stay near Belfast Airport
Use the map below to take a look at all of the hotels near Belfast Airport on Booking.com
Bristol Airport (BRS)
Bristol Airport Code: BRS
Address: Bristol BS48 3DY
Closest City: Bristol
Located in the south west of England, Bristol Airport is ideally placed to visit Devon, Cornwall and the Cotswolds. The closest city is Bristol at around 8 miles away.
Where to stay near Bristol Airport
Use the map below to take a look at all of the hotels near Bristol Airport on Booking.com
Birmingham International Airport (BHX)
Birmingham International Airport Code: BHX
Address: Trident Rd, Birmingham B26 3QJ
Closest City: Birmingham
Located in the West Midlands, Birmingham Airport is ideally placed to visit the Birmingham City Center and Stratford-upon-Avon. The closest city is Birmingham at around 10 miles away.
Where to stay near Birmingham Airport
Use the map below to take a look at all of the hotels near Birmingham Airport on Booking.com
Cardiff Airport (CWL)
Cardiff Airport Code: CWL
Address: Rhoose, Barry CF62 3BD
Closest City: Cardiff
Located in the south east of Wales, Cardiff Airport is ideally placed to visit Cardiff, Swansea and the Pembrokeshire National Park. The closest city is Cardiff at around 12 miles away.
Where to stay near Cardiff Airport
Use the map below to take a look at all of the hotels near Cardiff Airport on Booking.com
Edinburgh Airport (EHI)
Edinburgh Airport Code: EHI
Address: Edinburgh EH12 9DN
Closest City: Edinburgh
Located in the south east of Scotland, Edinburgh Airport is ideally placed to visit the Scottish Highlands, Aberdeen, or even to venture into Northumberland in England. The closest city is Edinburgh at around 10 miles away.
Where to stay near Edinburgh Airport
Use the map below to take a look at all of the hotels near Edinburgh Airport on Booking.com
Glasgow Airport (GLA)
Glasgow Airport Code: GLA
Address: Glasgow, Paisley PA3 2ST
Closest City: Glasgow
Located in the south west of Scotland, Glasgow Airport is ideally placed to visit the Scottish Highlands and Inverness. The closest city is Glasgow at around 10 miles away.
Where to stay near Glasgow Airport
Use the map below to take a look at all of the hotels near Glasgow Airport on Booking.com
Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LPL)
Liverpool John Lennon Airport Code: LPL
Address: Speke Hall Ave, Speke, Liverpool L24 1YD
Closest City: Liverpool
Located in the north west of England, Liverpool John Lennon Airport is ideally placed to visit North Wales. The closest City is Liverpool at around 10 miles away.
Where to stay near Liverpool Airport
Use the map below to take a look at all of the hotels near Liverpool Airport on Booking.com
Manchester Airport (MAN)
Manchester Airport Code: MAN
Address: Manchester M90 1QX
Closest City: Manchester
Located in the north west of England, Manchester Airport is ideally placed to visit the Lake District or York. The closest city is Manchester at around 10 miles away.
Where to stay near Manchester Airport
Use the map below to take a look at all of the hotels near Manchester Airport on Booking.com
Newcastle International Airport (NCU)
Newcastle International Airport Code: NCU
Address: Woolsington, Newcastle upon Tyne NE13 8BZ
Closest City: Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle International Airport website
Located in the north east of England, Newcastle International Airport is ideally placed to visit Newcastle City, the rest of Northumberland, or even to venture into Scotland. The closest city is Newcastle upon Tyne at around 10 miles away
Where to stay near Newcastle International Airport
Use the map below to take a look at all of the hotels near Newcastle International Airport on Booking.com
FAQs on the international airports in the UK
What are the top 3 airports in the UK?
The three top airports in terms of passenger numbers in the UK are London Heathrow Airport, London Gatwick Airport and Manchester Airport with well over 100 million passengers combined every year.
What’s the largest international airport in the UK?
The largest international airport in the UK is London Heathrow with 5 terminals (4 passenger and 1 cargo), 2 runways and 84 destination countries.
What is the easiest airport in England?
Overall the easiest airport in England is London Heathrow as not only is it really easy to get into central London but it’s also just off of the M25, a major motorway that loops London and connects several other motorways that spread across the country.
Of course, this also depends on where you’re travelling to in the UK – you wouldn’t want to fly into London Heathrow if you’re visiting Northumberland. You’d choose to fly into Edinburgh Airport or Newcastle International Airport instead.
What is the best airport to get into London?
Either London City Airport, London Gatwick Airport or London Heathrow Airport are all good airports to get into London. However London City Airport and London Heathrow Airport are the only two airports within zones 1-5 and on a tube line.
Summary of the international airports in the UK
In summary, navigating the many international airports in the UK is a key part of planning your UK trip. Choose the wrong one and you could end up at the wrong end of the country, or even in a different country altogether.
When deciding which airport in the UK to fly to it helps to have some understanding of where you’ll be travelling to in the UK and plan your flight in and out of the UK with that in mind.
It’s likely that if you’re planning a UK trip you’ll be flying into London Heathrow as it is the biggest airport in the UK. However hopefully this guide shows you that there are other options both in London and further afield that you now feel comfortable to explore.
