Flights to London

There are five main airports in or around central London, each of them within easy reach of the city centre. Find out the best way for you to get to this fantastic city...

Heathrow Airport (LHR) takes incoming flights from all over the UK including Scotland, Manchester, Newcastle, Northern Ireland and Eire amongst others. The airport is located 15 miles west of London.

Gatwick Airport (LGW) takes incoming flights from the likes of Scotland, Manchester, Newcastle, Northern Ireland and Eire. The airport is located 28 miles south of London.

London City Airport (LCY) usually takes incoming flights from Scotland, the Isle of Man and Eire, while London Luton Airport (LTN) takes incoming flights from Scotland, the Isle of Man and Eire. The airport is located 32 miles north of London.

Stansted Airport (STN) is located 40 miles north east of the city and takes incoming flights from Scotland, Northern Ireland and Eire amongst others. London Southend Airport (SEN) takes incoming flights from Northern Ireland amongst others. The airport is located 40 miles east of Central London.

There are a variety of options for your onward journey once you have landed, and the way you travel will depend on which airport you arrive at...

Heathrow Airport has its own London underground tube station which takes air passengers into central London along the Piccadilly tube line. Gatwick also has its own train station which runs trains in and out of the Central London stations of London Victoria, London Bridge, London Kings Cross and Blackfriars. The journey takes around 30 - 35 minutes.

London City Airport is located right in the heart of the capital and has a fast Docklands Light Railway service linking to the London Underground and national rail stations while trains run from the station of Luton Airport Parkway into the Central London stations of London Kings Cross/St Pancras, London Bridge and Wimbledon.

Stansted Airport has its own train station. The Stansted Express runs between the airport and London Liverpool Street station. Trains depart every 30 minutes and the journey takes around 45 minutes. From Southend Airport, trains run from the airport to London Liverpool Street Station, the journey takes just under an hour.

Alternatively, each airport is easily accessible by road, with car hire available from all airports and metered taxis into central London available from the airport entrances. Many hotels will offer airport transfers or shuttle buses to and from the airports.

London is a vast city so finding the best place to stay is essential if you want to make the most of your time there. Here are your options...

There is a huge variety of accommodation on offer in London, encompassing everything from glamorous and exclusive hotels to more budget B&Bs.

If you want to be right in the middle of the action, hotels in the West End are your best bet. Here you are within easy reach of Covent Garden, Oxford Street, Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus, and will be able to easily visit major sights such as Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. These central areas also offer great shopping and a wealth of restaurants, bars, pubs and clubs.

If you are looking for a luxury pad, Marble Arch, Regent Street and Mayfair boast a number of luxury five-star hotels, while if you are looking for somewhere with more of a village feel, Notting Hill has a number of independent shops, bars and restaurants, as well as being home to the fantastic Portobello Market where you can get anything from antiques and bric-a-brac to clothes and music.

If you are visiting the city on business, then Knightsbridge and Kensington are near to conference centres at Olympia and Earls Court, while Docklands is a good bet for those on business in East London.

Music and sports fans may want to book accommodation in Wembley, but be aware that when there are big events on, hotels can get booked up months in advance.

While London is very spread out, the efficient tube service ensures you can get to most areas quickly and easily, so if you find hotels in the centre too expensive, it may be worth looking at one a bit further out.