Stansted (STN)
In Essex, north-east of London and outside the M25, just off the M11. The airport’s own directions use junction 8a for traffic coming from London.
London · LHR · LGW
London airport transfer Heathrow and Gatwick, pre-booked.
A private car at Heathrow or Gatwick with a named chauffeur, your flight tracked and a full quote before you pay, usually within two hours.
Nothing is charged until you accept the quote.
At a glance
What you get with a London airport transfer
Heathrow sits about 14 miles west of central London across four terminals; Gatwick is about 28 miles south, in West Sussex. Universal Airport Transfer arranges a private car with a named chauffeur for either airport, tracks your flight and waits 30 minutes from its actual arrival time. Stansted, Luton and London City can be quoted too. There are three classes of service, each available as a sedan, SUV or van. You receive a full quote before you pay, usually within two hours, and nothing is charged until you accept it.
- Your chauffeur waits 30 minutes from your flight’s actual arrival time.
- A full quote before you pay, usually within two hours, reflecting distance, vehicle class, add-ons and any late-night, public holiday or short-notice charges.
- Pay online by secure payment link or bank transfer, and your booking is confirmed once paid. The Congestion Charge and airport drop-off charges, where they apply, are either included in the quote or shown clearly in it as an additional charge. Waiting beyond the included time may carry a charge.
- Changes and cancellations up to 48 hours before your flight under the standard policy, less any costs already incurred; a few airports and services differ.
- Any class, Economy, Business or First Class, can come as a sedan, SUV or van.
- In Civil Aviation Authority figures for 2025, Dubai International was Heathrow’s second-busiest overseas airport link, after New York JFK, and Gatwick’s fourth.
LondonDublinParisAmsterdamFrankfurtMunichMilanRomeValenciaBudapestIstanbulNew YorkNassauCuraçaoCartagenaMedellínBuenos AiresUshuaiaDubaiDohaManamaRiyadhJeddahDelhiMumbaiKochiKozhikodeThiruvananthapuramBengaluruChennaiHyderabadSingaporeBaliManilaBeijingTokyoSydneyMelbourneBrisbane Heathrow to Gatwick
Changing between Heathrow and Gatwick on two tickets
Land at one airport and fly out of the other on a separate booking, and you leave the first with all your luggage and check in afresh at the second. These are the usual four ways across. The car, the coach and the trains run in either direction; the taxi row is for a cab from a Heathrow rank.
| Way across | The route | Your luggage | How the price is set |
|---|---|---|---|
| A chauffeur booked ahead | By the M25 and M23, about 42 miles (68 km) in Heathrow’s own figure, from wherever the booking desk tells you to meet to the departures level of your onward terminal. | Into the boot once, and out at the other end. The vehicle is picked on the number of passengers and bags. | Quoted for the whole run before you pay, with nothing charged until you accept. |
| Coach, direct | National Express stops at Heathrow’s Central Bus Station, which serves Terminals 2 and 3, at Terminals 4 and 5, and at both Gatwick terminals; other operators run the route too. The two airports put the ride at about an hour to 75 minutes. | National Express takes one large or two medium cases a head in the hold, plus one soft bag on board. | A ticket for each passenger, for a set departure, from the operator. |
| Train via central London | No train runs straight through: Heathrow points you to a change at Victoria or Farringdon. Gatwick’s station is at the South Terminal, two minutes on the free shuttle from North. | Lifted on and off at every change, by you. | Rail fares for each passenger, set by the train companies. |
| Taxi from a Heathrow rank | From the taxi rank outside your Heathrow terminal, with nothing booked in advance. | In the car with you. | Under TfL rules a fare to Gatwick may be agreed before the journey starts; if none is agreed, the meter reading is the most you pay. |
Checked against Heathrow, Gatwick, National Express and TfL on 24 September 2026. Timetables and luggage rules change, so confirm with the operator before you travel. Travelling light, the coach takes you straight through; landing at Heathrow with nothing booked, the taxi rank is the sensible choice. From Gatwick to Heathrow the coach and trains simply run in reverse; the taxi row does not, because TfL’s fare rules cover London taxis, such as those on Heathrow’s ranks.
Price
What your quote depends on
Every journey is quoted on its own rather than sold from a price list, so the figure you receive is for your booking. These are the things that move it. Nothing is charged until you accept the quote. Tolls, where they apply, are either included in it or shown in it as an additional charge, and heavy traffic does not change the quoted price.
Which airport, and where to
Heathrow sits off the M4 and M25 to the west and Gatwick off the M23 to the south; Stansted, Luton and London City are quoted the same way. The airport, the terminal and your exact address set the distance your quote is built on.
The Congestion Charge
TfL’s Congestion Charge applies 07:00 to 18:00 on weekdays and 12:00 to 18:00 at weekends and on bank holidays, and most private hire vehicles are not exempt. If your route crosses the central zone in those hours, the charge is either included in your quote or shown in it as an additional charge.
Airport drop-off charges
Heathrow charges private hire vehicles every time they enter a terminal drop-off zone, recorded by number-plate cameras, and Gatwick charges for the forecourt drop-off zones outside both its terminals. On a departure transfer these can apply too, and where they do, the quote either includes them or shows them as an extra.
Pre-dawn landings
Under a voluntary ban, flights scheduled between 04:30 and 06:00 may not land at Heathrow before 04:30, and around 80% of Heathrow’s night flights fall in that window. A collection at that hour may carry a late-night charge, which is included in the quote.
When you land
Landing at Heathrow
Heathrow is four separate terminals rather than one building, and apart from a paid Priority Pick-Up Area at Terminal 4, cars are not allowed to collect passengers from the kerb outside. Here is what happens between touchdown and the car.
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01
Before you fly
Check which terminal your airline uses: 2, 3, 4 or 5. Check on GOV.UK whether you need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before you travel. Send us your flight number so the flight can be tracked.
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02
Border control
Flying in from the Gulf, as from most of the world, you pass UK border control before you reach baggage reclaim. Whether you use the eGates or a staffed desk depends on your passport. If the queue is long, send the booking desk a WhatsApp message so they know where you are.
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03
Baggage and customs
Collect your bags and walk through customs into the arrivals hall. Your chauffeur waits 30 minutes from the flight’s actual arrival time, so that clock is already running while you queue at the border and wait at the carousel. Switch your phone on as soon as you land: a passenger who has not reached the meeting point within the waiting time and cannot be contacted is treated as a no-show.
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04
Meeting your chauffeur
Heathrow prohibits passenger pick-ups from its terminal forecourts, so do not wait at the kerb outside arrivals. Your chauffeur is named before pickup. Go to where the booking desk has told you to meet.
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05
On the way
Terminals 2 and 3 are reached from junction 4 of the M4 or junction 15 of the M25, Terminal 4 from junction 14 of the M25 by the A3113, and Terminal 5 by its own access road from the same junction. How long the drive then takes depends on the hour and on where in London, or beyond, you are going.
Heathrow’s four terminals
Terminal 2
The Queen’s Terminal. Airlines here include Air India, Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines. It shares the Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3 railway station with Terminal 3.
Terminal 3
Home to Virgin Atlantic and more than 20 other airlines, Emirates among them, along with some British Airways flights. It is served by the same station as Terminal 2.
Terminal 4
Qatar Airways, Etihad, Gulf Air, Saudia, Kuwait Airways and Oman Air all operate here. The Heathrow Express does not call at Terminal 4: change at Terminals 2 & 3 for the free transfer train, which runs every 15 minutes and takes four minutes.
Terminal 5
British Airways’ main Heathrow hub, on the Western Perimeter Road with its own access road. Heathrow Express trains reach it a few minutes after Terminals 2 & 3, and travel between the two on that line is free.
Airlines move terminals from time to time, so go by your booking rather than this list. Landing at Gatwick instead? Emirates and Qatar Airways are listed at its North Terminal and British Airways at the South, and a free two-minute shuttle runs between the two.
Other London airports
London’s other airports, and changing between them
This page covers Heathrow and Gatwick in detail, but a transfer from any commercial airport can be quoted: send us the airport, your flight and the address you are going to.
Luton (LTN)
North of London in Bedfordshire, two miles from junction 10 of the M1. The airport puts central London 32 miles away.
London City (LCY)
In the Royal Docks in east London, the nearest of the capital’s airports to the City and Canary Wharf, with its own DLR station.
Heathrow to Gatwick
Flying into one and out of the other on two separate bookings? The table near the top of this page compares the ways across, and the terminal to terminal service covers the drive, with both of your flights on the booking.
LHR
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
Heathrow lies about 14 miles west of central London and handled about 84.5 million passengers in 2025, more than any other UK airport, according to the Civil Aviation Authority. The Heathrow Express reaches Paddington in about 15 minutes from Terminals 2 & 3 and a few minutes more from Terminal 5, which suits a light traveller staying near Paddington. It does not stop at Terminal 4.
Terminals Four passenger terminals are in use: 2, 3, 4 and 5; there is no longer a Terminal 1. Terminals 2 and 3 share one railway station, while 4 and 5 each have their own road in from junction 14 of the M25. Include the terminal from your booking when you ask for a quote.
Get an LHR quoteLGW
London Gatwick Airport (LGW)
Gatwick is in West Sussex, about 28 miles south of London by the airport’s own measure, and is linked directly to the M23 at junction 9. Its two terminals, North and South, are joined by a free shuttle that takes about two minutes. The railway station is at the South Terminal, with non-stop Gatwick Express trains to Victoria and Thameslink services to London Bridge and St Pancras International.
Get an LGW quoteServices
Transfers to and from London airports
Arrival
From the airport to your hotel, home or office. Your flight is tracked and the 30-minute wait runs from its actual arrival time.
Departure
From your address to the airport, booked ahead with a named chauffeur.
Terminal to terminal
Between terminals, for a connection that leaves from a different one.
Hourly chauffeur
A car and chauffeur for a block of hours, starting or ending at the airport.
Point to point
Between any two addresses, with no airport involved.
How it works
How to book a London airport transfer
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Send a request
Your flight, pickup and drop-off, passengers and bags, using the form below.
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Receive a full quote
Usually within two hours, with any late-night, public holiday or short-notice charges shown. Nothing is charged until you accept it.
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Pay online
By secure payment link or bank transfer. Card details never reach this website.
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Booking confirmed
Confirmed once paid, and the booking desk shares your voucher.
Questions
London airport transfer questions
How long will my chauffeur wait when I land in London?
30 minutes from your flight’s actual arrival time. At Heathrow that includes border control and baggage reclaim, and passport holders who cannot use the eGates will be at a staffed desk. Waiting beyond 30 minutes can carry an additional charge, and a passenger who has not reached the meeting point within the waiting time and cannot be contacted is treated as a no-show, so keep your phone on once you land.
Why can’t I simply be collected at the kerb at Heathrow?
Heathrow prohibits passenger pick-ups from its terminal forecourts, and any cars left unattended there are removed by the police. It directs pick-ups to its car parks instead; at Terminal 4, where the multi-storey car park closed on 23 June 2026, that means the paid Priority Pick-Up Area or Park & Ride Zone A. Your chauffeur is named before pickup, so follow the details the booking desk confirms rather than looking for a car at the kerb.
I land at one Heathrow terminal and fly out of another. Do I need a car?
Not always. On a single ticket you normally stay airside and use Heathrow’s free connection buses, and you only pass immigration when an international flight connects to a domestic one. On separate tickets you go landside: Terminals 2 and 3 share a station, the Heathrow Express runs free between it and Terminal 5, and a free transfer train serves Terminal 4. With heavy luggage or a family, a terminal-to-terminal transfer by car is one of our services, and if the change takes you out through UK border control, check on GOV.UK whether you need an ETA.
My onward flight leaves from Gatwick on a separate ticket. Can you help?
Yes. Terminal to terminal covers connections between nearby airports as well as between terminals, and the table near the top of this page sets a car beside the coach, the train and a taxi. Send the booking desk both flights: the arriving one is tracked and the onward departure watched, so the connection window is protected.
How long does the trip from Heathrow to Gatwick take?
About an hour to 75 minutes on the direct coach, by the two airports’ own figures; for a car, the time depends on the M25 on the day. Gatwick gives its coach time as 1 hour and Heathrow as 70 to 75 minutes, over a road distance Heathrow measures at about 42 miles (68 km). On two tickets the drive is only one part of the plan, with the border, the baggage hall and a fresh check-in on top.
Changing from Heathrow to Gatwick, do I clear UK border control and check my bags in again?
Yes, if your first flight comes from outside the UK and Ireland. You cannot reach the other airport without leaving the first, so you queue at UK border control, reclaim every checked bag and pass through customs before you meet the car, then check in and clear security once more at the second airport. Gatwick says passengers arriving from the UK or Ireland skip passport control, but on separate tickets their bags still have to be collected. Whether you need a visa or an ETA to enter is a question for GOV.UK, so check there before booking the second flight.
How much time should I leave between a flight into Heathrow and one out of Gatwick?
Enough to cover every stage with time to spare: add up the stages, compare the total with the time between your two flights, and whatever remains is your margin. The stages are UK border control and the baggage hall at Heathrow, meeting your chauffeur, the drive, and the time before departure at which your onward airline closes check-in. Heathrow’s own list for this crossing also names security, waiting times and possible traffic delays. On this route those delays come on the M25, so the drive is the stage to leave the most slack for.
Can you collect me from Stansted, Luton or London City?
Yes. Any commercial airport can be quoted, so send us the airport, your flight number and where you are going, and the quote follows in the usual way. Stansted lies north-east of London in Essex, Luton to the north in Bedfordshire, and London City in the Royal Docks, close to Canary Wharf.
How far out of London are Heathrow and Gatwick?
Heathrow is about 14 miles west of central London, and Gatwick gives its own distance as 28 miles south. Gatwick’s own taxi page lists about 1 hour 45 minutes between King’s Cross and the North Terminal, and says times vary with traffic and roadworks. Your quote is built on your actual route rather than on figures like these, and heavy traffic does not change the quoted price.
Will the Congestion Charge or airport drop-off charges be added later?
No. TfL does not exempt most private hire vehicles from the Congestion Charge, and Heathrow charges private hire vehicles each time they enter a terminal drop-off zone. Where charges like these apply to your journey, they are either included in the quote or shown clearly in it as an additional charge, so they are not added unexpectedly after booking. Waiting beyond the included time may still carry a charge.
Waiting time, changes, cancellations and refunds are set out in full in our Terms & Conditions.
Request a transfer
Tell us the flight. We hold the car.
Under five minutes to complete. We come back with a full quote, usually within two hours. Nothing is charged until you accept the quote.