Airports of London in the context of "London Heathrow Airport"

The world's busiest city airport systems by passenger traffic are measured by total number of passengers from all airports within a city or metropolitan area combined. London, with six commercial airports serving its metropolitan area, is the busiest city airport system in the world, although Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the world's busiest individual airport.

The New York metropolitan area has the busiest airport system in the United States and the second-busiest in the world after London. It is the country's most frequently used port of entry and departure for international flights.

The metro area has three major airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA), all operated since 1947 by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. In 2014, they were used by more than 117 million passengers. Until 2022, the three shared the International Air Transport Association airport code (IATA code) "NYC"; Newark now only uses EWR. JFK and Newark are connected to regional rail systems by AirTrain JFK and AirTrain Newark respectively.

Gatwick Airport (/ˈɡætwɪk/; IATA: LGW, ICAO: EGKK), also known as London Gatwick Airport, is one of several international airports serving Greater London and southern England. It is located near Crawley, in West Sussex (30 miles (48 km) south of Central London), England. In 2024, Gatwick was the second-busiest airport by total passenger traffic in the UK, after Heathrow, and was the tenth-busiest in Europe by total passenger traffic. It covers a total area of 674 hectares (1,670 acres).

Gatwick opened as an aerodrome in the late 1920s; it has been in use for commercial flights since 1933. The airport has two terminals: the North Terminal and the South Terminal, which cover areas of 98,000 m (1,050,000 sq ft; 117,000 sq yd) and 160,000 m (1,700,000 sq ft; 190,000 sq yd) respectively. It operates as a single-runway airport, using a main runway with a length of 3,316 metres (10,879 ft). A secondary runway is available but, due to its proximity to the main runway, can only be used if the main runway is not in use. In 2018, 46.1 million passengers passed through the airport, a 1.1% increase compared with 2017. Gatwick is the secondary London hub for British Airways and the largest operating base for low-cost carrier easyJet.

Stansted Airport (IATA: STN, ICAO: EGSS) is an international airport serving the south-east of England. It is located near Stansted Mountfitchet, in the district of Uttlesford, Essex; it lies 42 miles (68 km; 36 nmi) north-east of Central London.

As London's third-busiest airport, Stansted serves over 180 destinations across Europe, Asia and North Africa. London Stansted is a base for a number of European low-cost carriers; this includes being the largest base for low-cost airline Ryanair, with over 150 destinations served by the airline. As of 2022, it is the fourth-busiest airport in the United Kingdom, after Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, it ranked second in the country. Stansted's runway is also used by private companies, such as the Harrods Aviation, Titan Airways and XJet terminals, which are private ground handlers that can handle private flights, charter flights and state visits.

London Luton Airport (IATA: LTN, ICAO: EGGW) is an international airport in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. It is 1.7 miles (2.7 km) east of the town centre and is the fourth-busiest airport serving London. The airport is owned by London Luton Airport Limited, a company wholly owned by Luton Borough Council, and is operated by London Luton Airport Operations Limited (LLAOL).

An airport was opened on the site on 16 July 1938. During the Second World War, the airport was used by fighters of the Royal Air Force. Commercial activity and general aviation flight training at Luton resumed during 1952. By the 1960s, Luton Airport was playing a key role in the development of the package holiday business; by 1969, a fifth of all holiday flights from the UK departed from Luton Airport. From the mid-1960s, executive aircraft have been based at the airport. During the late 1970s, an expansion plan was initiated at Luton to accommodate as many as five million passengers per year, although the airport experienced a reduction in passenger numbers in the 1980s. In 1990, the airport was renamed London Luton Airport to emphasise its proximity to the capital.