CITYUNITED KINGDOM
London Airports — Wait Times & Live Status
Live wait times for all London airports — Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, and City. Compare airports to pick the fastest option today.
Fastest right now: STN (3 min)
LTN
London Luton Airport
Luton, Bedfordshire
LIVE
Security wait
15 min
Which London airport should I use?
| Airport | Name | Live wait | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LHR | Heathrow Airport | 9 min | LIVE | View → |
| LGW | London Gatwick Airport | 11 min | LIVE | View → |
| STN | London Stansted Airport | 3 min | LIVE | View → |
| LTN | London Luton Airport | 15 min | LIVE | View → |
| LCY | London City Airport | 4 min | LIVE | View → |
Wait times are averaged across open security checkpoints and updated every few minutes when a live feed is available.
Best time to arrive
Domestic departures
Arrive at the airport 2 hours before a domestic departure.
For peak periods — early mornings (5–8 AM) and weekend afternoons — add an extra 30 minutes.
International departures
Arrive at least 3 hours before an international departure out of London.
Passport control and security lines can run 45+ minutes at peak hours.
London travel tips
- Don’t blindly pick the biggest airport. Smaller airports in London (LGW, STN, LTN, LCY) often have shorter security lines and faster check-in — especially at off-peak hours.
- Factor in transit time. A 20-minute faster security line isn’t worth it if the airport is 40 minutes further from where you’re staying. Always check ground-transport time first.
- Check the live wait time right before you leave. Security waits can swing by 30+ minutes in a single hour at major London airports.
- Set an alert. FlightQueue can notify you when wait times at your London airport spike so you can leave earlier.