Gatwick Airport: terminals, drop-off charge, trains and security

London Gatwick has two terminals, North and South, joined by a free shuttle. The station is at the South Terminal, the drop-off zones charge a minimum of £10, and containers of up to two litres can stay in your hand luggage. Check which terminal your airline uses before you set off.

Everything below was read on Gatwick's own website on 8 November 2026. Most of its pages show no update date, so check charges and times in the week you travel.

The airport's airlines and terminals page lists every airline with its terminal, so look yours up before you leave home. Some of the best known are in the table.

The two terminals are linked by a free inter-terminal shuttle. The airport's connections page says it runs every few minutes, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with a journey time of two minutes, and that the shuttle station in the South Terminal is close to the train station. If you go to the wrong terminal, follow the signs to the other one. The airport publishes maps of both terminals that show check-in zones, shops and toilets.

The airport's train page says the station is at the South Terminal, about five minutes' walk from both departures and arrivals, and that North Terminal passengers reach it by the free shuttle. It says a train leaves on average every four minutes, with direct services to 120 stations.

On the train, the airport says you can tap in and out with a contactless card or Oyster card to travel to and from London, but not to stations south of Gatwick, such as Crawley, Horsham and Brighton, or outside London, such as Reading and Cambridge, where you need a ticket. Tickets can be bought online, with the barcode scanned at the barrier, or from machines in the South Terminal station.

The airport's coach and bus page puts the National Express stops at bus stops 4 and 5 on the lower level outside International Arrivals at the North Terminal, and at stops 1 to 5 on the lower forecourt at the South Terminal. Its taxi page names Airport Cars Gatwick as the official private hire operator, while its train page names Gatwick Cars Ltd as the official taxi provider, so check who you are booking with. Its driving page lists 24-hour petrol stations after the exits of both terminals and an electric vehicle forecourt with 30 chargers.

Both the train and the driving pages carry dated notices of planned engineering works, which change often, so we quote none: read the train page and the driving page in the week you travel. For how other airports compare, see our guide to UK airports.

The drop-off page says passengers can be dropped off outside the terminal buildings in the designated zones, on the lower level at both the North and South Terminals, and that there are no barriers on the forecourts: you drive in, pull over in a bay, and drive out. The charge is a minimum of £10 and has to be paid by midnight the day after you use the zone.

To reach the drop-off zones by road, leave the M23 at junction 9 and follow the signs for the terminal you need.

To meet someone arriving, the pick-up page describes express pick-up bays in the Short Stay car parks: Car Park 6, Level 4 at the North Terminal and Car Park 3, Ground Floor at the South Terminal. You must stay with your vehicle, because unattended cars may receive a Parking Charge Notice, and the airport says the bays are charged at its standard Short Stay roll-up rates, which we do not quote. Its Long Stay car parks offer up to two hours free, with charges after that.

The airport's security page says to have your boarding pass ready to scan, and that your passport is not required at security. It tells you to remove coats, jackets and belts so they can be X-rayed with your hand luggage, and says you may need to remove your shoes.

The airport advises checking the rules at every other airport you fly from, because not all have the same equipment. For how the limits differ across the country, read our guide to liquids in hand luggage at UK airports. The airport says the scanner image is never seen, stored, printed or transmitted.

For families and anyone who needs help, the security page describes a family and assistance lane with a wider gate for wheelchairs and buggies, reached after check-in by following the signs, and it recommends pre-booking assistance at least 72 hours ahead through the airport's assisted travel pages. The Fast Track security page describes a paid, dedicated lane at both terminals, open 04:00 to 20:00, from £6 per person, with children under two free.

The airport's check-in page says to confirm check-in times with your airline, as they vary, and gives a general guide. It adds that you should arrive at least two hours before your flight, and that boarding usually begins 45 minutes to an hour before departure. No flight calls are made at Gatwick, so watch the screens.

Several airlines also offer day-before check-in at Gatwick for early flights.

Check-in times vary by airline, so confirm yours before you travel.

Beyond security the airport describes lounges, hotels, left luggage and free Wi-Fi. Lounges and hotels are run by other companies, with their own booking and opening times, so we leave their prices and hours to their pages.

Details are on the airport's Wi-Fi page, lounges page, hotels page and luggage storage page.

If you lose something, the airport's lost property page says items lost in the terminal are logged at lostproperty.org, that it can take 24 to 48 hours for a found item to be registered, and that found items are kept for up to three months. There is a fee to reclaim an item. For something left on a plane, contact the airline.

The passport control page says your first step is to clear passport control and that there are two areas: one for European Union, European Economic Area, British and Swiss nationals, and one for all other nationalities. It recommends the ePassport gates if you can use them, with your passport open at the photo page and any holders or covers removed.

The airport says you can use the ePassport gates if you are over 10 (10 to 17-year-olds must be accompanied by an adult) and have a biometric passport from the United Kingdom, the EU, the EEA countries, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Singapore, South Korea or the United States, or are a Registered Traveller member with a biometric chipped passport. You still see a Border Force officer if you travel with children under 10 or with a passport that has no biometric chip. It adds that your passport must not expire during your visit.

After passport control, you collect your bags and go through customs. The customs page says there are two channels, green for nothing to declare and red for goods to declare. Our baggage rules guide covers what airlines allow.

If you connect through Gatwick on separate tickets, the connections page advises at least 60 minutes if your next flight is in the same terminal and at least 90 minutes if it is in a different terminal. It adds that your airline may require longer.

Gatwick Airport's parking page lists five official options, with the walking or transfer time it gives for each. The airport says its official car parks are barrier controlled and hold ParkMark Safer Parking approval.

Blue Badge bays are provided in the Long Stay, Mid Stay and Short Stay car parks at both terminals, and the Blue Badge page says to call 0800 678 3353 or use the intercom on the payment machines so Times24 can validate the badge. Details of each car park are on the Short Stay and Long Stay pages.

The airport's page on rogue parking operators lists the firms in its Approved Operators Scheme and a six-point checklist for any provider not on it, including being wary of unusually cheap prices and checking independent reviews. We do not book or rank parking. For how to choose between on-site and off-site options, see our guide to airport parking in the UK.

Work backwards from your check-in desk: which terminal, how you get there, where you stop, and what is in your bag. Our travel tips for UK travellers cover the rest of the trip.

• Your terminal
  Look your airline up on the airport's terminals page: North or South.
• Your route
  The station is at the South Terminal; North Terminal passengers take the free shuttle.
• Your drop-off
  A minimum of £10 in the drop-off zone, paid by midnight the next day, or park in Long Stay for two free hours.
• Your check-in
  Arrive at least two hours before your flight, and earlier for long-haul.
• Your bag
  Containers of up to two litres can stay in your hand luggage, but not metal or double-walled ones.
• Your return
  The airport tells you to check the rules of every airport on the return leg too.

• How long does it take to get from Gatwick Airport to London?

  The airport gives 30 to 45 minutes by train to London, and says the Gatwick Express runs non-stop to Victoria twice an hour in 30 minutes. By coach it gives 1 hour 45 minutes with National Express.

• Where is the train station at Gatwick Airport?

  At the South Terminal, about five minutes’ walk from departures and arrivals. From the North Terminal, take the free shuttle, which the airport says takes two minutes.

• How much is the drop-off charge at Gatwick Airport?

  The airport gives £10 for 10 minutes, then £1 for each additional minute up to 20 minutes, with a maximum daily charge of £30 and a maximum stay of 30 minutes. It must be paid by midnight the day after.

• Is there free drop-off at Gatwick Airport?

  The airport’s drop-off page lists a charge for the forecourt zones. It says you can park in a Long Stay car park for free for two hours, with a free shuttle bus to the terminals, and Blue Badge holders are exempt from the drop-off charge.

• Which terminal does my airline use at Gatwick?

  The airport’s terminals page lists each airline. For example it gives British Airways, Jet2 and Ryanair at the South Terminal and easyJet at the North Terminal, and TUI at both depending on the flight number.

• Can I take liquids through Gatwick Airport security?

  The airport says containers of up to two litres can stay in your hand luggage, but not metal or double-walled containers, which must be emptied first.

• How early should I arrive at Gatwick Airport?

  The airport says to arrive at least two hours before your flight. It gives a general guide of around four hours for long-haul, three for European and two for UK and Ireland flights, and says to confirm with your airline.

• Can I check in the day before at Gatwick Airport?

  Some airlines offer it for early flights. The airport lists British Airways, easyJet, Jet2 and TUI Airways, each with its own hours and conditions.

• How long do I need to connect between flights at Gatwick Airport?

  The airport advises at least 60 minutes if your next flight is in the same terminal and at least 90 minutes if it is in a different terminal, and says your airline may require longer.

• Where do I report lost property at Gatwick Airport?

  Items lost in the terminal are logged at lostproperty.org, and found items are kept for up to three months. For items left on a plane, contact your airline.