No London airport is always the cheapest. Luton and Stansted host the big low-cost airlines, so they often show the lowest headline fares for Europe, but from the Chilterns they are also further away than Heathrow, and every airport now charges at the kerb. The cheapest airport for your trip is the one with the lowest total: the fare with the bags you actually need, plus getting there and back, plus the value of your time. Here is how to add that up for a trip from Gerrards Cross and the surrounding villages.
- Compare the whole trip: fare, baggage, two journeys to and from the airport, and any parking or drop-off charges.
- From Gerrards Cross, Heathrow is 20–35 minutes away and Stansted 90–105, so a small fare saving at a distant airport can disappear in travel time and cost.
- Airport drop-off charges now range from £7 at Heathrow to £10 at Gatwick and Stansted for a short stop, as of September 2026.
Which airports have the low-cost airlines?
Roughly, the budget carriers cluster at Luton, Stansted and Gatwick, while Heathrow and London City focus on full-service and business flying. Examples from the airports' own information (correct as of September 2026):
- Luton: easyJet, Wizz Air and Jet2 all fly from here, and each offers evening bag drop for early flights (London Luton Airport).
- Stansted: the largest base for Ryanair, serving more than 150 of its destinations (London Stansted Airport).
- Gatwick: easyJet flies from the North Terminal, alongside British Airways in the South Terminal (Gatwick terminal finder).
- Heathrow and London City: mainly full-service airlines, which usually include more in the fare but rarely have the lowest headline price.
A low headline fare often excludes hold luggage and seat selection, so price the flight with the bags your trip really needs before comparing airports.
What does getting to each airport cost in time?
Time is the first hidden cost, because you pay it twice, once each way. From Gerrards Cross by car, according to our airport transfers planning table:
| Airport | By car from SL9 | Round trip on the road | Forecourt drop-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heathrow | 20–35 min | about 40–70 min | £7 per entry |
| Luton | 50–65 min | about 80–110 min | £9 for 12 min |
| London City | 70–95 min | about 2–3 hours | £8 for 5 min |
| Gatwick | 70–85 min | about 2 hr 20 min to 2 hr 50 min | £10 for 10 min |
| Stansted | 90–105 min | about 2 hr 40 min to 3 hr 10 min | £10 up to 15 min |
Charges from Heathrow, Luton, London City, Gatwick and Stansted. Each also charges more for longer stays, and most offer a free option further away, such as Heathrow's Park & Ride or the Long Stay car parks at Gatwick and Luton.
Is the train a cheaper way to reach the budget airports?
Sometimes, but none of the London airports has a direct train from Gerrards Cross, so every rail journey involves London. Sample TfL Journey Planner results for a weekday in September 2026, station to station:
- Heathrow: 66–73 minutes via Marylebone, Paddington and the Heathrow Express, or around 50 minutes on local buses.
- Luton Airport Parkway: 86–93 minutes via Marylebone and St Pancras, then the DART shuttle to the terminal.
- Gatwick: 87–100 minutes via Marylebone and Victoria or London Bridge.
- Stansted: 104–116 minutes via Marylebone and Liverpool Street.
Advance tickets on the airport express trains help: Heathrow Express singles start from £10 booked 30 days ahead, and Luton Airport Express advance fares start from £10 including the DART (Heathrow Express, London Luton Airport). Add your Chiltern Railways ticket into London, and the cost for a family of four starts to look very different from one person travelling light.
How do you work out the true cheapest option?
For each airport you are considering, write down four numbers:
- The flight, including hold bags and any seats you need, for everyone travelling.
- Getting there and back, either a return transfer quote, rail tickets for the whole party, or parking for the full trip plus fuel.
- Extras at the airport, such as drop-off charges if someone is driving you, or fast-track if an early flight makes queues a worry.
- Time, the extra hours on the road or on trains compared with the nearest airport.
Then compare totals. A fare that is much cheaper from Stansted may still win for a family, but a small saving rarely survives a round trip of nearly three hours on the road. Our parking vs taxi cost article shows how to price the ground part, and is fast-track worth it? helps with the extras.
When does the closest airport win?
More often than headline prices suggest. Heathrow's 20–35 minute journey from Gerrards Cross makes the ground cost and time the smallest of any airport, and its flights to the same city may include a checked bag. Heathrow and Luton are also the easiest for very early departures from the Chilterns, because the pickup time is later. Our Heathrow terminals guide and Luton guide go into each one.
When is a further airport worth it?
When the saving is large across the whole party, when the route is only available there, or when the times suit much better. In those cases, book the ground journey early and at a fixed price, so the saving is not eaten by a last-minute arrangement. Read the Stansted guide and Gatwick guide before you commit, and compare all seven airports in the airport planning guide. For a fixed quote to any of them, use the airport transfers page.