Gatwick usually wins on money — but your destination determines by how much.
You found two flights to London. One lands at Heathrow. The other at Gatwick. The ticket prices look similar. But the airports are not. This guide teaches you how to compare them using total real cost — ticket, baggage, airport transfer, and door-to-door time. If you just want a fast answer, the next section gives you the 30-second version. If you want to understand the full reasoning, read straight through.
Gatwick usually wins on total cost — but your London destination changes the margin. At Canary Wharf, Gatwick wins by €37. At Paddington with advance Heathrow Express fares, the two airports nearly tie. At Victoria, Gatwick wins by a comfortable €22. If you live or are staying in east or south London, Gatwick is almost certainly the cheaper door-to-door choice. If you are heading to west London or need the speed and frequency of the Heathrow Express, Heathrow earns its premium.
These numbers use walk-up fares for airport transfers. If you book the Heathrow Express or Gatwick Express in advance, the transfer-cost difference narrows — and in some cases, Heathrow can become the cheaper total trip. Always check advance fares before deciding.
The ticket price is only part of the story. A flight landing at Gatwick might save you €20 on the fare — but cost you €34 more in airport transfer, plus an extra 30 minutes of journey time. Travelvus adds every measurable cost so you can compare the real trip, not just the ticket. The table below shows the reference costs that underpin every comparison on this page.
| Cost factor | Heathrow | Gatwick |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer to central London | £14–£25 | £12–£28 |
| Transfer time | 15–50 min | 30–60 min |
| Checked bag (typical) | Included | +£25–£40 |
| Seat selection | £8–£15 | £6–£12 |
| GBP→EUR conversion | 1.17 | 1.17 |
Let's work through a real comparison. The same two travellers, same date, two different airports. The ticket to Gatwick is cheaper. But is the total trip cheaper?
Gatwick saves £68 on the ticket — but baggage and transfer add £113. The ticket advantage disappears once the full trip is counted.
Heathrow transfer costs £18. Gatwick transfer costs £71 — a £53 gap. This is the single biggest factor in the comparison, and it varies by your London destination.
At Canary Wharf, the Gatwick transfer cost drops and the gap widens to €37. At Paddington with an advance HEX fare, the margin collapses to near zero. The winner is the same — but the margin depends on where you are going.
For most London destinations, Heathrow wins on total cost when you carry luggage — despite the higher ticket price. But if you are travelling light to east London, Gatwick deserves a second look.
Paddington, Ealing, Hammersmith. The Heathrow Express and Elizabeth Line make Heathrow the clear winner for west London destinations. Transfer time is shorter and costs are lower.
Gatwick to Paddington takes 30-50 minutes by train and costs more than the Heathrow Express off-peak. For west London, Gatwick rarely wins on total cost or time.
| Destination | Heathrow total | Gatwick total | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paddington | €187 | €188 | Near-tie | €1 |
| Victoria | €178 | €156 | Gatwick | €22 |
| Canary Wharf | €178 | €141 | Gatwick | €37 |
| Clapham | €190 | €161 | Gatwick | €29 |
| King's Cross | €183 | €169 | Gatwick | €14 |
These numbers include one checked bag per traveller. If you travel carry-on only, the Heathrow transfer advantage increases — Gatwick loses one of its few cost advantages.
Not always. Heathrow has a wider range of airlines including budget carriers. But for comparable routes and airlines, Heathrow tickets tend to be £30–£90 more expensive than Gatwick.
Yes. Both Heathrow and Gatwick accept Oyster cards and contactless payment on TfL and National Rail services. Gatwick Express also accepts contactless but not Oyster.
Per-person costs remain the same, but the total saving multiplies. A €22 per-person Gatwick advantage becomes €88 for a family of four. Heathrow Express group discounts can narrow this gap — always check advance fares.
Yes. Off-peak fares significantly reduce transfer costs for both airports. Late-night arrivals at Gatwick face limited train service and may require a taxi — which can flip the total-cost winner. Travelvus uses daytime off-peak fares in all comparisons unless stated otherwise.
All transfer costs are verified from official TfL and National Rail sources as of July 2026. Walk-up contactless and Oyster fares. Off-peak daytime rates. GBP converted to EUR at 1.17. Every number is measured identically for both options. The winner is always determined from exact values — never from rounded display numbers.
Read our methodology →For most travellers heading to central or west London with checked luggage, Heathrow is the better total-value choice — despite the higher ticket price. Your destination determines the margin, but the framework here works for any London airport pair.
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