Address: Navigation House, Airport Way, Luton, Bedfordshire LU2 9LY
Airport Code: LTN
General Enquiries: 01582 405100
Lost Property: 01582 395219 or lostproperty@ltn.aero
Website: www.london-luton.co.uk or @LDNLutonAirport
You have to admire branding at work: appending “London” to “London Luton Airport” is perhaps slightly wishful thinking, seeing as the facility is located 35 miles north of Central London. That said, it’s not impossible to get to the airport and parking is reasonable, but everyone knows why they’re flying out of Luton: those ridiculously cheap budget tickets to the Spanish coast.
Luton debuted in 1938, was put to good use during WWII and quickly became a top airport for package holiday travel. Charter trips comprised the majority of flights in and out of Luton until the 1980s, when Ryanair began using Luton for short-haul flights. In the 1990s Luton was reborn as the go-to for no-frills budget air carriers flying in and out of the London area. Thus, the £2.99 flight to the Canary Islands with every other stag or hen party travelling that weekend.
Luton features the requisite airport amenities: Boots, Dixons, et al. plus light meals. For assistance in leaving the airport to wherever it is you’re headed, the Onward Travel Centre is located on the main concourse in the terminal building and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Unless you live in North London, getting to and from Luton by public transport isn’t quite seamless. It consists of taking a half-hour train service from St Pancras or London Bridge to Luton Parkway. After your train journey you’ll be met at Luton Parkway by a shuttle bus. Be sure to purchase your rail tickets with London Luton Airport as your final destination.
Luton is served by rail via the Luton Airport Parkway Station. From there a ten-minute shuttle bus takes you to the terminal. Keep in mind that while rail service from Luton Airport Parkway Station to central London is frequent (and through the night via Thameslink service), the shuttle only operates between 5 a.m. and midnight. Which is to say, if your plane is delayed past midnight—not out of the question with budget carriers—consider coach alternatives.
Coach services, such as the 757 Greenline, easyBus and National Express are good alternatives that will at least get you home if your flight comes in late. Greenline (www.greenline.co.uk/757 or 0844 801 7261) is probably your best bet, and it offers pick-up and drop-off points on Buckingham Palace Road, Marble Arch and Baker Street, as well as free WiFi. Fares to London Victoria are £10 and it takes about an hour, but it runs pretty regularly through the night. The National Express service A1 operates 60 departures a day between Luton and London Victoria, with free WiFi as well.
London Luton Airport is somewhat accessible from both the M1 and M25. If you have a choice, go for the M1, as the airport is only about five minutes from Junction 10. Without traffic, it can take about 45 minutes from central London. This can sometimes be longer when there are extensive road works, which tends to be always. When using Sat Nav systems, use the postcode LU2 9QT.
Seriously. You’ve paid next to nothing for your airfare, splash out on a private cab. If you book a licensed mini-cab ahead of time, the service is often cheaper than the equivalent black cab fare and definitely easier, as they’ll meet you at the arrivals hall. A consistently cheap company is Simply Airports (www.simplyairports.co.uk or 020 7701 4321) which is usually under £55, but you may want to get a quote from your own local company. If you leave it to the last minute, and must take a black cab, get ready to shell out at least £85 (with their meters, this can increase with traffic) plus a meeting fee if you want them to wait for you. Cab rides from central London usually take about an hour.
Short Term Parking is pricier but situated closest to the terminal, with prices ranging from £4 for 30 minutes or £37 per day drive-up. Mid-term parking is ideal for stays of around five days and is about a five-minute transfer by bus. Mid term is £21 per day drive-up with significant savings if booked well in advance. Long-term parking is about 10 minutes from the terminal by bus, and costs £19 per day, with hefty discounts for booking in advance.
Car hire desks are located at the Onward Travel Centre on the main concourse in the terminal building. Lots are connected to the airport via free shuttle service. On-site companies are Avis, Europcar/National/Alamo, Hertz and Enterprise.
There is no hotel at Luton but there are four hotels near the airport: Ibis Hotel (01582 424488), Holiday Inn Express (01582 589100), Ramada Encore Hotel (01582 218132) and Hampton by Hilton (01582 798477).
Air Nostrum
AtlasGlobal
Blue Air
easyJet
El Al
La Compagnie
Monarch
Ryanair
SunExpress
TAROM
Thomson
Wizz Air