Can anyone compare these 2 airports for arrival/departure? User friendly? Shops & places to have a cup of coffee? Smoking/non-smoking areas? Ease of getting to & from. On arival we will be headed to London, hotel TBD (convenient for Cheasea Flower Show/train to York). We will be returning from Scotland for flight out -- may stay outside London, such as Windsor? -- that's also TBD.

I think that it's a little bit easier to get from Heathrow to many destinations in the city. It's big and busy, but it is connected directly to the Underground (with hundreds and hundreds of yards of walking within the airport to get TO the Underground). for either airport, there is something quite nice about having a car and driver meet you if you have the budget (and enough people) to make it fit the needs of your travels. <BR><BR>That said, I would choose flights by price and time/convenience - - not which airport.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

LHR is a little bit more convenient than LGW. You can use the tube to get into town and if you are buying a travelcard and will be doing some other travelling in London that day, it costs next to nothing.<BR><BR>While it is true that there is a lot of walking to the tube stop for terminals 1, 2 and 3, for LHR terminal 4 the walk is not really all that bad.<BR><BR>LGW is not connected with the tube. Rather you need to take a main line train to Victoria for something like &pound;11.

Both airports are fairly well stocked with shops/bars/restaurants, etc. and both have express rail links into London, although Heathrow has the Underground as well (v. slow journey).<BR><BR>Gatwick is much further out of the city than Heathrow and so the train journey is longer and a cab/car would be very expensive.<BR><BR>Heathrow is right next door to Windsor.<BR><BR>But as Rex said, you should probably go for the best-priced deal.<BR><BR>FYI: Delta, US Airways, NorthWest and Continental serve Gatwick; United and American serve Heathrow; British Airways and Virgin serve both.

American goes to Gatwick from Raleigh-Durham (RDU)

While traveling the Gatwick Express to London Victoria Station...which was simple and easy (a 30 minute trip, I saw a billboard that said something like use Gatwick..why go to Heathslow. Guess that is Gatwick's campaign to get people to use them...<BR><BR>Go where you get the best deal.

Heathrow is better for shopping but Gatwick is much better in terms of less people / less walking. The tube to Heathrow takes ages so unless you are really looking to save money the cost of getting into the centre by train is pretty much the same from either. Both the trains go to central locations.

It really is six of one / half dozen of the other. Both airports have advantages and disadvantages. Take the one that gets you the best fare or the airline you prefer.<BR><BR>LGW is easier to navigate and the Express train to Victoria is terrific. LHR has more shopping (but there is also quite a bit at LGW). LHR is closer to Windsor if you choose to stay there. LHR is HUGE and usually very crowded, and can take longer to clear customs. So - don't let the airport determine your route. I use both and and it doesn't make much difference.<BR><BR>No hotel would be convenient for both Chelsea and Kings Cross (for your train to York) but anyplace near a tube station would get you to Kings Cross w/o much difficulty.

Ditto janis.<BR><BR>Anyone stating that one is better than the other simply as a superior place to spend time in an airport has spent entirely too much time in airports.<BR>

Saying that Heathrow is better than Gatwick for shopping is like saying that McDonald's is better than White Castle. Yes, Heathrow is better, but it's still airport shopping. Poor selection, high prices, crowded tiny shops. It's really awful, and I can't understand people who rave about the great shopping.

LHR is much more convenient to London if you have a car or take a taxi. Therefore, many businessmen fly there. This has created a more varied schedule than LGW.<BR><BR>If you don't arrive/leave by car, it doesn't matter too much which airport you arrive. If you want to save money, the Underground goes to LHR. If you are going to Victoria Station, LGW is more convenient. London City is convenient to the Docklands but only a few European flights go there. Stansted is convenient to Cambridge but rail links to London are somewhat inconvenient with a few exceptions. Luton is a pain in the neck for most of London.<BR><BR>If your plans are to be determined, you can't make an intelligent choice. Just pick LHR or LGW depending on the cost of the flight.

Jeff<BR><BR>Heathrow is one of the cheapest places around to buy decent quality workshirts. Yes, you can buy them at Gatwick but there is not nearly as much choice. You obviously don't wear a suit very often.

Whopping comeback, that &quot;suit&quot; line, John. I always buy my shirts at the airport. Doesn't everybody who wears a suit?

topping<BR>