London Gatwick

When travelling from London Gatwick, you have the following options to check in:

1. Online 24 hours before your flight departs:

• Check in at Manage My Booking and print your boarding pass.
• Use the British Airways app to check in and download your boarding pass to your mobile device.

2. Early check-in the day before your flight departs:

• Available for flights departing before 13:00 the following day. (This facility is not available on Christmas Day for flights departing before 13:00 on 26 December.)
• Check in as normal between 16:00 and 22:00 on the day before your flight departs. For security reasons, you cannot check in someone else in their absence, everyone in your booking needs to be present. We'll ask you to provide a contact number, give you your boarding pass and take any baggage you want to check in. Once your baggage has been checked in, we won't be able to retrieve it so make sure you have everything you need before you check in.
• On the day of your flight, just go straight to airport security. Please remember to be at your gate at least 20 minutes before departure.

3. When you need to check in at the airport on the day of departure:

• If you are travelling in a group of more than nine people, please use a check-in kiosk or go to a check-in desk.
• If your child is travelling alone, or with you but on a separate booking, please go to a check-in desk.

Check-in closes 60 minutes before long haul flights depart and 45 minutes before short haul flights depart. Please allow enough time, e.g. in case there are any queues.

Dedicated check-in desks are available to:

• customers travelling in First, Club World or Club Europe
• Executive Club Gold, Silver and Bronze Members
• oneworld^® Emerald, Sapphire and Ruby members

If you have baggage to check in, take your bags to a Bag Drop desk. Early check-in is available at the airport from 16:00 to 22:00 for flights departing before 13:00 the following day.

The Bag Drop desks are open at the following times:

If you are travelling with hand baggage only and have already checked in, you can go straight through security to the gate. If your hand baggage exceeds your allowance, you may need to check it in and charges may apply.

Check your hand baggage allowance

Check your checked baggage allowance

From your doorstep to your destination

Let AirPortr pick up your bags from your London location and check them in for your flight with the AirPortr + Bag Check-In service, exclusive to British Airways customers.

Available for the wider London area and flights departing from Heathrow and Gatwick, except flights within the UK.

More about AirPortr + Bag Check-In

Like many airlines, we are unable to accept cash payments at many of the airports we operate from, including London Gatwick. Please check with a member of our staff at the airport to find out if options are available for converting cash to a payment card.

You must enter security at least 35 minutes before your flight departs.

Premium Security is available daily 05:30 - 14:00 and 16:30 - 21:30 to:

• customers travelling in First, Club World and Club Europe
• Executive Club Gold and Silver Members (plus one guest)
• oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members (plus one guest)

Access to the lounges is based on your travel class and/or frequent flyer membership status. There are two British Airways lounges in the South Terminal.

After you clear security, please make sure you have enough time to get to your gate, as you need to be there at least 20 minutes before your flight departs.

Check the information screens if you’re not sure which gate your flight departs from. If we have your contact details, we will try to contact you when it is about to close but we can't delay the aircraft's departure to wait for late passengers.

You will notice a ‘Group’ number on your boarding pass which shows your boarding priority. Please be ready to board the aircraft when your group is called.

Find out your group for boarding

If you want to take advantage of pre-boarding or priority boarding, please arrive at the gate early.

Pre-boarding is available to:

• families with small children
• customers requiring disability or mobility assistance

Priority boarding is available to:

• customers travelling in First, Club World, Club Europe or World Traveller Plus
• Executive Club Gold, Silver and Bronze Members
• oneworld Emerald, Sapphire and Ruby members

If you arrive after your priority group has been called, you can use the priority lane to board at your leisure.

Find out everything you need to know about flight connections with British Airways, including travelling between London airports.

Flight connections

If you need additional help for your journey, e.g. for getting through the airport, boarding the aircraft, or reaching your onward travel connections, please let us know at least 48 hours before you travel at Manage My Booking and we can arrange this for you with Gatwick airport.

More about disability assistance

Trains at London Gatwick

Gatwick railway station is directly accessible from the South Terminal.

Rail information and ticket desks can be found in the arrivals area of the South Terminal.

Trains at London Gatwick

Buses and coaches

National Express operates a network of services each day to and from London Gatwick Airport. Unlike other coach operators, National Express will take you to the heart of the London Gatwick South Terminal from towns and cities throughout the UK, making getting to the airport hassle-free.

• It is a safe, fast and reliable way to travel.
• Gatwick to Heathrow coach services run 80 times a day, and the journey takes up to an hour.
• Book your return tickets now to ensure a great fare or book an open ticket for more flexibility.

Find out more about National Express coach travel

Travelling by car

Gatwick is 28 miles (45km) south of London, linked directly to the M23 motorway at Junction 9 and to the A23 London-Brighton road. The M25 London orbital motorway is a ten minute drive away (Junction 7), via the M23, providing connections to the national road and motorway network.

Driving to and from Gatwick

Private hire taxi service

Get a quote and book a taxi at Gatwick.

Make your journey easier with our parking partner. Leave your car at a nearby car park with quick transfers, drop it off right outside the terminal with valet parking, or combine an overnight stay with parking and transfers at an airport hotel.

• Earn 5 Avios per £1 spent when you pre-book parking
• Secure and convenient

Find out more about parking and book

Once you have disembarked from the aircraft and are in the terminal building you will need to pass through passport control.

If you have an EU passport with a chip in it you can use the automatic ePassport gates.

Premium immigration is available to book online at Gatwick Airport.

After passport control, follow the yellow signs for 'Arrivals/Baggage reclaim' and look for your flight on the information screens to see which carousel your bags will arrive on.

Once you have your baggage, you may need to pass through customs. You can find more information on allowances and restrictions on the GOV.UK website.