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Information for Luton Airport departures
Luton has one terminal and is London's fifth largest airport. You'll find check-in desks for all airlines flying from Luton, including WizzAir, Ryanair, easyJet and Tui, in the main hall on the ground floor.
Luton Airport has a priority lane if you need to get through security quickly – pay an extra £3 online or £5 at the airport. There's also a bag porter service to get you as far as the check-in desk (book 24 hours ahead), with bag wrapping facilities in the departure hall from £8.
When should I check in at Luton Airport?
All Luton Airport flights are open for check in two hours before scheduled flight departure. However the general guidelines for most flights are:
- Three hours before long-haul flights.
- Two hours before short-haul/European flights.
- 90 minutes before domestic flights.
Information for Luton Airport arrivals
The Arrivals hall is in the main terminal building, with booking kiosks for onward travel and hotel services. You'll find taxi ranks outside of the exit at the front of the building. Catching a train? Luton Airport Parkway station is a five minute shuttle ride away, on the free airport bus.
Luton Airport also has Passenger Service Assistants, recognisable by their hi-visibility uniforms, if you need help with directions or information. You can also contact them in an emergency using the red telephones located throughout the airport.
Where can I park at Luton Airport?
The satnav postcode for Luton Airport is LU2 9QT. Once there, signs will direct you to the various different car parks. You can pre-book car parking at Luton Airport online to get the best rates.
Priority Parking is a meet-and-greet service for those in a hurry, as you can simply drop off your car in front of the terminal, allow the staff to take care of the parking and collect it from the same place when you return.
The Short Term Car Park is located a few minutes walk from the terminal. The prices you'll pay on the day are:
- Up to 40 minutes: £7.00
- 40 minutes to 60 minutes: £10.00
- 1 hour to 2 hours: £14.00
- 2 hours to 3 hours: £18.00
- 3 hours to 4 hours: £25.00
- 4 hours to 6 hours: £27.00
- 6 hours to 9 hours: £40.00
- 9 hours to 12 hours: £42.00
- 12 hours to 24 hours: £45.00
The Mid Term Car Park is just five minutes journey from the terminal via the free airport shuttle (operates 24 hours, 7 days a week). The 'turn up and pay' prices are:
- Up to 30 minutes: Free
- Up to 45 minutes: £7.00
- Up to 1 hour: £10.00
- 1 hour to 24 hours: £23.00
The Long Term Car Park is slightly further away, around ten minutes on the airport shuttle bus, but it offers better value if you want to leave your car while you go on holiday. The price on the day is £21 for up to 24 hours. You can also stay for up to one hour free, so this is another option if you're picking someone up and you're expecting Luton Airport delays.
Pick up and drop off at Luton Airport
The best option for meeting arrivals or dropping off passengers is the Mid Term Car Park, as the first 30 minutes are free, and you can use the free shuttle to get to and from the terminal. You can also drop off right next to the terminal in the Priority Drop Off Zone, though this costs £2.50 for ten minutes and up to £9 for 30 minutes.
How do I get to and from Luton Airport?
By car: Luton Airport is easily accessible by road, via Junction 10 on the M1 and Junction 10 on the M25, and is just 32 miles from central London. If you're coming from the east via the A1, you can take the A505 through Hitchin to get to the airport.
Out of the major London airports, Luton Airport is one of the quickest journey times from the city centre by rail, at around 24 minutes. Catch a train from central stations like St Pancras International, Farringdon and Blackfriars every 10 minutes during peak hours, with direct connections from Gatwick Airport and Brighton as well. Passengers coming from the North can reach Luton via Sheffield, Derby and Bedford.
By coach/bus: National Express runs coaches from various cities all over the UK to Luton Airport, including direct services to and from London, Birmingham, Oxford, Leicester, Nottingham and Cambridge. Express buses into central London are operated by Green Line and easyBus (operated by easyJet) and take around one hour. You can also catch a StageCoach bus into Luton town centre and on to Milton Keynes from the airport.
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