Both London airports are within reach of Southampton, but the trade-offs differ. This article compares them on the four variables that matter most when you're deciding which to fly from.
Distance and journey time
Heathrow: ~75 miles via the M3. Typical chauffeur time 80-100 minutes off-peak, 100-130 in rush hour.
Gatwick: ~85 miles via the M25 southbound. Typical chauffeur time 100-120 minutes off-peak, 130-160 in rush hour.
Heathrow wins on raw miles and is usually faster door-to-terminal from Southampton. Gatwick adds the M25 segment, which is the variable bit — clean run vs. stationary traffic depending on time of day and incidents.
Transfer cost
Both routes are on our fixed-fare schedule.
- Heathrow: £99 in a standard saloon.
- Gatwick: £130 in a standard saloon.
The cost difference reflects the distance and the M25 toll on driver hours. The fixed price holds regardless of time of day or traffic — see our airport surcharges article for what's included.
Route network
This is where Heathrow pulls ahead.
Heathrow hosts British Airways' main hub plus most major full-service carriers across five terminals. Long-haul to North America, Asia, the Middle East — Heathrow has dense coverage. If you're flying business class or premium economy on a transatlantic, Heathrow is almost always the better option.
Gatwick's network is heavier on short-haul Europe and leisure routes — easyJet, TUI, Wizz, BA short-haul, Norse Atlantic for transatlantic budget. North Terminal is the main hub for non-BA carriers; South Terminal has BA, Vueling, and a few others. If you're flying budget to Spain, Italy, or Greece, Gatwick is often where the cheap flights live.
Parking and surcharges
Both airports charge drivers to enter drop-off zones. The current rates (which we quote upfront on the booking form):
- Heathrow: £7 drop-off charge at terminal Forecourts; strict 10-minute max as of 1 Jan 2026; meet-and-greet at short-stay carries a separate parking fee.
- Gatwick: £10 drop-off charge (raised from £7 on 6 January 2026, +43%); applies to both North and South terminals; longer-stay meet-and-greet zones available.
These are airport-imposed, not our markup. They show up as a separate line on your quote. See airport surcharges 2026 explained for the full UK list.
The decision
For most Southampton travellers, the choice comes down to which airport your airline uses, not which is closer.
A few rules of thumb:
- Long-haul business / premium: Heathrow, almost always.
- Short-haul Europe (BA full-service): Heathrow.
- Short-haul Europe (easyJet / TUI / Norwegian): Gatwick.
- Transatlantic budget: Gatwick (Norse Atlantic) or Heathrow (Aer Lingus, Virgin) depending on route.
- Anywhere your airline has only one option: that one.
Booking the transfer
Whichever you pick, we pre-book with your flight number. The driver tracks the inbound flight so the pickup time matches your actual landing, not the scheduled one — up to 60 minutes of free waiting included on airport pickups.
Routes available as fixed fares from Southampton: Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, London City. For airports outside this list, the per-mile rate sheet applies.
Have a specific outbound or return question? Email us — we'll quote both options side by side and let you pick.