Main terminal
British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, Swiss, ITA Airways, LOT and Luxair among others
One terminal for every flight, with 24 gates in two wings, its own DLR station and a black cab rank just outside the entrance.
London City Airport: the guide we would give a friend
London City Airport
London City is the closest airport to central London. It sits in the Royal Docks, 30–58 minutes by car from all ten of our hotels, with its own DLR station and a single terminal of 24 gates. It handled 3.7 million passengers in 2025, a fraction of Heathrow's, and that is the point: short walks, short queues and a train to the City in 23 minutes.
The 30-second version
Take the DLR from the airport's own station: 23 minutes to Bank, £3.30 off-peak with a contactless card, or six minutes to Canning Town for the Jubilee line to London Bridge. With bags or a party of three or more, the black cab rank is just outside the terminal and the meter runs from the kerb with no rank supplement. On the way out, check-in opens two hours before departure, liquids stay in your bag at the CT scanners, and there is no paid lounge until the new one opens, expected by early 2027.
- Passengers in 2025
- 3.7 million
- Terminals
- 1, with 24 gates in two wings
- DLR to Bank
- 23 min, £3.30 off-peak contactless
- Drive to our ten hotels
- Typically 30–58 min
- Check-in opens
- 2 hours before departure
- Paid lounge
- None until early 2027
- Saturday afternoon flights
- None
- Wi-Fi
- Free, unlimited
Book a private transfer
Booked with
A driver meets you in arrivals with your name on a sign, at a fixed price agreed when you book. Booked and paid with Welcome Pickups through our partner Travelpayouts; we may earn a commission.
Terminals
Landing to kerb
Every pick-up point, terminal by terminalPassport control
International arrivals go through the immigration hall, with eGates and staffed desks. British and Irish citizens and passport holders from the EU, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein can use the eGates with a biometric passport from the age of 8, accompanied by an adult until 18. Visitors who need an Electronic Travel Authorisation must have it before they fly.
Baggage reclaim
International and domestic flights have separate reclaim areas. From there you walk into the arrivals hall; with one terminal, there is no train or bus between buildings to catch.
Pay as you go
London's trains, buses and black cabs all take contactless bank cards and phones, so there is no need to buy a ticket or change money before you leave the airport.
The DLR
London City Airport has its own DLR station. Trains run every 8 to 15 minutes: Canning Town is six minutes away for the Jubilee line, Bank is 23 minutes direct, and Stratford International about 17. Tap a contactless card on the yellow reader before you board and again at your destination.
Black cabs
The taxi rank is just outside the terminal entrance. Cabs are metered, and Transport for London adds no extra charge for journeys that start at the London City rank. Our typical drive to our ten hotels is 30–58 minutes.
Pre-booked cars
Pre-booked minicabs and executive cars collect from the pick-up area in the Short Stay car park rather than from the terminal forecourt.
Kerb to gate
How early to arrive
Check-in desks open two hours before departure and not before, so there is no point arriving earlier with a bag to drop. The airport is compact enough that you can usually get from the kerb to the plane in minutes, but your airline sets the check-in and boarding cut-offs, so follow those.
Getting dropped off
The drop-off zone allows a maximum of 10 minutes, and drivers who stay longer pay a £100 enforcement charge. The drop-off fee is paid online afterwards against the car's registration. A black cab can add up to £6 to the metered fare for the forecourt.
Check-in and bag drop
Check in online where your airline allows it and keep the boarding pass on your phone. With a bag, head to your airline's desk or bag drop as soon as it opens two hours before departure.
Security
London City uses CT scanners, so laptops, tablets and liquids stay in your bag. The airport's current rule is that liquids must still be in containers of 100ml or less, so pack as you would for any UK airport.
Fast track and help
There is no paid Fast Track lane. Passengers with additional support needs can email the airport in advance to arrange fast-track or separate screening; a sunflower lanyard on its own does not give fast-track access. For a fully hosted departure, the airport sells a paid concierge service.
To the gate
The 24 gates are in two wings, and the airport says kerb to plane usually takes minutes. Settle at one of the cafés after security and watch the screens.
Eat and drink
Hithes London Bar and EateryDeparture lounge, after security
The sit-down choice: proper dishes and cocktails, open from 04:45 on weekdays for the first flights.
Juniper & CoTerminal
A bar and kitchen with drinks and freshly prepared food, for a glass before the flight.
Big Penny BrewsTerminal
Craft beer with artisan snacks and something more substantial if you want it.
Soul & GrainDeparture lounge, after security
Breakfasts, salads, sandwiches and good coffee, the healthier quick option.
Caffè NeroDeparture lounge, after security
Coffee and freshly prepared snacks on the way to the gate.
Pret a MangerDeparture lounge, after security
Sandwiches, salads and coffee to take on board.
The hotel at London City
Courtyard by Marriott London City Airport
For an early flight, a late landing or a long wait: the one we would book.
The closest proper hotel to London City and a recent build, so the rooms are quiet and the walk to check-in is short. Sleeping five minutes from the terminal makes the earliest departures easy.
There is no airport shuttle, so the walk is the only way in without a taxi.
Getting to the terminal
About 5 minutes on foot from the terminal and the DLR
- Triple-glazed windows in all 184 rooms
- 5 minutes on foot to the terminal and the DLR
- Restaurant and bar, gym and meeting rooms
- Check-in from 3pm, check-out until noon
The catch
Not yet. London City has no business or pay-at-the-door lounge at the moment; the airport says construction of a new lounge is under way and it expects to open by early 2027. With check-in opening only two hours before departure and short walks to the gates, most passengers do not miss it.
The airport also has no left luggage facility, so a bag you do not want to carry around London has to go back to the hotel. And there are no flights on Saturday afternoons: the government turned down the airport's request to open them when it approved its passenger increase.
- Lounge
- None until early 2027
- Left luggage
- None in the terminal
- Saturday afternoon flights
- None
Insider notes
The DLR fare is the same to Bank and to Tower Gateway: £3.30 off-peak and £3.90 at peak times with a contactless card. For London Bridge, change at Canning Town to the Jubilee line; the whole trip is about 20 minutes for the same £3.30 off-peak. If the planner offers a route through Woolwich Arsenal and London Bridge mainline, it costs more, at £5.40 off-peak.
The Elizabeth line is not at the airport, so for Bond Street or Tottenham Court Road a black cab is usually simpler than the DLR and a change onto the Jubilee line, about 27 minutes to Bond Street. And because London City is inside London's metered taxi area, the cab fare is the meter and nothing more, which is not the case at Gatwick, Stansted or Luton.
Connecting between flights
London City has no transfer area. If you land and fly on, you go through passport control, collect any bags, and clear security again with your onward boarding pass, so leave more time between flights than the airport's size suggests.
Step-free and assistance
Ask for assistance through your airline when you book, and email the airport in advance if you need fast-track or separate screening at security. The terminal is compact, with every gate in one of its two wings.
Delays and your rights
Flights from London City are covered by UK261. If you reach your final destination three hours or more late for a reason within the airline's control, you can claim £220 for flights of 1,500 km or less and £350 for 1,500–3,500 km. Claim from the airline. The airline also owes you food and drink once a short-haul flight is two hours late, and a hotel if the delay runs overnight.
Getting to our ten hotels
London City is the closest airport by road to seven of our ten London hotels. The Ned sits above Bank station, 23 minutes on the DLR without a change; Shangri-La The Shard is above London Bridge, about 20 minutes via Canning Town and the Jubilee line; Town Hall Hotel in Bethnal Green is our shortest drive from any London airport, at 30 minutes. The West End and Paddington hotels are 47–58 minutes by car. Our transfers page has the typical drive from all five airports to every hotel and the way we would travel.
Questions people ask
Good questions about London City
How do I get from London City Airport to central London?
The DLR leaves from the airport's own station: 23 minutes to Bank for £3.30 off-peak with a contactless card. A black cab from the rank outside the terminal takes about 30–58 minutes to our central hotels, on the meter.
How early should I get to London City Airport?
Check-in opens two hours before departure and not earlier. The airport is small enough to go from kerb to plane in minutes, but follow your airline's check-in and boarding deadlines.
Is there a lounge at London City Airport?
Not at the moment. The airport says its new lounge is under construction and should open by early 2027.
Do I need to take liquids out at London City Airport security?
No. The CT scanners let you leave liquids and laptops in your bag, but the airport still asks for liquids in containers of 100ml or less.
Is London City Airport open on Saturdays?
Yes, but there are no flights on Saturday afternoons; the government did not approve them when it allowed the airport to grow. Check your airline's timetable for a weekend trip.
How much is a taxi from London City Airport?
Black cabs are metered, and there is no extra charge for picking up at the London City rank. Our typical drive to our ten hotels is 30–58 minutes; the meter decides the fare.
Is there left luggage at London City Airport?
No. The airport has no left luggage facility in the terminal.
Is there free Wi-Fi at London City Airport?
Yes. Connect to the LCY free Wi-Fi network and register; it is unlimited throughout the terminal.
Image credits: Alexander Baxevanis (CC BY 4.0) · calflier001 (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Ben Brooksbank (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Hotolmo22 (CC0) · Arne Müseler (CC BY-SA 3.0 de)