Which Airport Should You Fly Into? A Guide for Multi-Airport Destinations
London, Paris, Tokyo, New York — each has multiple airports with different costs, locations, and connections. Here's how to choose.
London: LHR vs LGW vs STN vs LCY
Heathrow (LHR) is the only London airport on the Underground (via Piccadilly Line or Elizabeth Line) and the natural hub for most legacy carriers.
Gatwick (LGW) handles a mix of low-cost and legacy carriers, with the fast Gatwick Express train. Stansted (STN) is overwhelmingly low-cost (Ryanair, easyJet) and is 35-60 minutes from central London. London City (LCY) is closest to the financial district and a good pick for business travel.
Paris: CDG vs ORY vs BVA
Charles de Gaulle (CDG) is the major international hub; expect a 45-60 minute transfer to central Paris by RER or taxi. Orly (ORY) is closer (25-35 minutes) and handles many domestic and short-haul European flights.
Beauvais (BVA) is technically 'Paris' for ticketing but is 80+ km north — only worth flying into for very cheap Ryanair fares.
New York: JFK vs LGA vs EWR
JFK handles the majority of international long-haul. LaGuardia (LGA) is closest to Manhattan and primarily domestic. Newark (EWR) is in New Jersey but very accessible by NJ Transit and often the cheapest international option from Manhattan.