words Al Woods
The UK’s second-busiest airport by total passenger traffic and the tenth-busiest airport in Europe, Gatwick is one of the country’s most popular places to travel from.
For those traveling from the airport this Summer 2022, here’s everything you need to know about how to prepare for your departure, including where you can go on holiday from Gatwick, things to prepare before your trip, how to get to Gatwick, and tips for getting through airport security smoothly.
Where can you travel from Gatwick?
Whether you’ve booked a European getaway to popular destinations like Spain, Italy, or Greece, or somewhere slightly further afield, holiday-goers can get too many holiday destinations from Gatwick Airport. Gatwick hosts a variety of flight paths to a large number of major global airports, as well as smaller regional ones as well.
What to do before you get to Gatwick Airport
The last few days before a trip can be hectic, especially if you’re flying from a larger airport like Gatwick. However, there are a few things you can do to get organised before you fly and save you from stress at the other end:
- Get travel insurance: Depending on your destination and whether or not you plan to do outdoor adventure activities, investing in travel insurance means you’re sufficiently covered if something does go wrong. There are a number of travel insurance plans to choose from, but they mainly cover lost luggage, trip cancellation, and emergency medical care.
- Get the right visas: Every day, people are turned away from entering a country because they don’t have the correct visa. That’s why it’s worth researching which visas you need to enter your next holiday destination, including whether you’re staying for a short period of time or a longer one.
- Get vaccinated: It’s always a good idea to visit your GP before you go away to make sure you’ve got everything you need medicine-wise. It’s also important to get the necessary vaccinations if you’re visiting countries prone to certain diseases and viruses.
How do you get to Gatwick Airport?
Gatwick Airport is extremely well connected, and you can get there via train, coach, or car. By train, it takes around 50 minutes to get to Gatwick, and there are many services that run between the South Terminal and places like London Victoria, Farringdon, Clapham Junction, and London Bridge. The fastest way to travel to Gatwick from Central London is the Gatwick Express since there are non-stop services leaving London Victoria every 15 minutes – and arriving in just 30 minutes.
How to prepare for security checks at Gatwick
Regardless of where you’re going, all passengers will have to pass through security checks at Gatwick. While the time it takes to get through airport security typically depends on how busy the airport is that day, there are also a few ways to ensure the process goes off without a hitch:
- Wear as little metal as possible and be ready to remove your belt if it’s got a metal buckle
- Wear socks and shoes that you can take off easily
- Make sure your liquids and gels are in a designated plastic liquids bag
- Keep your passport handy by removing it from your luggage into the tray
- Empty your pockets of your belongings before going through the scanner
Offering a vast number of holiday destinations, Gatwick Airport is a great place to fly from if you’re traveling from the UK. And by using the above travel tips, you can ensure your trip goes as smoothly as it can.
