How Many Terminals Does Gatwick Have? North & South Terminal Guide

Where Is Gatwick North Terminal? Location, Access and Key Facilities

Gatwick North Terminal sits on the northern side of the airport site, closer to the M23 motorway spur and the North Terminal roundabout. It's a distinctive building with a large glass-roofed departure lounge and is often the terminal associated with charter flights, holiday airlines and several major international carriers.

Inside North Terminal Gatwick, passengers will find a full range of check-in desks, a large security search area, and an extensive airside shopping and dining zone once through the gates. The terminal also has its own dedicated short-stay and long-stay car parks, drop-off zones, and a bus and coach station for onward travel. Families flying from Gatwick Airport North Terminal often note that it has slightly more open space in the departure lounge compared with South Terminal, particularly since a 2019 refurbishment expanded seating and retail areas.

Where Is Gatwick South Terminal? Location, Access and Key Facilities

Gatwick South Terminal is the older, larger of the two buildings and is home to the airport's rail station, making it the terminal most passengers arrive at first if they're travelling by train. South Terminal Gatwick handles a large share of scheduled long-haul flights alongside short-haul routes, and it's typically the busier of the two buildings, especially during peak summer travel and school holidays.

Gatwick Airport South Terminal includes an extensive check-in hall, a large security search zone, and one of the airport's biggest airside retail areas, including duty-free shopping. It also connects directly to the multi-storey short-stay car park and the main Gatwick Airport taxi and pick-up zones, which makes it a convenient hub for passengers combining train travel with a private transfer for the final leg of their journey.

North Terminal vs South Terminal: Key Differences at a Glance

Whether you're comparing Gatwick North Terminal and Gatwick South Terminal for the first time or double-checking before a return trip, here's how the two compare on the details that matter most to passengers.

Choosing between the two isn't really a choice you make yourself; your terminal is set by which airline you're flying with. But once you know the difference, it's much easier to plan your route to the airport and decide whether you need an airport transfer booked directly to North or South Terminal rather than assuming they're the same drop-off point.

Which Airlines Use Gatwick North Terminal and South Terminal?

Airline terminal allocation at Gatwick can change from season to season, so the safest approach is always to check directly with your airline or booking confirmation rather than relying on memory from a previous trip. Broadly speaking, easyJet has traditionally operated a significant share of its Gatwick flights from North Terminal, while many long-haul and full-service carriers, along with British Airways and a number of holiday airlines, have used South Terminal.

Because allocations shift periodically, and because both Gatwick North Terminal and Gatwick South Terminal handle overlapping routes at different times of year, it's worth confirming your terminal every time you book rather than assuming it matches your last flight. If you're arranging ground transport in advance, a standard taxi booking to the correct terminal avoids a last-minute scramble to switch buildings.

How to Find Out Which Gatwick Terminal Your Flight Uses

The quickest way to confirm which of the two Gatwick terminals you need is to check your airline booking confirmation or e-ticket, which will state North Terminal or South Terminal clearly. Airport departure boards, the Gatwick Airport website's live flight information page, and your airline's own app will also show this.

If you're collecting someone rather than flying yourself, checking the terminal in advance matters just as much, since arrivals halls are entirely separate. A quick step-by-step check works well:

• Look at your booking confirmation or boarding pass for "North" or "South" Terminal.
• Search your flight number on the Gatwick Airport live flight tracker.
• Check your airline's app, which usually confirms terminal alongside gate information.
• If travelling with a private transfer, tell your driver the terminal, not just "Gatwick", when booking.

This last point matters more than people expect. Booking an executive taxi without specifying the correct terminal can mean a driver waiting at the wrong building, so always confirm North or South Terminal when you make ground transport arrangements.

Check-In, Security and Departure Gates at Both Gatwick Terminals

Both Gatwick terminals operate self-service and staffed bag-drop check-in desks, though exact opening times vary by airline. As a general rule, check-in desks open around three hours before departure for short-haul flights and can open earlier for long-haul services, closing roughly 40 to 45 minutes before departure depending on the airline.

Security search areas at both North and South Terminal follow standard UK aviation rules on liquids, laptops and hand luggage. Once through security, departure gates are organised into numbered piers, and gate numbers are usually only confirmed on screens around 30 to 45 minutes before boarding, so it's worth staying near the main departure lounge until your gate is announced rather than heading straight to a specific pier. Families travelling with young children, or larger groups needing an MPV car to the airport, often benefit from building in extra time at this stage, since queues at security can vary significantly by time of day.

Arrivals and Baggage Reclaim at Gatwick North and South Terminals

Passengers landing at Gatwick North Terminal and Gatwick South Terminal collect their luggage in that terminal's own baggage reclaim hall before passing through customs and into the public arrivals area. The two arrivals halls are not connected airside, so anyone meeting a passenger needs to wait in the correct terminal's arrivals hall, not simply "at Gatwick".

Baggage carousels are numbered and displayed on arrivals screens alongside your flight number, similar to check-in desk allocation. Once through the arrivals hall, passengers will find taxi ranks, pick-up points and onward transport options, including minibus hire for larger groups arriving together who need a single vehicle rather than several separate cars.

How to Transfer Between Gatwick North and South Terminals

If your connecting flight departs from the other terminal, or you've arrived at the wrong building by mistake, transferring between Gatwick's two terminals is straightforward but does take time. The airport recommends allowing at least 30 to 40 minutes to move between North and South Terminal, factoring in the shuttle journey plus any additional security clearance if you're transferring airside to landside.

This is one of the most overlooked details for connecting passengers. Booking flights with a short layover that doesn't account for a terminal change is a common mistake, since a connection that looks generous on paper can feel tight once you add walking time, shuttle waits and a possible second security check. If you're arranging a pre-booked taxi service around a connecting flight, always build in this buffer when confirming pick-up times.

The Free Shuttle and Walking Routes Between Gatwick Terminals

Gatwick operates a free transit service linking North and South Terminal, running frequently throughout the day and taking around two to three minutes for the journey itself, though total transfer time including walking to and from the shuttle platform is longer. This service is available to all passengers moving between terminals and is well signposted throughout both buildings.

Walking between the two terminals is also technically possible via a landside footpath, though it takes considerably longer than the shuttle and isn't the practical choice for most travellers, particularly with luggage or tight connections. For a full breakdown of routes, timings and step-by-step directions, our inter-terminal shuttle guide covers the journey in more detail.

Gatwick Railway Station and Its Connection to South Terminal

Gatwick railway station sits directly beneath South Terminal, making South Terminal the natural arrival point for anyone travelling by train, including services such as the Gatwick Express and standard rail connections from London and the south coast. There is a short, signposted walk from the station concourse straight into the South Terminal check-in hall.

If your flight actually departs from North Terminal, you'll need to factor in the shuttle transfer after leaving the station, rather than assuming the station drops you at the right building. This catches out a fair number of first-time visitors each year, particularly those who've flown from Gatwick before but from the other terminal, so it's worth double-checking before you set off.

Getting to and from Gatwick Terminals: Parking, Pick-Up and Drop-Off

Both Gatwick North Terminal and Gatwick South Terminal have their own dedicated short-stay and long-stay car parks, along with clearly marked pick-up and drop-off zones directly outside each terminal building. Charges, waiting times and drop-off rules differ slightly between the two, so it's worth checking current signage or the airport's parking pages before you arrive, especially if you're only stopping briefly.

Pick-Up at Gatwick North Terminal

North Terminal has a designated pick-up area a short walk from arrivals, with waiting charges that increase the longer a vehicle stays. Our North Terminal pick-up guide covers exact locations and current timings in full.

Pick-Up at Gatwick South Terminal

South Terminal's pick-up zone sits close to the main arrivals exit and tends to be busier given the terminal's higher passenger volumes. Full details are covered in our South Terminal pick-up guide.

Drop-Off at Gatwick North Terminal

Drop-off at North Terminal is designed for quick turnarounds, with limited free waiting time before charges apply. See our North Terminal drop-off guide for current rules.

Drop-Off at Gatwick South Terminal

South Terminal's drop-off area is directly outside the check-in hall and is one of the busiest points at the airport during peak departure times. Our South Terminal drop-off guide has the full breakdown.

Gatwick Airport Map: Navigating North and South Terminal Layouts

Both terminals are laid out logically once you know the basic flow: check-in, security, departure lounge, then gates on the way out, and baggage reclaim, customs, then arrivals on the way in. For a visual overview before you travel, the official Gatwick Airport Map shows both buildings side by side, while the North Terminal Map and South Terminal Map break down each terminal's shops, gates and facilities individually.

Checking the relevant map the night before you fly is a small habit that saves genuine stress on the day, particularly at South Terminal where the layout is larger and slightly more complex to navigate at busy times.

Frequently Asked Questions About Gatwick Airport Terminals