Is Gatwick airport likely to be busy?

[Fashionista22]

I'm feeling quite nervous about flying but just want to get it done at this point. We'll be flying from Gatwick, either 16-18th July just before the schools break up or 31st August - 2nd/3rd Sept, though I'm not sure if it will be extra busy then as people will be coming back?

Anyone have any experience of flying during these times? Thank you

My kids are back at school on 1st September.

LGW is a busy airport, not horrendous but it is generally busy

Gatwick ist generally busy....just leave yourselves plenty of time and you will be fine

Yes it will be. But it doesn't get overcrowded or anything, What's your concern?

Yes, July & August are peak travel season so you should expect Gatwick to be very busy, particularly from Friday to Sunday. Allow plenty of time for your journey, accept that big crowds and long queues are inevitable, be patient, stay calm & it will be fine.

It’s a good idea to check on the current security rules for Gatwick so you can be prepared. Frustratingly, rules vary a lot between airports at the moment as new scanning technology is being rolled out across the industry. Also, check carefully your airline’s current baggage rules. They change all the time for commercial reasons, and if you’re not compliant you will be charged.

Yes it is a horrendous airport.

Pay for this

Pay for the premium security, just do it. You'll be through in ten minutes has opposed to half an hour or longer with the queues

Thanks for your replies, really helpful. I'm worried about being stuck in queues really, like I remember coming back we couldn't go through passport control as children can't use it.

Pay for the premium security and the premium passport control.

Just do it you won't regret it.

It's busy but pretty fast moving. I've used it quite a lot and never felt like I was stuck in a significant queue. Not convinced paying for speedier security is worth it at all.

Busiest I've ever seen it was May half-term a few years ago. Arrived around 5.30am. Was already packed, couldn't sit down anywhere to eat breakfast and queued for ages to get something to take away from Pret. Pret queue much slower than the security one. If they had a priority option for a fee I might have been tempted by that one!

Just arrive in time. If you’re late, or the security queues look horrendous (though IME they move pretty quickly even during peak holiday season) you can always pay for fast track when you get there.

Travel through Gatwick a lot. It’s busy but I’ve had a lot worse in smaller airports like Birmingham. “First wave” flights - the ones leaving at 6am-ish are the worse for the airport being busy so if you are worried either organise later mid morning flights or do what people have suggested and get fast track passes through security. Although it can be annoying to buy these and find the normal queues are not too bad and you only save 5 mins!

Sometimes at Gatwick it’s taken me 5 minutes to check in and get through security. Other times it’s literally been hours and I’ve panicked about missing my flight. Various times of day. Leave plenty of time- better to get through in plenty of time and go get an overpriced meal/read a book by the gate than to miss your flight or be panicking about that possibility.

15 years of regular (c2x/month) flying at various times of day including super early and very late from LGW - never not busy, either terminal. Usually difficult to get a seat in North Terminal, always queues for the food options. Security seems to have improved in terms of responding to crowding and we have been bundled through VIP / fast track a couple of times to ease the bottlenecks. We find the best thing is get there with plenty of time even though it might mean hanging about airside for longer and be as zen as possible about the sheer numbers of people. North terminal we tend to know which end our flights usually dock and depart from so grab some food and take ourselves off to the quieter areas down towards the gates. Only had to sprint the length of the terminal two or three times when we gambled incorrectly! But the sanity of the quiet and windows and free seats together for an hour (not the awful wooden ones they have now installed on the main concourse) was worth it.

Gatwick used to be our local airport always really busy everytime we travelled. But like with any airport just allow enough time.

I went through Gatwick on Wednesday for an early morning flight. It was fine. Security took about 15 minutes. Tricky to get a seat at the restaurants, but we were able to. We arrived 1 hour 40 minutes before our flight and had about 40 minutes to get something to eat.

I was there all day Weds (thanks to **ing French air traffic control strike). It was very manageable. Ideally though, 3 hours is enough!

This may also be helpful to you

https://www.gatwickairport.com/passenger-guides/passport-visa.html

Children over 10 years can now use the e passport gates.

OP

re your comment:
"I'm worried about being stuck in queues really, like I remember coming back we couldn't go through passport control as children can't use it".

You are thinking here about the passport electronic gates. The rules have now been changed to state that children over the age of 10 can use these (see the link too). If you are travelling with children under the age of 10 you all need to see a border force officer.

Yes will get there with lots of time before, I'm also thinking about the coming back, the long queues in the passport control bit before you can go home. For those that travel often, would you say the mid July and start of sept are good times to travel as they're out of school hols?

Most airports are busy at those times. What worries you about being in a queue? It's a bit boring but not the end of the world many holiday destinations airports are much worse on return. Take a book, some snacks for the kids, if you have problems standing then book mobility help at the airport.

I’ve used Gatwick a lot, sometimes I’m through security in 10 minutes other times it’s taken an hour. I always leave 2 hours before my flight leaves.

Is there a reason you can’t be in a queue?

Im not asking aggressively, just in case that’s how it comes across, but if it’s a genuine support need you can book assistance.

I was at Gatwick on a Sunday in June (not school holidays in the UK) and the check in (luggage) was horrendous. Self -service, not obvious do everyone needed to ask for help from the staff dotted around. Only half the machines were working. Very long queues /annoying as we had booked x lounge s d were only make up be in it for half an hour due to the queues et check in. So yes you will need to queue.

This was early morning by the way -7am.

Mid July can still be pretty busy - private schools will have broken up and many parents will take kids out of state school for the last week of term.
Also Scotland and NI finish earlier than English schools.

Mid July isn’t outside school holidays. Private schools have already broken up, as have Scottish schools & schools in many other countries. The reality is that when using airports in high season you just have to accept that queues are an inevitability.

If you really don’t want to queue, the period between New Year & February half term is the quietest time of year at UK airports. On midweek days, in particular, the terminals can feel like ghost towns.