Gatwick Airport is London's second airport and the second busiest airport in the UK after Heathrow in terms of passengers per year. It is located in West Sussex, approximately 40 km (25 miles) south of London, and an equal distance north of Brighton.

Gatwick is the busiest single-runway airport in the world, handling over 31 million passengers annually, flying to around 200 destinations. Charter airlines are generally not allowed to operate from Heathrow and many use Gatwick instead as their base. Many flights to and from the USA also use Gatwick because of restrictions on transatlantic operations from Heathrow. The airport is also a secondary hub for British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.

In 1979, when the last major expansion took place, an agreement was reached with the local council not to expand further before 2019, but recent proposals to build a second runway at Gatwick led to protests about increased noise and pollution and demolition of houses and villages. The government has now decided to expand Stansted and Heathrow but not Gatwick. Gatwick's owners BAA have published a new consultation which includes a possible second runway south of the airport, but leaves the villages of Charlwood and Hookwood, north of the airport, intact. In common with many airports car parking is in limited supply, in part due to local planning restrictions, and facilities are full to capacity in the summer months.

The airport has two terminals, North and South, which are connected by an automatic Transit system similar to a monorail (Though the information screens at the transit stations specifically state they are not monorails).

Both terminals at Gatwick offer a range of facilities for travellers. Business travellers are catered for by several executive lounges offering peace and quiet and modern business facilities. There is also a conference and business centre with meeting facilities and business services. Business Travellers are also offered Fast Track which enables an efficient car park to airport to check-in and then to flight sevice.

Children are catered for with facilities for baby changing and feeding and there are play areas and video games to keep them amused. The airport also has Skyview in the South Terminal which offers views across the airfield and interactive activities, however this was closed to the public in 2004.

Disabled passengers can travel easily through Gatwick too with all areas being accessible and added special needs facilities.

There is a fairly standard range of shops and restaurants throughout both terminals at Gatwick, such as Starbucks Coffee shops and Virgin Megastores stores.

The airport has several long and short stay car parks, both at the airport and off-site.