Gatwick airport’s £2.2 billion second runway has been approved – here’s what it means for travellers in London

London airports are getting bigger. Heathrow is getting a £49 billion ‘once-in-a-generation’ expansion, Luton is building a brand new terminal, Stansted is trying to boost its passenger numbers to 51 million, and now Gatwick has been given the green light to begin work on a second runway. 

The government has given the airport the go ahead on plans that have been in the works since 2021. The airport’s planning application was initially rejected but it was told that the project would be approved the project if the changes addressing noise mitigation and public transport to and from the airport were addressed. 

A government source told the PA news agency: ‘The Transport Secretary has cleared Gatwick expansion for take-off. With capacity constraints holding back business, trade and tourism, this is a no-brainer for growth.’

Here’s everything you need to know about the newly approved plans for Gatwick’s second runway. 

What are the plans?

Gatwick will move its standby runway 12 metres north away from the main runway, which will then allow it to be used for narrow-bodied planes like Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s (used by British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air) and enable it to serve 100,000 more flights per year. 

How much will Gatwick’s second runway cost?

Building the second runway will cost a grand total of £2.2 billion. 

When will it be complete?

There’s been no information on when work will start, but a government source has suggested that flights could start taking off from the new full runway ‘before the next general election’ in 2029. 

What will it mean for travellers? 

The new runway will be for take-offs only and is expected to allow more than 750 additional flights a day. For passengers, that means more options when it comes to flying out of London to popular destinations.