If you’re using London as a base for travelling, it pays to know your options for getting out of it. Here’s TNT’s cheat sheet on how to get airborne in the capital.

Be airport savvy

Never assume low fares equal a budget holiday. It’s no good saving £20 on a flight if it’s going to cost you £20 extra to get to the airport (and the same applies at your destination). Also bear in mind departure and arrival times — can you physically make check-in or get home if the Tube isn’t running, for example?

Cheap flights are cheap for a reason. It’s always worth comparing budget deals with standard fares from your nearest airport to see whether you really are saving cash.

Go the rail way

All London’s airports have dedicated express rail services, and Gatwick, Luton and Heathrow are also served by the local rail network (see National Rail).

While the express trains are convenient they’re also scandalously expensive. Return fares and advance tickets are cheaper, and some airlines offer discounted tickets onboard — but watch out for getting stung when the trains aren’t running because of engineering work, or if your flight’s been delayed so long you’ve missed the last service. Your ticket will be valid on an alternative coach service, but it’ll take longer and you could have paid a much cheaper fare.

You can reduce the costs with a bit of local knowledge. If you’re in north London pick up the Stansted Express at Tottenham Hale or the Luton train at West Hampstead. In the south, go to Clapham Junction or Victoria for local Gatwick services. And if you already have a travelcard, queue up at the ticket office and ask for a fare from the zone boundary.

Heathrow is the only airport served by the Tube — meaning you can get there from zone 1 for just £3.50 on your Oyster card. Also consider London City Airport for destinations in western Europe — it’s on the DLR in zone 3.

The road more travelled

There’s a comprehensive coach network linking the airports with each other as well as with the city (see National Express). Fares are reasonable, and group saver tickets are available.

EasyBus runs a good-value minibus service from Victoria to Gatwick (from £11 return), Luton and Stansted, stopping at various central London locations on the way.

Crazy as it may seem in grid-locked, fuel-crisis London, driving may be your cheapest and most reliable option. If there’s a bunch of you flying together, pool your resources for a taxi — and if you already own a car, long-stay parking can be as little as £6 per day booked in advance.

Take Eurostar instead

Save the trees and some pennies by travelling to Europe by train. Pay the fare to St Pancras at this end and you’re set — you’ll be delivered straight to the heart of your destination city on arrival.

It’s not just Paris on the menu. Direct Eurostar services run to Brussels, the south of France (in summer) and the French Alps (in winter) — and you can buy through tickets to destinations across Europe (see www.seat61.com).

Luton (LTN)

Bedfordshire, 50km north-west of London
Express train: 35 mins from St Pancras (£9.90 one way)
What’s it like? Luton airport is compact and easy to wander around without getting lost. The short queues and speedy check-ins are a plus and there’s no need to worry about finding your gate as, though it’s a long walk, they’re all in the same direction. Only a few food choices though, and they’re constantly busy — you’d better be happy with sandwiches and coffee.
Top tip: Allow 10 minutes for the shuttle bus from Luton Airport Parkway station to the terminal building.
Did you know? In 2003 flights were disrupted when a baby monitor broadcast a child’s crying over air traffic control’s frequency.
PHILLIPPA NETOLICKY

Heathrow (LHR)

Middlesex, 30km west of London
Express train: 15 mins from Paddington (£28 return)
What’s it like? If you’re claustrophobic, terminals 1, 2 and 3 probably won’t be to your taste. The newer Terminal 4 and brand spanking T5 are more spacious. Ceilings aside, there’s nothing wrong with flying out of Heathrow. The check-in and security staff — if not exactly friendly — know what they’re doing, and sign-posting is clear. Once airside there are dozens of clothing shops to grab whatever you need for your hols, and there’s no shortage of coffee shops, pizza joints and takeaways, and a couple of boozers.
Top tip: You can easily walk between terminals 1, 2 and 3. It’s free to take the train or bus to terminals 4 and 5.
Did you know? Around 67 million people pass through Heathrow each year — more than any other airport in the world.
TREVOR PADDENBURG

Stansted (STN)

Essex, 60km north-east of London
Express train: 45 mins from Liverpool Street (£24 return)
What’s it like? There’s nothing stylish or slick about Stansted — it’s just a big shed. But it’s this functionality that makes it one of the easiest airports to navigate. There’s a smattering of the usual high street shops (Boots, Borders, WH Smith) and food outlets (O’Neills, Pret A Manger and Costa). Once through customs it almost feels swanky. There are lots of spacious areas with plenty of seating and a small selection of cafés and restaurants for a last-minute pre-flight snack.
Top tip: Get on the monorail and go to your terminal early — there are crowd-free coffee shops and waiting lounges at the gates.
Did you know? Stansted is the designated airport for hijacked aircraft that request to land in the UK. Three have landed there in the past 25 years.
ALISON GRINTER

Gatwick (LGW)

West Sussex, 40km south of London
Express train: 30 mins from Victoria (£30.80 return)
What’s it like? About 90 airlines operate out of Gatwick, serving 200-odd destinations — but the vibe isn’t mad-rush, it’s more ‘eat, shop, relax’. If you need sustenance pick from M&S, Upper Crust, Yo Sushi, McDonal’ds, Burger King and Pizza Express. Or spend your holiday cash at Accessorize, The Body Shop, Monsoon or La Senza.
Top tip: A free shuttle train runs between the North and South terminals every three minutes.
Did you know? Gatwick means ‘goat farm’ in Anglo-Saxon.
AMELIA BENTLEY

TNT-O-Meter

We’ve put in a fair few air miles between us at TNT. Here’s what we think of London’s airports.

Flying high
Coming in at first place, no one has a bad word to say about Gatwick. 3.5 out of 5

Tail wind
A solid performer at number two, Heathrow is a well-oiled machine. 3 out of 5
(Despite the bad press, T5 came out top with 4 out of 5.)

Cruising altitude
An average airport with average marks makes Luton a good bet. 2.5 out of 5

Grounded
The budget airlines flying out of Stansted tend to make for a no-frills experience. 2 out of 5