Who wants to live near an airport? Ok, we don’t mean literally right next to one, unless you enjoy the sound of planes taking off every day. But close enough that you can decide on a last-minute trip and be at the boarding gate within half-an-hour?
While we might not be able to travel right now, hopefully it won’t be too long until we can jet off to far-flung destinations again. And so it would be ideal to live somewhere within easy access to Heathrow or Gatwick.
In this guide, we’re listing five perfect areas for a quick commute to sunnier shores and historical countries. They’re also handy places to live in their own right, with plenty of things to do and see. Read on, and discover the best neighbourhoods close to airports.
Crawley
Crawley is a large, lively town in West Sussex with excellent travel links to both central London and Gatwick Airport. That means you can be in Victoria or Oxford Street and Barcelona or Milan without much fuss.
London is a 30-mile journey, with trains going from Crawley to the capital in 45 minutes, while Gatwick Airport is only six miles away and has train services to Crawley that take just four minutes. Of course, no area is complete unless it has great homes. Fortunately, Platform_Crawley is a stylish Build-to-Rent community that’s popular with many renters in Crawley.
Hammersmith
With a central location, Hammersmith is a great neighbourhood to call home in its own right. From theatres to bars and restaurants to cafes, there’s plenty of reasons to move to the W6 postcode. Plus, it enjoys a location right on the River Thames.
It’s also on the Piccadilly Line, and you can arrive at Heathrow Airport from Hammersmith in just 30 minutes. From Hammersmith Bridge to the Golden Gate Bridge, living in Hammersmith makes travelling to other corners of the world a piece of cake.
Ealing
Another West London delight, Ealing is a popular neighbourhood with both families and single professionals. There are plenty of green spaces to enjoy, and the centre is filled with bustling restaurants as well as a mixture of shops including independent boutiques and high-street favourites.
Ealing is just seven miles to Heathrow Airport, which means you can drive to the airport in about 20 minutes on a good traffic day. It’s also another area served by the Piccadilly Line, with tube services arriving at Heathrow in around 18 minutes.
Croydon
Croydon is quickly becoming a London hotspot, thanks to regeneration that includes snazzy new homes, a raft of restaurants and shops and its very own Boxpark. The south London neighbourhood also happens to be within easy reach of Gatwick.
You can plan a last-minute trip to Spain, France or somewhere even further away and then hop on a train to the airport. Gatwick is only 15 miles from Croydon, and trains take 15 minutes to arrive at the airport. Better get packing.
Hayes & Harlington
West London’s Hayes will soon have a stop on the Elizabeth Line (Crossrail), which will offer super-speedy services into central London. In the meantime, however, locals will have to make do with convenient connections to Heathrow Airport.
Hayes & Harlington is just three miles to Heathrow and takes under 10 minutes to reach by car. If you’re looking for a stylish pad to plan your holiday from, the Fizzy Hayes Build-to-Rent community is the place to be with its pet-friendly apartments and social spaces.
I’m leaving on a jet plane
Areas in and around London are so well connected that you can reach just about anywhere with minimum fuss, including airports ready to take you away to exotic locations. The areas on our list are fantastic neighbourhoods to call home and will get you to one of London’s major airports in no time at all.
