The short answer
Allow at least 3 hours between a Heathrow and a Gatwick flight — that's the airports' and British Airways' advice. On separate tickets (a self-transfer), treat that as a bare minimum and aim for 4 to 6 hours, because you must reclaim your bags, clear immigration, drive ~45 miles on the M25, then check in and clear security again. 2 hours is not enough. Your luggage is not forwarded automatically.
The two airports are about 45 miles apart and completely separate — there's no airside shuttle and no "connecting flight" experience. You physically leave one airport and travel to the other. That's why the time you leave between flights matters so much, and why so many people underestimate it.
How long you actually need
As a planning rule of thumb:
| Your situation | Allow |
|---|---|
| Single through ticket, hand luggage only | 3 hours min |
| Single through ticket, checked bags | 3–4 hours |
| Separate tickets (self-transfer) | 4–6 hours |
| Peak times / international arrival | towards 6 hours |
Three hours is the figure the airports quote, but it assumes everything runs to plan. Add an international arrival (immigration and baggage can take up to 90 minutes on their own) and the M25 on a bad day, and the comfortable number climbs quickly.
Through ticket vs separate tickets — the crucial difference
This is the single most important thing to understand:
- Single through ticket (one booking): the airline quotes a minimum connection time and is responsible for you — if a delay makes you miss the onward flight, they generally rebook you. Even so, between these two airports you usually still collect and recheck your bags.
- Separate tickets (self-transfer): the airline's minimum connection time doesn't apply to you. You must clear immigration into the UK, reclaim all your luggage, travel to the other airport, check in again and clear security again. If you miss the second flight, that's your cost — a new ticket plus possibly a hotel.
Every step you have to fit into the gap
On a self-transfer from a Heathrow arrival to a Gatwick departure, the clock has to cover all of this:
- Disembark and walk to immigration (longer on a full long-haul).
- Clear UK Border Force / passport control.
- Reclaim your checked baggage.
- Exit through customs to arrivals.
- Travel ~45 miles to Gatwick (about an hour by road, more in traffic).
- Check in and drop bags at Gatwick (check-in usually closes ~60 minutes before departure).
- Clear security again.
Stack those up and you can see why two hours evaporates — immigration and baggage alone can eat most of it before you've even left Heathrow.
What tends to go wrong
- A delayed inbound flight quietly eats your buffer before you've landed.
- Peak-time immigration queues can run to an hour at busy arrival banks.
- M25 traffic can double a 45-minute drive with no warning.
- Check-in closing ~60 minutes before departure is a hard cut-off — arriving "in time for the flight" isn't the same as "in time for check-in".
Making a tight connection as safe as possible
- Build the buffer in at booking — it's far cheaper than rebooking. If you can, book a through ticket.
- Travel hand-luggage-only if you possibly can; skipping baggage reclaim and recheck saves the most time.
- Pre-book a flight-tracked transfer rather than relying on a scheduled coach — the driver follows your inbound flight and leaves when you're through, with no departure to miss. See our Heathrow to Gatwick taxi and Gatwick to Heathrow pages.
- If the gap is overnight or marginal, consider an airport hotel and split the journey rather than gambling on a late connection.
- Check your visa/transit requirements — self-transferring means entering the UK, so you may need entry documentation depending on nationality.
A flight-tracked transfer between the airports
The journey itself is the part you can control. A fixed-fare private transfer tracks your inbound flight, waits while you clear immigration and baggage, and drives you straight to the other airport — no scheduled coach to miss, one price agreed up front. It's the calmest way to spend the middle hour of a tight connection.
Get a fixed transfer fare →Frequently asked questions
How long should I leave between a Heathrow and a Gatwick flight?
Is 2 hours enough?
Does my baggage transfer automatically?
Through ticket vs separate tickets?
This is general guidance, current at the time of writing (2026); connection times depend on your airline, tickets, terminals and the day, and are ultimately your responsibility. Always confirm minimum connection times and baggage arrangements with your airline, and allow generous extra time. RushXO is a licensed private-hire operator and is not affiliated with London Gatwick Airport, Heathrow Airport or any airline.