Whether you have a layover, overnight sleepover or you are just quickly passing through, our London Luton Airport Guide is a great place to start planning your visit. Here, you’ll find information on services and facilities available inside the airport – including details about airport lounges, WiFi, mobile charging points, lockers, 24-hour food options, nearby hotels, and everything in between.
Table of Contents
The absence of seating has long been a source of complaint of other passengers, and as a result it is likely that you will have to walk around a sprawling mass of bodies on the way to your departure gate. This often resembles the aftermath of a humanitarian disaster, which in many ways is exactly what it is. – a traveller
LTN Airport Overview
To help you plan your layover or overnight sleepover, here is a quick run-down about what to expect during your time at London Luton Airport.
What to Expect
London Luton Airport (Code: LTN) consists of a single terminal. As the airport serves mostly budget carriers, facilities are relatively bare bones and high fees for things such as trolleys, and plastic security bags appear to be part of their fundraising. 24-hour concession options can be found on both the landside and the airside. There is WiFi to help you pass the time, and lounges that economy-class passengers can pay to use are available.
Sleeping in London Luton Airport
With limited seating, a small terminal full of shops, and many travellers, good sleep spots are few and far between. Keep your eyes peeled for a seat, even if it’s hard and has armrests. In general, there is more seating on the airside. Most travellers point to the benches in the Arrivals area as the best area for napping. Sleeping or sitting on the hard floor is the likeliest option, so bring along an extra layer, or even a sleeping bag, to make the best of your time here.
Here are good sleep spots that travellers have reported:
- Gates 5-6 have a few sofas and three soft armchairs.
- Push together chairs in the food court at night, when cafes and eateries are closed.
Homeless people or unusual characters at this airport have been spotted, so if you are a solo traveller, you may want to find a spot near other travellers.
For uninterrupted sleep, there are hotels near the airport. See the Airport Hotels section below for locations.
Read the latest traveller airport reviews for more tips. For more airport information, continue scrolling down to explore more in our London Luton Airport Guide.
To help us keep this guide up-to-date, you can add or update information or write a review to submit airport tips and photos.
In this guide we may refer to locations as “landside” and “airside”. Landside is the public area of the terminal located in the non-secure zone, before security. Airside is the secure area of the terminal that you must reach by going through security.
Airport Hours
Luton Airport is open 24 hours.
Rest & Relaxation Zones
There are no dedicated sleeping areas or rest zones. There is a “quiet room,” which, the airport says, is specifically for passengers with disabilities, including autism, dementia or cognitive impairment. If this information has changed, click here to update this guide.
Cots
The airport does not provide cots to stranded travellers. If this has changed, click here to update the guide.
Airport Hotels
If sleeping in the airport sounds like a nightmare, there are hotels within a 10-minute walk of London Luton Airport.
- Holiday Inn Express London Luton Airport » Check Rates
- ibis London Luton Airport » Check Rates
- Holiday Inn Luton Airport » Check Rates
For more options, visit Tripadvisor to see a list of hotels near London Luton that can be sorted by price, distance, traveller rating and popularity.
Airport Lounges
Pay-per-use, Single Visit Passes & Lounge Memberships
Regardless of what class of service you are flying, there is a lounge that you can enter by paying at the door, purchasing a lounge pass, or using a lounge membership program. Visit the individual lounge page for more details about the lounge itself and learn how to gain access with just an economy class ticket!
- Aspire Lounge – (temporarily closed for renovation works from December 15, 2023 to June 30, 2024) – Location: Airside, 1st Floor opposite Accessorize. Rates: Adult: £37.99 • Children aged 2 to 11: £21.49 • Infants under 2: free. Lounge Access: Pay at the Door • Prepaid lounge pass • Lounge membership programs.
Related Pages: London Luton Airport Lounges
Drinking Water
Drinking water fountains can be found on the airside, beside the lifts to the Departures Lounge.
Food & Drinks
When you get the midnight munchies or give up trying to sleep and need a coffee to stay awake, 24-hour food concessions are available. Check out these vendors on the landside:
- Landside: Caffè Nero • Pret a Manger • Starbucks
- Airside: Pret A Manger
Luggage Storage & Lockers
At the time of this update, the left luggage office was closed. If they have re-opened, click here to update this guide.
Mobile Charging
Power up your mobile devices for free with the UK plug sockets and USB points throughout the terminal. Charging stations can be found near Gates 6, 7, 22, and 30 and near the coffee stations in Gates 22 and 30.
Showers
Freshen up (and loosen those stiff muscles) with a shower before your flight. Locations:
- There is a shower inside the “adult changing facility” located airside in the departure lounge. Location: the quiet room next to gate 17.
- The pay-to-use Aspire Lounge. See the Airport Lounges section above.
WiFi/Internet
Free unlimited WiFi is available at Luton Airport. Connect to the “Luton Airport WIFI” network for access.
Security & Safety
Airport staff and security do seem to tolerate a lot of overnight sleepers.
We have no recent reports from travellers commenting on safety issues at London Luton Airport. Older reports indicated some homeless or vagrant folks wandering the public/landside zones, especially at night. However, sleeping in any airport can include a certain level of risk, especially when travelling alone. It’s important to take certain precautions to ensure your safety and the security of your valuables. Here are a few tips:
- Safety First. It’s a good idea to know where the security office is located and look for video cameras where you plan to sleep. You can also ask the security personnel for advice on the safest places to spend the night.
- Don’t Seclude Yourself. If you’re travelling alone, we recommend you stay near other travellers or close to security. This will help you feel more secure and deter potential thieves.
- Hide Your Valuables. It’s also important to hide your valuables. Don’t leave them out in plain view, as this could make you a target for theft. Additionally, if you are a deep sleeper, you may want to padlock your bag to something or sleep with your bag up against a wall to make it harder for someone to access zippers and pockets. We have received reports of sleepers who woke up without their phones and laptop bags. The travellers were left with just their headphones and laptop bag strap.
- Stay Alert. It’s best to stay alert and awake if you feel unsafe or uncomfortable. Drink coffee or other caffeinated beverages to help you stay awake, and remember that you can always catch up on sleep during your flight. These simple precautions can help you enjoy a safe night at the airport.
Pro-tip: If you sleep in the public zone, don’t be surprised if you receive an early morning wake-up call. Security is known to make the rounds, waking people up as travellers arrive for morning flights.
More Airport Information
Family Services
- Baby Care Facilities – Diaper changing rooms are available throughout the terminal, next to the men’s/women’s restrooms. If you need a quiet, private place to breastfeed your baby, a Passenger Service Assistant can show you to the nearest place.
- Strollers – Strollers are available in the terminal free of charge.
- Children’s Play Area – When you want to ensure your kids burn off all their energy before their flight, take them to one of the children’s play areas. Location: Airside, near Gates 1-6.
Information – An information desk used to be available in the Check-In Hall, Landside, near the security entrance. Need help finding your way around the airport? Passenger Service Assistants are available throughout the terminal to answer your questions, set you in the right direction or even assist you with getting help for a medical emergency. They’re easy to spot – just look for their brightly-coloured clothing with the “i” information symbol, or you can pick up a red courtesy phone to call for assistance.
Luggage
- Luggage Storage & Lockers – Luggage Point offers left luggage storage at the following rates: £6.38 per bag/item (up to 3 hours) • £10.63 per bag/item (from 3 – 24 hours) • £8.50 per bag/item (every 24 hours after) • £42.50 per bag/ item (per week). Location: Check-in Area. Hours: 4:00 AM – 10:00 PM.
- Luggage Trolleys – Rate: £2 / €2 – non refundable. Payment by cash or card. Locations: Car Park 1, Level 2, near Priority Parking.
- Luggage Wrapping – Services are available at the Luggage Point. Rate: starting at £13.50 per bag. Pushchairs, golf clubs, and other items may be charged extra fees. Location: Check-in Area. Hours: 4:00 AM – 10:00 PM.
Money
- ATMs / Cash Machines – Need cash? ATMs are available. Sterling and Euros are dispensed. Fees may apply, so check your bank’s fee schedule and daily withdrawal limit if you are travelling internationally. You may also want to notify your bank of your travel plans. Locations: in the Check-In, Departures, and Arrivals areas.
- Currency Exchange – Change Group offers foreign currency exchange, with over 60 currencies available. Several locations are available, both landside and airside, as well as 17 ATMs. Hours: 24 hours (Landslides) • 4:00 AM – 9:00 PM (Airside).
Prayer Room – Prayer books, prayer mats, a directional sign, a washing facility and more are available in the interfaith Prayer Room. A multi-faith chaplaincy team is available onsite to offer comfort and emotional support. Locations: Landside, beyond Check-in Area (Hours: 4:00 AM – 11:00 PM) • Departures Area, Airside, near Gate 20-28. Hours: 24 hours.
Shopping – Aelia Duty-Free shop, located airside, is open 4:00 AM – 11:00PMs. A small variety of retail shops are available airside, and a WHSmith newsstand is open 4:00 AM – 10:00 PM.
Smoking Areas – There are no designated smoking areas inside the terminal.
Bus / Coach
The airport is well-connected to the bus system. Whether you need a shuttle bus to the train station, a fast bus connection to central London, or a long-distance coach, there is probably a bus for you. To plan your route, visit the London Luton Airport website.
Car Rentals
Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar and Nationalare are available on-site at Luton Airport. Location: Car Hire Centre. Free shuttle buses between the terminal (from Bay C) and the car hire centre are available.
Hotel Shuttles
At the time of this update, we could not find any hotels that provide an airport shuttle.
See also Airport Hotels above.
Ride Sharing
Uber operates throughout the UK. A ride to the city centre of London will cost you about £53.
Taxi
Taxis are readily available outside of the terminal. Taxis can be hailed on the street for rides to the airport. Note, if your taxi drops you off at the Priority Drop Off Zone (closest to the airport), there is a charge of £5.00 for up to 10 minutes of wait time. Alternatively, you can be dropped off at the Mid Stay Car Park for free and walk 10 minutes to the terminal.
Train
LTN airport is connected to the Luton Airport Parkway rail station by the 4-minute Luton DART ride. The Luton DART departs every 5 to 15 minutes 24 hours. For fares and to plan your route, visit the London Luton Airport website.
Last updated: 2024-08-26
This guide is for informational purposes only to assist with your planning. All information, including rates and hours, is subject to change at any time without notice. The information in this airport guide is based on information collected and/or received from the airports, lounges, hotels, transportation providers, and their websites. We are not representatives of any of the above-mentioned service providers. To report errors or to add/update any items mentioned in the guide: update the airport guide or write a review.