Barking and Dagenham, fifteen minutes from a runway

Which airport is closest to Barking and Dagenham?

London City, by a wide margin. The run from Barking town centre along the A13 and the A1020 to the terminal at the Royal Docks is about seven miles and takes around 15 minutes outside the rush, or 20 minutes when the A13 is busy. Few parts of London are this close to a commercial airport.

After London City, the order runs Southend, about 28 miles and 49 minutes up the A127; Stansted, about 36 miles and an hour via the North Circular and the M11; then Gatwick and Heathrow, both over an hour. The drive-time table further down the page gives all nine airports we serve, from our road routing data.

London City handles mainly short-haul flights to European business and holiday destinations. If your flight goes from there, you are unlikely to find a shorter airport journey anywhere in the capital.

Is Heathrow a sensible choice from here?

It is the airport for most long-haul flights, so for many people there is no choice. The drive is about 37 miles and takes around 67 minutes off-peak, or close to an hour and a half in the weekday rush, because every route has to cross the whole of London. Chauffeurs usually take the North Circular and the A40, or go through the centre on the A13 and the A4 if traffic allows.

For a long-haul departure, a pickup about three and a half hours before the flight is sensible from this side of London, and a little more on a Friday afternoon. The drive is long, but it is direct: you get in at your door and step out at the terminal kerb, with no changes and no luggage on stairs.

The rail alternative is the District line to Whitechapel and the Elizabeth line from there to the Heathrow stations. It is a reasonable option with light luggage, but it means two trains and a change with cases, and it adds a walk at each end.

How does a Gatwick journey work from the east of London?

Rather than cross the centre, most chauffeurs go round. The usual route runs east to the Dartford Crossing, over the Thames, and south-west on the M25 to the M23. It is about 48 miles, and it takes around 63 minutes on a clear road, which is quicker than many journeys to Gatwick from inner London.

The Dartford Crossing has its own charge for the southbound tunnel or the bridge, depending on direction. When you travel with us, it is part of your fixed price, along with the Gatwick drop-off charge, so there is nothing to pay on the day.

How does a pickup work in Barking and Dagenham?

Give us the full address and, for a flat, the block name and the entrance you want to use. That matters more in this borough than in most. The Becontree estate, built between the wars and still one of the largest council estates in the country, has long runs of similar-looking streets and closes, and a clear address saves the chauffeur several minutes of searching at the start of the journey.

At Barking Riverside and the newer blocks around Barking town centre, residents often have a concierge desk or a set-down bay at the front of the building. Tell us if the main entrance faces a road the car cannot use, and the chauffeur will wait at the nearest point with a clear kerb. For terraced streets with resident parking, the chauffeur will stop outside and come to the door for your bags.

For an early flight from London City, the chauffeur messages you when they are outside. Most departures from the Docks leave from 06:30 onwards, and the short drive means the car can arrive later than you might expect.

What about early flights from Southend and Stansted?

Both airports run a busy early wave of short-haul departures, many before 07:00. From Dagenham, the drive to Southend takes about 49 minutes along the A127, and the roads before six in the morning are usually empty, so the timing is predictable.

Stansted is further, at about an hour via the A406 and the M11, and its security queues at the first wave can be long. We suggest being at the terminal two hours before a short-haul departure, which from here means a pickup about three hours before the flight. Southend’s terminal is much smaller, and many travellers find two hours from door to departure gate comfortable there, but always check your airline’s own deadline.

Which car suits a trip from Barking and Dagenham?

For one or two people with a case each, the Mercedes E-Class is the usual choice. Families flying to the sun from Stansted or Southend often have more luggage than they expect, especially with a pushchair and a car seat, and the V-Class, which takes six passengers and six large cases, avoids a squeeze.

For groups travelling to a wedding or a celebration abroad, the V-Class keeps everyone together and means one pickup instead of two. Tell us the number of passengers and bags when you book, and mention anything bulky, such as golf clubs or a wheelchair, in the notes.