London Stansted Airport (STN)

London, GB 🇬🇧 Large International Airport Scheduled Service

ICAO

EGSS

IATA

STN

Elevation

348 ft

Region

GB-ENG

Local Time

Airport Information

GPS Code: EGSS

Local Code: Not available

Location: 51.884998° N, 0.235° E

Continent: EU

Type: Large International Airport

Keywords: LON

Arrivals

View incoming flights

Departures

View outgoing flights

External Links

Official Website Wikipedia Live Flights

Nearby Points of Interest

Tourist Attractions View
Hotels View
Restaurants View

What Travelers Say

AI-Generated Summary Based on web research

Recent traveler sentiment at London Stansted Airport (STN) is largely negative, with a November 2025 study naming it the world's most frustrating airport due to significant delays and overcrowding. Many reviews from late 2024 and 2025 echo this dissatisfaction, highlighting systemic issues despite some isolated positive experiences.

What Travelers Love

Public Transport Connections: Stansted is generally well-connected by train (Stansted Express) and bus, with services operating 24/7 to various destinations.
Parking Options: Official airport parking, including Short Stay, Mid Stay, Long Stay, Meet & Greet, and JetParks, often receives positive feedback for convenience and efficiency when booked in advance.
Improved Arrivals (occasional): Some travelers, particularly in early 2025, noted improved wait times at arrivals and helpful staff.

Common Complaints

Significant Delays & Overcrowding: A major concern, with nearly eight out of ten flights reportedly departing late, contributing to severe overcrowding and limited seating, especially during peak periods.
Poor Terminal Facilities & Cleanliness: Reviewers frequently describe the airport as outdated, with a compact terminal footprint, filthy toilets, and a lack of comfortable seating.
Long Security Queues & Rude Staff: Many experience very long security check queues, with some reporting waits of 1-2 hours, and even Fast Track services being chaotic during refurbishment. Security staff are often described as ignorant, rude, and unhelpful.
Unreliable Wi-Fi & Charging: The airport's Wi-Fi is frequently reported as abysmal or barely functional, often with limited free access, and a lack of working charging stations.
Exorbitant Parking/Drop-off Charges: Confusing signage for drop-off zones leads to accidental entry and excessive charges (e.g., £100 for a few minutes), causing significant frustration.
IT Failures: An IT failure in May 2025 caused catastrophic delays, with thousands of passengers missing flights due to issues with check-in and security.

Overall, while London Stansted Airport offers convenient transportation links and a range of parking options, the overwhelming sentiment points to a challenging traveler experience marked by frequent delays, overcrowding, substandard facilities, and frustrating operational issues. Many travelers advise considering alternative airports if possible.

Generated False weeks ago

This summary is automatically generated by AI based on web research of traveler reviews and experiences. AI-generated content may not always be 100% accurate.

Current Weather Conditions

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Popular Flight Routes

Building Route Index: We are building our route index for commercial airports. Currently 365 routes are indexed for London Stansted Airport. For real-time updates, admin access is required.

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Destination	IATA	City	Aircraft Type	Airline	Details	Route Map
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Top Airlines

Operating at London Stansted Airport

Airlines by Flight Activity

Based on observed flight operations and route network

Airline	Routes	Flights	Destinations	Last Activity
Ryanair `RYR` / `FR`	137	2098	137	Dec 11, 2025
Jet2 `EXS` / `LS`	39	412	39	Dec 7, 2025
Ryanair UK `RUK` / `RK`	38	331	38	Dec 11, 2025
Waltzing Matilda Aviation `WZM` / `MW`	61	194	61	Dec 11, 2025
Buzz `RYS` / `RR`	15	172	15	Dec 9, 2025
Pegasus Airlines `PGT` / `PC`	6	103	6	Dec 10, 2025
easyJet `EZY` / `U2`	4	56	4	Dec 10, 2025
Emirates `UAE` / `EK`	2	45	2	Nov 27, 2025
SunExpress `SXS` / `XQ`	3	43	3	Nov 11, 2025

Showing top 9 airlines by flight activity. Data includes observed departures and route networks from this airport.

For Pilots

Designation	Length	Width	Surface	Status
`04/22`	10003 ft	151 ft	ASP	Active Lighted

Type	Description	Frequency
APP	Stansted Radar	`120.625 MHz`
ATIS	ATIS	`127.175 MHz`
CLD	CLNC DEL	`121.95 MHz`
DIR	DIRECTOR	`136.2 MHz`
GND	GND	`121.725 MHz`
RDR	Director	`136.2 MHz`
TWR	TWR	`123.8 MHz`

Ident	Name	Type	Frequency
`BKY`	Barkway	VOR-DME	`116250 kHz`
`SSD`	Stansted	NDB	`429 kHz`

Ground Transportation

Last updated: Nov 21, 2025

Taxis

The official 24/7 taxi service is provided by StreetCars. Taxis can be pre-booked online or hired from the taxi desk located in the international arrivals hall. A taxi rank is situated just outside the terminal building.

Rental Cars

Major car rental companies including Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz, and Sixt operate from the airport's dedicated Car Rental Village. A free, frequent shuttle bus service connects the terminal forecourt to the village.

Public Transportation

Stansted Airport has excellent public transport links. The Stansted Express train offers the fastest route to central London (Liverpool Street Station) in about 50 minutes, with trains running every 15-30 minutes. National Express and Airport Bus Express coaches provide frequent, 24/7 services to various destinations across London and the UK. Local buses also connect the airport to nearby towns and cities.

Distances are approximate and calculated as straight-line distances.