London Gatwick Airport flight paths: check if your home is affected.
London Gatwick is the UK's second-busiest airport and the world's busiest single-runway airport, handling tens of millions of passengers each year. The UK government has conditionally approved Gatwick's second runway project, which would add around 100,000 flights annually. For homebuyers across Surrey, West Sussex, and Kent, understanding current and future flight paths is essential.
Which areas are affected?
Unlike newer airports built with rural buffers, Gatwick sits within a network of established towns and villages. The areas listed above all fall within corridors that can see significant aircraft activity — but the direction of that traffic reverses entirely when wind conditions change.
Horley
Salfords
Crawley
Maidenbower
Copthorne
Felbridge
Reigate / Redhill corridor
Horsham (north)
Charlwood
Balcombe
Haywards Heath (outskirts)
East Grinstead direction
The second runway — and the concentration problem
The UK government's conditional approval of Gatwick's second runway would convert the existing standby runway into a fully operational second strip, adding significant capacity. Campaign group CAGNE (Communities Against Gatwick Noise Emissions) and others argue the environmental assessment was inadequate and that thousands more homes will be overflown.
Unlike Heathrow, Gatwick does not operate a runway alternation system. Because there is only one main runway, the same communities can experience continuous arrivals or departures for extended periods — with no scheduled rotation to provide relief. Repetitive overflights, rather than just volume, are the most common resident complaint.
Gatwick also uses holding stacks when the runway is congested or weather delays arrivals. This can result in aircraft repeatedly circling the same areas at altitude — prolonged noise exposure that is sometimes more disruptive than direct overflights.
Why a viewing won't tell you
Gatwick's prevailing westerly winds mean arrivals typically approach from the east around 70% of the time — but when winds shift, the entire pattern reverses and areas that are normally quiet can suddenly experience frequent overflights. During peak periods, aircraft can pass every two to three minutes. A viewing, however long, will reflect only one wind condition.
Frequently asked questions
How far from Gatwick can aircraft noise be heard?
Overflights can extend well beyond the immediate airport area — some communities 10–20 miles away see regular aircraft depending on runway use and weather. The impact at your specific address requires historical data analysis.
Will the second runway make things worse?
More flights generally means more total noise over affected corridors. Whether your address is affected — and to what degree — depends on its position relative to proposed routes. Our report can show you current exposure as a baseline.
Does aircraft noise affect property values near Gatwick?
Local agents report that noise exposure and flight paths can influence buyer interest and pricing, particularly where routes overfly homes regularly. Quantifying that impact at a specific address requires detailed flight data.
Check before you buy
Don't let aircraft noise turn your dream home into a regret. Get a detailed My Flight Path Flight Blight Report for any affected address near Gatwick before you make an offer.