Gatwick airport connecting flights on separate flights tickets and airlines

Berberis · 31-08-2025 10:14AM #1

Hi, have a flight to Gatwick with Ryanair arriving 7.00am and then due to fly with wizzair to Athens 2hrs 15 minutes later. Only have hand luggage and both flights are in south terminal.

Have checked through info on Gatwick website and I am none the wiser if I can stay airside and go to departure gates for onward flight or if I have to clear customs and passport control first and the go through security again for 2nd flight.

Anyone done anything similar and could let's us know what the procedure is please.

Del2005 · 31-08-2025 10:21AM

Gatwick says that you have to go through immigration, for some reason I can't post the link from Gatwick Airport.

If you are arriving at London Gatwick from an international destination and are connecting onwards on a separate ticket, you will need to go through immigration. If your hold bags are "through checked" or you’re travelling with hand luggage only, you can then go through security to your connecting flight.

Berberis · 31-08-2025 10:29AM

Cheers, that's one of the bits that confuse me.

Unsure if that means I can stay airside and immigration and security to 2nd flight is still airside or I need to exit airside altogether and then go through security again and check in again

user060916 · 31-08-2025 11:48AM

You'll need to go through immigration (which is just walk through) and then go through security.

If flights are on time you've plenty of time

SB Morer · 31-08-2025 12:09PM

you will not need to go through immigration- as you’re arriving from a flight within the Common Travel Area:

UK or Ireland flights connecting domestically and abroad

If you are arriving at London Gatwick from UK or Ireland destination and are connecting onwards on a separate ticket, you will not pass through passport control. If your hold bags are "through checked" or you’re travelling with hand luggage only, you can then go through security and your connecting flight.

Berberis · 31-08-2025 01:33PM

That's the section I have been reading. So by my understanding is that when I exit plane in Gatwick then I should follow signs/directions for connections.

Only thing that is now bothering me is that some airline tickets do not cover connections airside, but I can't seem to find that is true or not and if it affects low cost airlines like wizzair and ryanair

UK or Ireland flights connecting domestically and abroad

If you are arriving at London Gatwick from UK or Ireland destination and are connecting onwards on a separate ticket, you will not pass through passport control. If your hold bags are "through checked" or you’re travelling with hand luggage only, you can then go through security and your connecting flight.

Berberis · 31-08-2025 01:46PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123771647#Comment_123771647

But then a Google search seems to contradict everything.

AI Overview

+5

No, you cannot make an airside connection at Gatwick for separate tickets to a Wizz Air flight because Gatwick does not have a "sterile" or "airside" transfer facility for such situations, especially when changing to a point-to-point carrier like Wizz Air. You must exit the secure area, go through UK immigration, collect any baggage (if applicable, though you stated no bags), and then go to the Wizz Air check-in desk at the South Terminal to clear security for your next flight.

Nightwing1862 · 31-08-2025 02:00PM

You're going to end up landside when you arrive in Gatwick but you'll bypass passport control. It's usually a bus transfer from the plane to the terminal and you'll enter at the baggage collection area. You then walk down to departures and go through security gates there. Both google and gatwick are correct in a way. You'll just make the connection landside rather than airside.

digital_d · 31-08-2025 03:10PM

I fly into Gatwick weekly and have done for a few years - the vast majority of Ryanair flights arrive/depart from gates 1-5 in the south terminal. This was built a few years ago for Common travel area flights. When you land there you use a dedicated arrival corridor that ultimately exits you into the check in hall very close to the escalator to head back up to departures and via security. I think maybe I can recall one bus transfer in the last couple of years that still would skip UK immigration but use the normal arrivals channel all other flights use.

Security in Gatwick is probably the quickest of the London airports. Normally I spend less than 5 mins there. On a busy day it can look a lot worse than it ends up being.

Berberis · 31-08-2025 04:00PM

Thanks for the replies folks. Yep I think It's looking like I will end up just exiting and then re-entering though security upstairs as ye have mentioned and then onto the departure gate for the wizzair flight.

Time is short but I'm hoping as it's the 1st flight out of Dublin to Gatwick, that there won't be any delays and that re-entering security upstairs in Gatwick is not too slow

Gatwick airport connecting flights on separate flights tickets and airlines

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UK or Ireland flights connecting domestically and abroad