London Luton Airport (LTN)
History, Facts and Overview

(London, England, UK)

Many passengers are surprised to find that London's Luton Airport is so historic, since it dates back to the middle of 1938. Built to one side of the town of Luton and in the county of Bedfordshire, the airport was strategically sited close to London city itself. Following the end of the war, in the late 1940s, Luton Airport began to gain popularity and was used for mainly commercial flights.

By the 1970s, Luton Airport had become London's number four airport, after Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, and was finding charter flights extremely profitable.


Over the next 20 years, much of the airport was updated and extended, including a new international terminal building in the mid-1980s, and a further shiny aluminium terminal in 1998, at the cost of around £40 million, which ultimately replaced the earlier building.

There are several well-known UK high street stores scattered around Luton Airport's terminal and some well-stocked duty-free outlets situated in the departure lounge, such as Dixons Duty Free. A food court is also available within the check-in concourse, along with the Spectrum Internet Cafe. A chapel and baby care rooms are also onsite. For Business class travellers, the Aviance Executive Lounge has telephone and fax facilities, free Internet access, newspapers, television, drinks and snacks.