Broadstairs to Gatwick airport transfer: from the Thanet coast to the Sussex terminals

The route of a Broadstairs to Gatwick airport transfer

From most of the town the car heads for the A256 by Westwood Cross and follows it to the A299 Thanet Way. The Thanet Way runs west along the north Kent coast and merges into the M2 at Brenley Corner, near Faversham. From the M2 the driver joins the M25 and then the M23, the motorway that leads down to the airport.

If a closure or a crash pushes the car onto a slower road, your fare stays the same. That matters more than people expect, because lanes on the M2 and M25 are often shut through the night for maintenance, which is exactly when many Gatwick passengers are on the move.

How early to leave Broadstairs for a morning flight

Work backwards from the time your airline closes bag drop, which is on your booking, rather than from the departure time. Take the upper end of the typical range, two hours, then add a cushion of 30 minutes for the unexpected. A bag-drop deadline of 05:30 therefore means a pickup at around 03:00.

At that hour the roads are quiet, but the maintenance crews are out, so the cushion is rarely wasted. The fare is the same at 3am as at 3pm, and the same on a Sunday or a bank holiday.

• Find the bag-drop or check-in deadline on your airline booking.
• Count back two hours for the drive, then 30 minutes more.
• Allow extra on a Friday afternoon or the first day of the school holidays, when the M25 alone can take 30 to 45 minutes longer.
• Be at the door a few minutes early: the first 10 minutes of waiting at your address are free.

North Terminal or South Terminal?

Gatwick has two terminals, and your airline confirmation says which one you need. Give it to us with your flight number and the driver goes to the right drop-off zone; at both terminals it sits on the lower level of the forecourt, and at the North Terminal it is between the Sofitel and the multi-storey car park.

If plans change and you find yourself at the wrong terminal, it is easily put right. A free shuttle links North and South around the clock, leaving every few minutes and taking about two minutes. Its South Terminal end is close to the railway station.

Being collected in Broadstairs

Most pickups are at the front door, but a few parts of town are worth a word when you book.

• Old town: Harbour Street narrows to pass through the York Gate, so for flats near Viking Bay we agree a spot the car can reach, which may be the Albion Street car park.
• Kingsgate and the North Foreland: give us the house name as well as the road; it helps the driver find you in the dark.
• Holiday lets near Joss Bay or Stone Bay: tell us where the entrance is if it is not on the road itself.
• Westwood: the A256 runs close by, which makes Westwood Cross an easy alternative meeting point.
• Arriving by train first? Broadstairs station, on Lloyd Road, has a drop-off and pick-up point.

Flying home: your driver at Gatwick arrivals

For the return leg, give us the flight number rather than a time. We follow the flight and set the collection by when it actually lands, so an early arrival or a long delay is handled without phone calls, and delays outside your control cost nothing extra.

Your driver meets you in the arrivals hall with a name board and helps with the luggage to the car. After an international flight the first 45 minutes from landing are free, which leaves time for passport control and the carousel; after a domestic flight the free time is 30 minutes. If you are held up for longer, waiting is charged at the standard rate, which we can tell you when you book.

Which car for the Gatwick run

The fare is for the whole car, so picking the right size matters more than counting seats.

• Saloon: up to four passengers with two large cases, enough for a couple's fortnight away.
• Estate: up to four passengers with three or four large cases.
• Executive: up to four passengers with two or three large cases, for a quieter, more formal trip.
• People carrier (MPV): up to six passengers with four or more large cases, the usual choice for families.
• Child seats: available on request; tell us the children's ages when you book.

Booking your Broadstairs to Gatwick taxi

Enter your Broadstairs address, Gatwick and your terminal, the date and time and the car in the online booking system, and the fixed fare appears straight away. You can pay by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Klarna or Revolut, and the code ExpressTravelKent takes 10% off online. Prefer to speak to someone? Call 01843 247247, send a WhatsApp message or email us; bookings are taken around the clock.

Plans change. Cancelling more than 24 hours before pickup is free; between 6 and 24 hours, up to half the fare may be charged; with less than 6 hours' notice, or once the car is on its way, the full fare can be charged.