Luton is London’s fourth largest airport, and is situated some 30 miles north of the capital near the main M1 motorway. It is a busy gateway for low cost carriers and holiday charter airlines, and the home base of easyJet and TUI Airways. Ryanair and Wizz Air also have a heavy presence. A number of cargo airliners pass through each day.
Luton is perhaps best known amongst enthusiasts for the large variety of business jets which pass through on a regular basis. The airport has many ramps and hangars dedicated to this traffic, which can be a little difficult to navigate around and see everything, but there are always plenty to see including some unusual visitors.
Paul Williams has provided this detailed guidet to plane spotting at London Luton.
Spotting Locations at Luton
Multi Storey Car Parks 1 & 2
You can get a good view across the Runway, South Apron, Taxiway DELTA & FOXTROT as well as Signature FBO, Gulfstream hangar and the main apron.
Views like these can be had from the car park.
Holiday Inn Express
The hotel has good views overlooking the runway. If you email the hotel and ask for a runway view the hotel will try to accommodate where possible due to availability.
From the hotel if you walk along the main road where the red line goes you can get views like the pictures below.
Long Stay Car Park
The long stay car park is a very good point for spotting. If you park anywhere within the red area you will be able to get photos like these below.
This picture shows the car park behind the VistaJet and you can also get good views of North Apron, East Apron & Stand 62 area.
Chiltern Green Road
Down on Chiltern Green Road it’s only a small area and gets busy very quick.
From here you can see across the runway to the South Apron.
Our thanks to Paul Williams for this report.
Photos taken by Robert Camp / Luton Spotters Lutonspotter@groups.io
Airport Spotting Guides UK & Ireland
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6 comments
Last time I was at LTN, I tried to use the top level of the Short Term Car Park, I was rapidly told to stop taking pictures.
Thanks for the info David. I wonder if this is official policy or just an over zealous security officer?
Official ,Luton doesn’t like people taking photos , they don’t want people advertising the airport, or anybody using the airport,they want to use it for biz jets only ,hence the need to get rid of passengers. No sitting in the express holiday inn or any of the hotels, key workers only , no buffet breakfasts,no evening meals,takeaway drinks only , no spotting. Possible , stay away from the fences, long term car park is still closed ,mid term has reopened, no shuttle buses running, ,only the shuttle bus from parkway is running,but only for key workers .stay away from the multi storey roof level, stay away from Luton ,we are about to go into a local lockdown ..
I was on a rare trip to Luton today and was on my own on the top floor of P2. After a couple hours a security guard told me to leave – “I can see you are only taking pictures but this car park is closed and they don’t want anyone up here. P1 is closed as well so you will have to leave. ‘ I did not argue but would add that both car parks were open…A new policy? I had previously visited P1 on a police spotter scheme open day. That seems to be a lifetime ago…
Thanks for the update Brian. Sorry you had this bad experience. I wonder if any other spotters can comment?
Shame. Before I moved to Devon I learned to fly at Luton when they still had a grass runway, before it was turned into a taxiway. I used to go to the viewing compound to watch the aircraft but there are very few airports that want enthusiasts – we obviously don’t bring in enough cash