There are really two "whens" with an airport taxi: when to make the booking, and what time you should be picked up. Get both right and the journey takes care of itself.
When to book
- As soon as your flights are confirmed. It takes two minutes, and it means your early-morning slot is held.
- At least 24 hours before you travel for any airport run.
- 1 to 2 weeks ahead for school holidays, Christmas and New Year, and summer weekends with lots of early departures.
- Same day? Call 01795 25 25 01. We run 24/7 and will always try to help.
Working out your pickup time
Start from your departure time and work backwards. Airlines generally ask you to be at the airport around 2 hours before a short-haul flight and 3 hours before a long-haul one (always check what your airline says). Then add the journey from Sheerness and a little breathing space for traffic.
Here's a starting point for a short-haul flight. For long-haul, add another hour.
| Airport | Typical drive from Sheerness | Leave home about… before take-off |
|---|---|---|
| London Gatwick | 1 hr 10 – 1 hr 30 | 3 hr 45 |
| London Heathrow | 1 hr 35 – 2 hr | 4 hr 15 |
| London Stansted | 1 hr 20 – 1 hr 50 | 4 hr 15 |
| London City | 1 hr – 1 hr 20 | 3 hr 45 |
| London Luton | 1 hr 40 – 2 hr 10 | 4 hr 30 |
| London Southend | 1 hr 15 – 1 hr 35 | 4 hr |
When you book, tell us your flight time and we'll confirm the pickup time with you. We know where the slow spots are at different times of day, such as the Dartford Crossing for Stansted, Luton and Southend, or the western M25 for Heathrow.
When not to cut it fine
- Weekday mornings: traffic on the M2, M20 and M25 builds quickly from about 6am.
- Friday afternoons and bank-holiday weekends: everyone heads for the motorways at once.
- Flights via Dartford: a single incident at the crossing can add a lot of time, so build in extra margin for Stansted, Luton and Southend.
Booking your return
Book your journey home at the same time and give us your flight number. We'll plan the pickup around when you actually land and allow time for passport control and baggage reclaim.
See journey times and pickup areas on our Sheerness airport taxi page, or book now using the form at the top of this page.
