Flying out of Heathrow after landing at Stansted is one of the longer cross-London connections, since the two airports sit on opposite sides of the capital with no direct train or fast link between them. A Stansted to Heathrow airport cab solves that problem in one move. You get picked up at arrivals, you're driven straight to your Heathrow terminal, and there's no changing trains, no hauling bags across platforms, and no guessing whether a coach will actually turn up on time. Below we've laid out real prices, honest journey times, pickup and drop-off points, and what to do if your first flight lands late. If you're weighing up a taxi against the train or coach, we've covered that too, so you can pick what actually suits your trip.
Fares for a Stansted to Heathrow airport cab typically run between £130 and £160 for a standard saloon car, depending on the time of day, how many passengers you have, and whether you're travelling during a busy period like early morning or a bank holiday weekend. An estate car with extra boot space usually sits a little above that range, while a minibus for larger groups is priced per booking rather than per seat. Every fare we quote is fixed before your driver leaves, so the price you see when you book is the price you pay, whatever the traffic looks like on the day. For an exact figure, get an online taxi quote through our site, or call our phone number and one of our team will talk you through your options.
A realistic journey time between the two airports is 90 minutes to 2.5 hours, covering roughly 70 to 75 miles depending on traffic and your exact Heathrow terminal. That's the longest of the London airport transfers, since it crosses almost the full width of the M25. The M25 itself is the one stretch that can genuinely wreck your schedule, since it carries heavy traffic most of the day and can slow to a crawl during rush hour or after an accident. Our drivers watch live traffic updates throughout the journey and will switch routes if the M25 backs up, but it's worth building in extra time regardless, especially if you're catching a flight rather than heading home. As a rule, we'd suggest allowing at least 3 hours between landing at Stansted and your Heathrow departure time.
Stansted has a single terminal, so there's no guessing which building to head for. Once you land, your driver will be waiting in the arrivals hall with a name board, ready to walk you straight to the car. From here it's a run along the M11 onto the M25, then joining the M4 or A4 depending on which Heathrow terminal you're headed to. A Stansted Airport pickup to Heathrow usually takes around 90 minutes to 2 hours outside of peak traffic, longer during rush hour.
Heathrow's terminals aren't all in the same spot, so where your driver drops you off matters. Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 share a central drop-off zone. Terminal 4 has its own separate drop-off road on the southern side of the airport. Terminal 5 sits furthest west with its own dedicated drop-off approach. Give us your exact departure terminal and airline when you book, since guessing wrong on the drop-off point can cost you ten extra minutes you don't have.
Heathrow charges a small drop-off fee at the terminal forecourt, generally around £5 for a short stop, and this is already built into your fixed fare, so there's nothing extra to hand over at the barrier. Heathrow also runs a free short-stay drop-off area a few minutes' walk from the terminals if you'd rather avoid the charge, though it isn't practical with heavy luggage or a flight to catch. Our drivers use the direct terminal forecourt as standard, since getting you to the door matters more than saving a few pounds.
Connecting between two different airports on separate tickets always carries some risk, and this route carries more of it than most, simply because of the distance involved. Once you land, you'll need time for collecting checked baggage and clearing immigration, which can take anywhere from 20 minutes on a quiet day to well over an hour when several flights land close together. Add in the drive itself, plus a margin for M25 traffic, and you can see why cutting things fine rarely pays off on this particular route.
Our advice is simple. Allow a minimum of 3.5 hours between landing at Stansted and your Heathrow departure, and stretch that to 4.5 hours if you're travelling early morning, during school holidays, or in winter weather. Stansted to Heathrow airport minicabs for connecting flights from Heathrow Cabs come with flight tracking built in, so if your first flight is delayed, we already know before you've cleared passport control, and your pickup time shifts to match your actual landing rather than the original schedule. There's no charge for this and no need to call us in a panic from the baggage belt.
Luggage space matters more on this route than most, since you're crossing the whole of London rather than making a short local hop. Standard saloon cars comfortably fit two large suitcases plus hand luggage, but if you're travelling with more bags, golf clubs, or a pushchair, it's worth booking an estate car or people carrier from the start rather than trying to squeeze everything in at the curb.
A standard people carrier handles up to 4 passengers with room for matching luggage, making it a solid choice for Stansted to Heathrow airport cabs for families or a small group of friends travelling together.
Need seats for 6? Our larger vehicles cover this comfortably, with enough boot space for a full set of holiday cases, so nobody's left holding bags on their lap for two hours.
For bigger groups, our minibus taxi hire covers up to 8 passengers at a single fixed price for the whole party, which usually works out cheaper and far less stressful than splitting into two separate cars.
A few honest reasons this route works better by cab than by any other transport option.
There's genuinely no single best answer here, and it depends on what you're carrying and how much time you have.
By train, you'd need to get into central London first, then out again to Heathrow, changing stations and often lines along the way. It can work if you're travelling light, have hours to spare, and don't mind stairs with your luggage. By coach, National Express does run services between the two airports, and it's usually the cheapest option on paper, but journeys often stretch past 3 hours once you include stops, and there's no flexibility if your flight lands late.
A cab costs more than either, but it's the only option that adjusts to your actual landing time, carries your luggage without a second thought, and takes you terminal to terminal without a single change. For groups, families, early flights, or tight connections, that trade-off is usually worth it, especially given how far apart these two airports sit.
Expect roughly £130 to £160 for a standard car, with larger vehicles priced higher depending on size and passenger numbers. Get an online quote for the exact fare on your travel date.
Generally 90 minutes to 2.5 hours by road, though heavy traffic on the M25 can push this closer to 3 hours during peak periods.
Yes. Our cabs run door-to-terminal with no stops or changes, taking you straight from Stansted arrivals to your Heathrow terminal.
Yes. Enter your pickup and drop-off details on our website, compare prices, and book in a couple of minutes, day or night.
Yes. Our 24/7 service covers early departures and overnight landings, and prebooking lets you lock in your pickup time in advance.
Yes. Standard cars fit two large cases plus hand luggage, and larger vehicles are available for extra bags, golf clubs, or pushchairs.
Yes. Our larger vehicles seat up to 6 passengers with matching boot space, ideal for families or groups travelling together.
Wherever your flight departs from. Tell us your terminal and airline at booking, and your driver will take you straight to the correct drop-off point for Terminal 2, 3, 4 or 5.
Yes, a small forecourt charge applies at each terminal, generally around £5, but it's already included in your fixed fare, so there's nothing extra to pay.
We track your inbound flight automatically. If it's delayed, your pickup shifts to match your real landing time at no extra cost.
Your driver waits in the arrivals hall holding a name board, right where you come through after collecting your bags.