Gatwick North Terminal Shops — The Complete Guide

Gatwick's North Terminal is home to easyJet's biggest UK operation, Jet2, and TUI. If you're flying from the North Terminal, here's exactly what you'll find in the shops — airside and landside — and what's worth your time before you board.

The Gatwick North Terminal shops are split into two distinct zones that most passengers don't realise are separate until they're standing in front of security: landside, which you can access without a boarding pass, and airside, which requires you to have checked in and cleared security. The overwhelming majority of the shopping — including all of the duty free, most of the retail brands, and the best dining — is airside. If you're dropping someone off or meeting arrivals, the landside options are limited to a WH Smith and a handful of food-to-go concessions.

Landside Shops — Before Security

Landside at the North Terminal is compact. Most travellers pass through it quickly on the way to check-in, and the retail offer reflects that — it's designed for essentials and impulse buys, not browsing.

WH Smith is the primary landside shop, stocking newspapers, books, magazines, snacks, drinks, confectionery, and a small selection of travel accessories including phone chargers and travel plugs. If you've forgotten something basic — a phone cable, a water bottle, a paperback for the flight — WH Smith landside is where you get it before joining the check-in queue.

Beyond WH Smith, the landside zone at the North Terminal has a coffee shop (Costa or equivalent) and several food kiosks. There is no full-scale duty free, no clothing retail, and no electronics stores before security. If you want any of those, you need to be airside.

One practical note: If you are arriving early and check-in is not yet open, you may be waiting in the landside area for some time. The seating is adequate but the retail and food options here are the weakest part of the North Terminal experience. It's worth budgeting 20 minutes airside before your gate is called rather than spending that time landside.

Airside Shops — After Security

Once through security, the North Terminal shops open into a significantly larger and better-stocked zone. The airside area is designed as a through-walkway with retail on both sides — you pass through the shopping galleria on the way to the departure gates, which means every passenger walks past every shop regardless of their gate.

This is the full picture of what you'll find:

World Duty Free

The Gatwick North Terminal duty free store is one of the most spacious at any UK regional airport. It is typically the first significant retail space you encounter after clearing security, and it spans a large footprint with clearly delineated product zones.

Fragrances and cosmetics make up the largest section. Major brands represented include Chanel, Dior, YSL, Jo Malone, Charlotte Tilbury, MAC, Lancôme, Estée Lauder, Giorgio Armani, and Tom Ford, among many others. Prices are generally better than UK high-street equivalents, and the selection is significantly broader than what you'd find at a standard Boots or department store counter.

Alcohol is the other major draw. The spirits section covers whisky, gin, vodka, rum, tequila, and liqueurs — most major brands are represented, with premium and collector expressions more readily available than in typical supermarket ranges. Multi-buy deals are common: "2 for £X" structures and gift-tin packaging at standard price are the most frequent promotions. Wine and Champagne are also stocked, though selection is more limited than spirits.

Confectionery and food gifts occupy a dedicated section — Toblerone multipacks, Ferrero Rocher, Lindt, and various branded gift boxes are popular with passengers wanting to take something home or abroad.

Tobacco is available for eligible passengers.

Sunglasses and accessories — a rotating selection of designer and branded eyewear is usually positioned near the cosmetics area.

A note on duty free rules at UK airports: After security, you can purchase any item regardless of the 100ml liquid restriction that applies to your hand luggage. Duty free items are sealed in security bags that must remain closed — particularly if you have a connecting flight through another country's airport, where sealed bags from previous duty free purchases may be subject to additional checks. World Duty Free staff will advise on this for your specific route.

Boots

Boots at Gatwick North Terminal is one of the most reliably useful shops at the airport. It stocks a broader range than the basic travel essentials most airport Boots branches carry, and it is the primary destination for several specific passenger types:

Holiday departures use Boots for sun cream, after-sun, insect repellent, travel-size toiletries, and over-the-counter medication — all items that either exceeded the 100ml pre-security limit (meaning you couldn't bring them from home) or that you simply forgot. The travel-size selection is extensive and most major brands are available.

Families with young children use it for baby food, nappies, wipes, Calpol, and formula — particularly when travelling with items that couldn't be packed in hand luggage, or when checked luggage has been restricted.

Business travellers stop at Boots for headache tablets, eye drops, and the kind of personal care items that accumulate in checked bags but not cabin bags.

Boots also stocks a reasonable selection of gift sets and fragrances — usually cheaper than the high street if less extensive than World Duty Free. The Boots Advantage Card works at this branch.

Boots Click & Collect is available at Gatwick North Terminal — you can order online in advance and collect airside, which is useful for larger or bulkier items you want to take on holiday without carrying from home.

WH Smith (Airside)

The airside WH Smith is considerably larger and better stocked than the landside branch. It carries an extensive books and magazines selection — both current bestsellers and travel reads — along with newspapers, travel guides, and children's books. For long-haul easyJet passengers on transatlantic routes, this is where most boarding reading comes from.

Beyond reading material, airside WH Smith sells snacks, sweets, crisps, drinks, and a reasonable selection of travel accessories: neck pillows, eye masks, luggage tags, earphone splitters, and portable phone chargers. Prices are airport-premium — slightly higher than supermarket equivalents — but the range is practical and the location is convenient.

M&S Simply Food (Marks & Spencer)

M&S Simply Food at Gatwick North Terminal is typically located in the airside zone and serves as both a food-to-go option and a light grocery stop for passengers wanting higher-quality pre-flight meals or snacks.

The range includes freshly made sandwiches, wraps, salads, fruit, and hot drinks — all at M&S quality levels, which is noticeably better than the equivalent at most airport grab-and-go concessions. For passengers who want to eat well before boarding without sitting in a restaurant, M&S is consistently the most popular choice.

If you're catching an early easyJet morning flight and the airport restaurants aren't yet serving a full menu, M&S is usually the best option for a proper breakfast or something substantial before a 2–3 hour flight.

Superdrug

Superdrug at Gatwick North Terminal stocks similar categories to Boots but with its own house brands and a slightly different product mix. It's a useful alternative if Boots is busy — which it often is during peak morning easyJet departure windows — or if you're specifically looking for Superdrug own-brand products or Collins & Contour makeup.

Accessorize

Accessorize is positioned in the airside retail zone and sells bags, scarves, jewellery, sunglasses, and travel accessories. It's a popular stop for passengers who want a beach bag, a lightweight scarf for air conditioning on long flights, or a pair of sunglasses before a holiday. Prices are mid-range and the selection rotates seasonally — the summer range leans heavily into holiday accessories.

JD Sports

JD Sports at Gatwick North Terminal stocks a selection of sportswear, trainers, and casual clothing from Nike, Adidas, New Balance, The North Face, and other brands. It's more compact than a high-street JD Sports but carries enough to be useful if you've forgotten sports shoes, want a lightweight hoodie for a flight, or are picking up a last-minute gift of the wearable kind.

Case Luggage

Case Luggage sells suitcases, travel bags, backpacks, and luggage accessories. It exists primarily for two scenarios: passengers whose suitcase has broken before a trip and needs replacing at the last moment, or passengers who want to upgrade to a hard-shell case for the outbound flight. Prices are airport-level — not cheap — but the availability of actual luggage at the departure terminal is genuinely useful in a genuine emergency.

Travel accessories like luggage straps, locks, and luggage scales are also stocked here.

InMotion

InMotion is the North Terminal's primary electronics and tech accessories store. It stocks noise-cancelling headphones (Sony, Bose, JBL), wireless earbuds, portable chargers, in-flight adapters, phone charging cables, travel power banks, and laptop accessories. Prices are competitive for an airport retailer — not dramatically more than Amazon pricing on most items — and the range is specifically curated for travellers rather than being a general electronics shop.

If you've forgotten a charger, broken your earphones, or realised you need a travel adapter at the last moment, InMotion is where you go.

Clothing and Fashion Stores

The North Terminal's airside zone typically includes a rotating selection of fashion and lifestyle stores. Brands that have been present include Ted Baker, Hugo Boss, Dune London (shoes and accessories), and The North Face (seasonal). The selection changes and not all brands are present year-round.

A note on clothes shops at Gatwick North Terminal: The fashion retail at the North Terminal is more limited than at larger hubs like Heathrow T2 or T5. If you're specifically looking for a particular clothing brand, check the airport's website before relying on it being there. The shops listed above represent the more stable long-term occupants.

Airside Restaurants and Food

The Gatwick North Terminal restaurants airside include sit-down dining, pub-style eating, and fast-food options. The main food zone is positioned beyond the retail galleria, closer to the departure gates. Key options typically present include:

Wetherspoons (The Beehive) — one of the most popular places in the terminal for a full cooked breakfast before an early flight, or for the predictable, affordable pub meal before an evening departure. Reliably cheap by airport standards and consistently busy during the morning easyJet wave.

Wagamama — noodles, ramen, and Asian food in a relaxed sit-down format. A better option than fast food for passengers with 45 minutes or more before boarding.

Tortilla / Burrito-style options — quick, filling, and practical for passengers who want something substantial without sitting down.

Costa Coffee / Café Nero — coffee, pastries, and light snacks. Multiple outlets are usually positioned throughout the airside zone, meaning there is rarely a shortage of somewhere to get a coffee.

Grab-and-go kiosks — sandwiches, wraps, sushi, and snacks from various concessions positioned at the gate end of the departures area.

The North Terminal airside food offer is significantly better than many passengers expect. The morning departure rush — when easyJet's 06:00–08:00 bank of flights means several thousand passengers are clearing security simultaneously — can make the main restaurants very busy. Arriving early, clearing security with time to spare, and getting seated before the crowd is a meaningfully better experience than rushing to grab something at the gate.

Shops Before Security — Are There Any?

The question "what shops are at Gatwick North Terminal before security?" comes up frequently in the GSC data, so it's worth answering directly. Landside retail is genuinely limited at the North Terminal. WH Smith is the primary option. Beyond that, there is a coffee shop and food kiosks but no duty free, no pharmacy, no clothing, and no electronics landside.

If you need to buy something specific before going through security — perhaps collecting a prescription, or buying something for a person who is not flying — the options are very limited. The main shopping at Gatwick North Terminal is airside.

What to Know Before You Shop

Duty free is for airside purchases only. Once you are through security, the 100ml liquid rule no longer applies to items you buy in the terminal — you can buy a 1-litre bottle of perfume or a magnum of Champagne and carry it onto the plane as long as it's in the sealed bag from the shop.

Sealed bags and connecting flights. If you have a connection through another EU or international airport after Gatwick, you may face restrictions on taking sealed duty free purchases through security at your transit airport. Some destinations and transit airports reseal and re-screen items; others confiscate them. Check the rules for your specific route before spending significantly in World Duty Free.

Boots Click & Collect. You can order from Boots online in advance and collect at the North Terminal airside branch. This is worth knowing if you want specific products at airport availability but don't want to risk browsing under time pressure.

Most shops open from approximately 04:30. The North Terminal serves a very large volume of early morning departures. Almost all airside retail is open from around 04:30 to match the first easyJet waves. You will not arrive for a 06:00 flight and find everything shut.

Planning Your Journey to the North Terminal

The Gatwick North Terminal shops are the reason many passengers get to the airport earlier than strictly necessary — the airside zone is one of the better shopping environments at any UK airport, and browsing World Duty Free before a holiday flight is a routine part of the departure experience for a significant proportion of easyJet and Jet2 passengers.

If you want to arrive at the terminal with time to shop without stress, the simplest approach is a pre-booked private transfer from your home. No parking to find, no drop-off charge to pay at the ANPR camera zone, no inter-terminal shuttle confusion. Your driver delivers you to the North Terminal departures entrance at a confirmed time, with your luggage, and you walk straight to check-in.

Fixed-price Gatwick North Terminal transfers from £40. No drop-off charges added. No surges.

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Or read more: Gatwick North Terminal — full guide to drop-off, pick-up, parking and arrivals