London Tube Strikes May 19–22: How to Get to the Airport Without the Stress
If you have a flight from a London airport this week, the last thing you need is a tube strike landing on top of it. Unfortunately, that's exactly what's happening.
RMT union members — London Underground drivers — are walking out on four days between Tuesday 19 May and Friday 22 May as part of an ongoing dispute over a compressed four-day working week. This is the second round of strike action this spring, following similar disruption in April. The strikes are not expected to be the last, with further action planned into June.
Here's what the disruption looks like, and — more importantly — how to get to your airport without it derailing your trip.
When exactly will the Tube be disrupted?
The strikes follow a now-familiar pattern. Each 24-hour walkout begins at midday, which means:
Tuesday 19 May — normal service in the morning, severe disruption from midday
Wednesday 20 May — severe disruption continuing until midday, then gradual recovery through the afternoon
Thursday 21 May — normal service in the morning, severe disruption from midday
Friday 22 May — severe disruption continuing until midday, then gradual recovery
If your flight departs on any of these days — particularly in the afternoon or evening — plan around disruption starting from noon. Even after each strike officially ends at midday, TfL warns that services take time to return to normal, so afternoon departures should still allow extra time.
Which lines are most affected?
Based on the April strikes, which followed the same structure, the lines worst affected are:
Piccadilly line — severely disrupted or no service expected. This is the direct Tube route to Heathrow Airport
Circle line — severely disrupted or no service. This serves Victoria (for the Gatwick Express) and Liverpool Street (for the Stansted Express)
Metropolitan line — partial disruption between Baker Street and Aldgate
Central line — disrupted between White City and Liverpool Street
Running normally (but much busier):
Elizabeth line
DLR
London Overground
Most bus routes
Getting to each airport during the strikes
Heathrow Airport
The Piccadilly line — the standard Tube route to Heathrow — is expected to be severely disrupted from midday on strike days. Your alternatives:
Elizabeth line — runs directly to Heathrow Terminal 5 and Terminals 2 & 3, accessible from Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Liverpool Street, Canary Wharf and more. It will be running but significantly busier than usual.
Heathrow Express — non-stop from Paddington to Terminal 5 in 15 minutes. Running normally during the strikes. You can reach Paddington on the Elizabeth line. Walk-up fares from £37 single.
Private transfer — the most reliable option if you want a guaranteed, door-to-door journey with no connection changes, no crowds, and no dependency on the Tube at all.
Book a private transfer to Heathrow →
Gatwick Airport
The Gatwick Express from Victoria runs normally during the strikes — but with the Circle line disrupted, getting to Victoria by Tube will be harder. Alternatives to reach Victoria include several bus routes and the District line (running reduced service).
Thameslink is your other option, with direct trains to Gatwick from London Bridge, Blackfriars, Farringdon, City Thameslink, and St Pancras — all reachable via the Elizabeth line or Overground.
Private transfer — especially useful for Gatwick passengers coming from areas of South or West London where bus alternatives are slow and the disruption compounds.
Book a private transfer to Gatwick →
Stansted Airport
The Stansted Express departs from Liverpool Street and Tottenham Hale — both are accessible via the Elizabeth line and Overground during the strikes. However, passengers who would normally use the Central or Circle lines to reach Liverpool Street will need to reroute.
National Express coaches also run to Stansted from Victoria Coach Station and several other London points — useful if the Stansted Express is overcrowded.
Private transfer — door-to-door to Stansted without any Tube involvement. Particularly valuable on strike days when train overcrowding at Liverpool Street is likely.
Book a private transfer to Stansted →
Luton Airport
The Thameslink to Luton Airport Parkway (then the Luton DART to the terminal) is unaffected by the Tube strike — trains run from St Pancras, Farringdon, City Thameslink, London Bridge, and Blackfriars as normal. St Pancras is also walkable from King's Cross if needed.
However, getting to St Pancras or any Thameslink station from certain parts of London will take longer on strike days, so allow extra journey time.
Book a private transfer to Luton →
London City Airport
The DLR — which serves London City Airport directly — is not affected by the strike and will run normally. The DLR is accessible from Bank, Canary Wharf, Stratford, and Shadwell. This is one of the better-connected airports during Tube strikes.
Book a private transfer to London City Airport →
Why a pre-booked private transfer makes the most sense on strike days
When the Tube is disrupted, every alternative fills up fast. The Elizabeth line runs normally, but with Piccadilly line passengers diverted onto it, it can be standing-room only by mid-morning on strike days. The Heathrow Express fills up. Uber surges. Taxis are harder to find at street level.
A pre-booked private transfer sidesteps all of it. Your driver picks you up at your door, at a time that accounts for your flight, and takes you directly to your departure terminal — fixed price, no surge, no changes, no crowds.
If you're flying from any London airport this week and haven't yet sorted your transfer, now is the time to book.
Heathrow — from £55 → Book →
Gatwick — from £75 → Book →
Stansted — from £85 → Book →
Luton — from £75 → Book →
London City Airport — from £40 → Book →
All bookings include free flight monitoring and 30 minutes of free waiting time from your actual landing time — so if your flight is delayed, your driver already knows.
Frequently asked questions
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Each strike begins at midday on the listed date and runs for 24 hours until midday the following day. Normal service runs in the morning before each strike begins. The affected dates are May 19–20 and May 21–22.
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The Piccadilly line — which serves Heathrow — is expected to be severely disrupted or suspended from midday on strike days. Use the Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express from Paddington as your alternative to Heathrow.
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Gatwick Express from Victoria and Thameslink services from London Bridge, Blackfriars, Farringdon, and St Pancras all run normally. Getting to Victoria by Tube will be harder with the Circle line disrupted — use buses or the District line instead, or pre-book a private transfer.
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The Stansted Express runs from Liverpool Street and Tottenham Hale, both accessible via the Elizabeth line. National Express coaches also serve Stansted from Victoria. Alternatively, a pre-booked private transfer is the most direct option.
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RMT union members are striking in response to London Underground's plans to introduce a compressed four-day working week for drivers. The RMT argues the changes would increase fatigue, reduce safety, and damage work-life balance. The industrial action covers six occasions spread across 12 days between May and June.
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