Find out what services and facilities are available at London Stansted Airport. Where are the best places to eat and shop?

Cheap hotels near Stansted Airport

Internet and Wi-Fi

Wi-Fiis free for 4 hours after registration. Connect to the ‘FreeWifi’ hotspot. Access is renewed after 24 hours.

If you’re using an EU SIM card, you can make calls and use data in the UK at the same rates as in your home country, even though the UK is no longer a member of the EU.

Otherwise, get a UK data e-SIM quickly and easily on the website airalo.com.

Luggage storage

The luggage storage facility is located in the public area of the arrivals hall, between the Burger King restaurant and the Costa Coffee café. The service is operated by the “Excess Baggage Company”.

The storage fees are as follows:

• 15 GBP– 24 hours
• 7.50 GBP– 8 hours

Opening hours are 24/7.

Supermarkets

You’ll find food shops in the public arrivals area.

• Marks & Spencer – open 24/7
• WHSmith – open daily from 4.00 am to 1.00 am

There are further WHSmith convenience shops in many locations throughout the transit area. Opening hours are usually from 4:00 to 22:00.

Restaurants and shops

You’ll find restaurants both before and after security. In the public area, you’ll find a Burger King (5.00–1.30), whilst beyond security there are several more upmarket restaurants, another Burger King (4.00–22.00) and the popular Pret-A-Manger chain (open 24 hours a day).

The Costa Coffee café in the public arrivals hall is also open 24/7.

There are plenty of shops both before and after security, mostly boutiques selling clothes and accessories (Boss, Superdry, Tommy Hilfiger, Accessorize), toys (Hamleys, Lego) or traditional duty-free shops.

There are also Boots pharmaciesavailable at Stansted Airport:

• Public area, arrivals (1:00–23:30)
• Transit area (4:00–20:00)

Cash machines and currency exchange bureaux

You will find cash machines both before and after security screening. All cash machines are operated exclusively by ‘Change Group’, which charges high fees and applies an unfavourable exchange rate.

Airport currency exchange bureaux offer very unfavourable exchange rates, and we recommend avoiding them altogether. Ideally, pay by card, which is the preferred method of payment throughout the UK.

Drinking water

There are drinking fountains providing cold drinking water located throughout the airport, from which you can fill your own bottle.

You’ll find the drinking fountains at the following locations:

• Departures area after security (near the Pret a Manger snack bar)
• Departures area after security (at gates 1–19 and also 40–59)
• Passport control after arrival
• Baggage carousels (at carousel number 9)
• International arrivals hall (near Burger King)

Smoking area, showers

Smoking is prohibited throughout the airport and there are no indoor smoking areas.

There are also no public showers available at Stansted Airport.