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London Luton Airport (IATA: LTN, ICAO: EGGW) (previously called Luton International Airport)[3] is an international airport located 1.5 NM (2.8 km; 1.7 mi) east[1] of the town centre in the Borough of Luton in Bedfordshire, England and is 30.5 NM (56.5 km; 35.1 mi) north[1] of Central London. The airport is 2 mi (3.2 km) from Junction 10a of the M1 motorway. It is the fourth largest airport serving the London area after Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, and is one of London's five international airports along with London City Airport.

In 2008, total passengers at London Luton increased by 2.6% to 10,180,734,[2] the first time over 10 million passengers were handled in a single year, making it the fifth busiest airport in the UK. The airport serves as a base for easyJet, Monarch Airlines, Thomson Airways and Ryanair.[4] Most of the routes served are within Europe, although there are some charter airline routes to intercontinental destinations
An airport was opened on the site on the 16 July 1938 by the Secretary of State for Air, Kingsley Wood.[3] During the Second World War it was a base for Royal Air Force fighters. The topography of the Luton area, situated where the valley of the River Lea cuts its way through the north-east end of the Chiltern Hills, has influenced the location of the airport.[citation needed] The airport occupies a hill-top location, with a drop-off about 40 m (130 ft) at the western end of the runway[5][6][7]