Fast track security is exactly what it sounds like: a dedicated lane that takes you to the front of the security queue. The screening itself is identical — same scanners, same rules, same liquid restrictions — you just wait less time to reach it. At a quiet airport on a quiet Tuesday morning, it makes no difference at all. At Gatwick on a peak summer Saturday, it can save you 30–45 minutes of standing in a queue that snakes back through the terminal.
Whether it’s worth paying for depends on where you’re flying from, when, and whether you can get it free. This guide covers both Gatwick and Heathrow — two airports with very different fast track setups, at very different price points.
Fast track at Gatwick
Gatwick offers fast track security in both North and South terminals, available to anyone regardless of airline or ticket class. It covers departures only — there is a separate fast track passport control service for arrivals, at a different price.
What it costs to buy
Booked in advance through the official Gatwick website or third-party resellers, fast track costs from £6 per person. Buying on the day at the airport costs up to 20% more and is subject to availability. Children under two go free.
Gatwick’s fast track security is open from 04:00 to 20:00 daily in both terminals. Unlike Heathrow, there’s no time-slot booking system — you simply show your pass at the lane entrance whenever you arrive.
How to get it for less — or free
Clubrooms, both terminals: The most useful bundling deal at Gatwick. When you book Clubrooms direct through No1 Lounges — in either North or South Terminal — fast track security is included at no extra cost. Given Clubrooms costs roughly £42–£44 per person and includes table service, food, drinks, and a step up in lounge quality, the free fast track tips the balance further in its favour compared with paying separately for both.
Airline status and premium cabins: British Airways Gold and Silver cardholders travelling on BA flights get complimentary fast track at Gatwick, plus one guest. Oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members on eligible flights are also included. EasyJet Plus cardholders get access too. Other airlines with business or first class departures from Gatwick may include it — check with your carrier before buying separately.
myGatwick loyalty scheme: Registering for the free myGatwick account gives a permanent 20% discount on fast track security, bringing the cost to around £5 per person. Occasional promotional rates of £1 appear a couple of times a year through the scheme — worth checking if you travel through Gatwick regularly.
Priority Pass + No1 Lounge pre-booking: Pre-booking the No1 Lounge at Gatwick (as opposed to Clubrooms) via Priority Pass used to include fast track. This is no longer the case — fast track is now a Clubrooms-only inclusion at Gatwick for lounge-linked access. Confirm current terms when booking.
Fast track passport control at Gatwick (arrivals)
On the return leg, Gatwick sells a separate fast track product for passport control, limiting access to around 50 passengers per hour. This costs from £15 per person, booked online only, no later than four hours before your flight lands. You cannot buy it at the airport on the day.
The honest caveat: arrivals fast track is only worth considering if you have hand luggage only. If you’re collecting checked bags, you’ll clear passport control and then spend 30–45 minutes at baggage reclaim anyway — any time saved at the border disappears at the carousel.
At Gatwick, the cheapest way to get fast track security is via the myGatwick discount (around £5 per person). The best value overall is booking Clubrooms direct — fast track is included in the price, and you get a significantly better lounge experience than the standard PP rooms.
Fast track at Heathrow
Heathrow’s fast track security was suspended during the pandemic and relaunched in June 2024. It operates across all five terminals and works differently from Gatwick — more structured, more expensive, and with a peak pricing tier.
What it costs to buy
Fast track security at Heathrow costs from £12.99 per person, booked in advance through the Heathrow website. Unlike Gatwick’s open-access system, Heathrow requires you to select a one-hour window for when you plan to arrive at security. Bookings can be made up until midday the day before travel.
The service runs from 06:00 to 21:00 daily across all terminals. Everyone in your party requires their own pass, including infants.
Arrivals fast track at Heathrow — which covers passport control rather than security — is a separate product: £25 per person off-peak, rising to £35 during defined peak hours which vary by terminal.
How to get it for less — or free
Heathrow Express Business First: A Business First ticket on the Heathrow Express includes complimentary fast track security. Business First costs from £32 one-way (versus around £22–£25 standard). Given that fast track costs £12.99 bought separately, the premium over standard is roughly £7–£10 — making Business First cheaper than buying the train and fast track individually, while also including a quieter carriage and complimentary refreshments. For families with children under 16, who travel free on Heathrow Express, this deal becomes even more attractive.
Airline status and premium cabins: First and business class passengers, and top-tier frequent flyers, typically receive complimentary fast track through their airline. British Airways Gold, Oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members, and equivalent status on Star Alliance and SkyTeam carriers are generally included on eligible flights. Check with your airline before buying — many people pay unnecessarily.
American Express Centurion card: Centurion cardholders receive complimentary fast track at Heathrow as a cardholder benefit. This is the black card, not Amex Platinum — Platinum cardholders do not receive fast track automatically at Heathrow.
Unlike Gatwick, there is no lounge-linked fast track deal at Heathrow. The most cost-effective route for most travellers without status is Heathrow Express Business First — which at £32 beats buying the train plus fast track separately for anyone who would otherwise take the Express anyway.
Is fast track actually worth it?
The honest answer: it depends heavily on when you’re travelling, and at which airport.
Average security queue times at Gatwick and Heathrow run around 10–20 minutes during normal periods — which is to say, not long enough to justify the expense for most people on most days. The calculus changes during peak travel times: early summer mornings, school holiday Saturdays, and bank holidays, when queues at both airports can stretch to 35–45 minutes.
At Gatwick, where fast track costs £5–£6 per person, the answer is often yes — particularly in summer. It’s cheap enough that the peace of mind alone is worth something, and Gatwick’s security can genuinely be chaotic at peak times. For a family of four, £20–£24 to sidestep a long queue on a stressful departure morning is a reasonable spend.
At Heathrow, where the same product costs £12.99 per person, the calculation is more demanding. A family of four would spend over £50 for a benefit that may amount to saving 15 minutes on an average day. Heathrow’s own data suggests that almost 99% of passengers wait under 10 minutes for security during normal periods — fast track makes most sense when you’re travelling at peak hours, running tight on time, or simply know you find airport security stressful and want to eliminate the variable.
For arrivals fast track at either airport: generally not worth it unless you’re travelling without checked luggage and have a specific reason to be through passport control quickly — an onward journey, a tight connection, or a passport that doesn’t qualify for e-gates.
If you have airline status at Oneworld Sapphire or above — including via a status match to Royal Jordanian or another Oneworld carrier — you’ll get fast track automatically at both Gatwick and Heathrow on eligible flights. Check before you buy.
Summary: best ways to get fast track at each airport
At Gatwick, fast track security is cheap enough to be worth it on any peak travel day — book via myGatwick for the best standalone price, or book Clubrooms direct and get it bundled free. At Heathrow, the higher price makes it harder to justify on an average day; the Heathrow Express Business First route is the most cost-effective option for those without status. At both airports, always check first whether your airline, cabin class, or loyalty status already includes it — a surprising number of travellers pay for something they’d have got for nothing.
