London Stansted Airport — London, Essex, United Kingdom

Stansted's most recognizable feature is its Norman Foster-designed terminal, opened in 1991, which pushed mechanical and support functions into an undercroft below the departure hall so passengers move through an open, naturally lit space rather than a maze of ductwork. STN sits in Essex to the northeast of central London and has grown into the primary base for Ryanair's UK operations, making it one of the busiest low-cost gateways in Europe. A dedicated rail link, the Stansted Express, connects the terminal to Liverpool Street station in under an hour, while coach services reach other parts of southeast England. Unlike Heathrow or Gatwick, Stansted's traffic leans heavily toward short-haul leisure routes across the continent rather than long-haul or business connections. The airport has expanded its terminal capacity in recent years to handle rising passenger numbers, and it remains a significant employer for the surrounding county.