Under the Traffic Distribution Rules 1991 whole plane cargo services or general or business aviation cannot be operated at Heathrow or Gatwick airports during periods of peak congestion declared for each scheduling season, without permission from the airport operator.
The periods of peak congestion
The Civil Aviation Authority, in exercise of its powers under the above Rules and having consulted Heathrow Airport Ltd, Gatwick Airport Limited, and Airport Coordination Ltd defined and published the hours of peak congestion at Heathrow and Gatwick airports for the purposes of the above Rules are as specified below. All times are UTC.
All times are UTC
London Heathrow Airport
Arrivals
Monday
0500-2155
Tuesday
0500-1955
Wednesday
0500-2055
Thursday
0500-2155
Friday
0500-2155
Saturday
0500-1455
1700-1755
1900-2055
Sunday
0500-2155
Departures
Monday
0500-2155
Tuesday
0500-1655
1800-2155
Wednesday
0500-1655
1800-2155
Thursday
0500-2155
Friday
0500-2155
Saturday
0500-1555
1900-2155
Sunday
0500-0555
0700-2155
London Gatwick Airport
From 0000 on 22 May 2026 until 28 September 2026
Arrivals and Departures
Monday
0500-1555
1800-1855
2100-2255
Tuesday
0500-0855
1000-1055
1200-1255
2100-2255
Wednesday
0500-0855
1200-1255
1400-1455
2100-2255
Thursday
0500-1455
1700-1855
2100-2255
Friday
0500-0855
1200-1255
1400-1855
2100-2255
Saturday
0600-0755
0900-1555
2100-2255
Sunday
0500-0555
0700-1855
2100-2255
All times are UTC
London Heathrow Airport
Arrivals
Monday
0600-1655
1800-1955
2100-2255
Tuesday
0600-1455
1800-1955
2200-2255
Wednesday
0600-1655
1800-1955
2200-2255
Thursday
0600-1555
1700-1955
2100-2255
Friday
0600-2255
Saturday
0600-1655
Sunday
0600-1655
1800-2255
Departures
Monday
0600-1655
1800-1855
2000-2055
2200-2255
Tuesday
0600-0655
0800-1555
2000-2055
2200-2255
Wednesday
0600-0655
0800-1655
1800-1855
2000-2055
2200-2255
Thursday
0600-1655
1800-1855
2000-2055
2200-2255
Friday
0600-0655
0800-2155
Saturday
0600-0655
0800-1655
1800-1855
Sunday
0800-2055
London Gatwick Airport
From 0000 on 30 November 2025 until 28 March 2026
Arrivals & Departures
Monday
0600-0655
0800-0955
1200-1355
Tuesday
Wednesday
1500-1555
Thursday
0800-0855
1000-1055
1600-1755
Friday
0600-0855
1100-1755
Saturday
0700-0755
1300-1455
1600-1655
Sunday
0600-0755
1000-1055
1300-1755
All times are UTC
London Heathrow Airport
Arrivals
Monday
0500-2155
Tuesday
0500-2155
Wednesday
0500-2155
Thursday
0500-2155
Friday
0500-2155
Saturday
0500-1155
1300-1455
1900-1955
2100-2155
Sunday
0500-1155
1300-2155
Departures
Monday
0500-1855
2000-2155
Tuesday
0500-2155
Wednesday
0500-2055
Thursday
0500-2155
Friday
0500-2155
Saturday
0500-1555
2000-2155
Sunday
0500-0555
0700-2055
London Gatwick Airport
From 0000 on 23 May 2025 until 2359 on 29 September 2025
Arrivals & Departures
Monday
0500-1555
2200-2255
Tuesday
0500-0855
1000-1055
1200-1455
Wednesday
0500-0855
1300-1455
2000-2255
Thursday
0500-0855
1100-1455
Friday
0500-0855
1000-1655
2200-2255
Saturday
0500-0555
0700-0755
0900-0955
1100-1155
1300-1455
Sunday
0500-0555
0800-0855
1100-1855
2200-2255
All times are UTC
London Heathrow Airport
Arrivals
Monday
0600-1955
2100-2255
Tuesday
0600-1455
1600-1955
2200-2255
Wednesday
0600-1855
2100-2255
Thursday
0600-1655
1800-1855
2100-2255
Friday
0600-2255
Saturday
0600-1655
1800-1855
Sunday
0600-1855
2000-2255
Departures
Monday
0600-1655
1800-2055
2200-2255
Tuesday
0600-0655
0800-1555
1800-1855
2000-2055
2200-2255
Wednesday
0600-0655
0800-1455
1600-1655
1800-2055
2200-2255
Thursday
0600-1855
2000-2055
2200-2255
Friday
0600-2155
Saturday
0600-0655
0800-1655
1800-1855
Sunday
0800-2055
London Gatwick Airport
From 0000 on 1 December 2024 until 2359 on 30 March 2025
Arrivals & Departures
Monday
0600-0655
0800-1055
1200-1455
Tuesday
0800-0855
1000-1055
Wednesday
0800-0855
Thursday
0800-0855
1000-1055
1300-1655
Friday
0600-0855
1000-1055
1200-1855
2000-2055
2200-2255
Saturday
0700-0755
0900-0955
1100-1155
1400-1555
2000-2055
Sunday
0800-0855
1200-1655
1900-2055
All times are UTC
London Heathrow Airport
Arrivals
Monday
0500-1655
1800-2155
Tuesday
0500-2155
Wednesday
0500-2155
Thursday
0500-2155
Friday
0500-2155
Saturday
0500-1155
1300-1455
1900-1955
2100-2155
Sunday
0500-2155
Departures
Monday
0500-2155
Tuesday
0500-2055
Wednesday
0500-2155
Thursday
0500-2155
Friday
0500-2155
Saturday
0500-1455
2000-2155
Sunday
0500-0555
0700-1755
1900-2155
London Gatwick Airport
Arrivals & Departures
Monday
0500-1055
1200-1255
1400-1455
1600-1655
Tuesday
0500-0855
1200-1255
1900-1955
Wednesday
0500-0855
1200-1255
1400-1455
Thursday
0500-0955
1100-1155
1300-1555
1800-1855
Friday
0500-0855
1000-1055
1200-1355
1500-1955
Saturday
0500-1255
1400-1455
Sunday
0500-0655
0800-0855
1000-1055
1200-1855
All times are UTC
London Heathrow Airport
Arrivals
Monday
0600-1955
2100-2255
Tuesday
0600-1855
2200-2255
Wednesday
0600-2055
2200-2255
Thursday
0600-1855
2000-2055
2200-2255
Friday
0600-1955
2100-2255
Saturday
0600-1555
1700-1755
Sunday
0600-1655
1800-1855
2000-2255
Departures
Monday
0600-2055
2200-2255
Tuesday
0600-1655
1800-1855
2200-2255
Wednesday
0600-1855
2200-2255
Thursday
0600-1755
2000-2055
2200-2255
Friday
0600-2155
Saturday
0600-1455
1600-1655
Sunday
0800-2055
London Gatwick Airport
Arrivals & Departures
Monday
0700-1055
1200-1255
Tuesday
0700-0855
Wednesday
0700-0855
Thursday
0700-0855
Friday
0600-1055
1200-1555
1700-1755
2000-2055
2200-2255
Saturday
0600-0755
0900-0955
1300-1455
1600-1655
Sunday
0600-1055
1200-1355
1500-1655
All times are UTC
London Heathrow Airport
Arrivals
Monday
0500-2155
Tuesday
0500-1455
1600-2155
Wednesday
0500-2155
Thursday
0500-2155
Friday
0500-2155
Saturday
0500-1455
1900-1955
2100-2155
Sunday
0500-0955
1100-2155
Departures
Monday
0500-2155
Tuesday
0500-1355
Wednesday
0500-2155
Thursday
0500-2155
Friday
0500-2155
Saturday
0500-0955
1100-1455
2100-2155
Sunday
0500-0555
0800-2055
London Gatwick Airport
Arrivals & Departures
Monday
0600-1955
Tuesday
0500-1955
Wednesday
0500-1955
2100-2155
Thursday
0500-1155
1300-1955
Friday
0600-1955
2100-2255
Saturday
0600-1555
Sunday
0500-0555
0700-2055
2200-2255
All times are UTC.
London Heathrow Airport
Arrivals
Monday
0600-1855
2100-2255
Tuesday
0600-1355
1500-1955
2200-2255
Wednesday
0600-1955
2200-2255
Thursday
0600-1555
1700-1955
2200-2255
Friday
0600-2255
Saturday
0600-1455
Sunday
0600-1655
1800-1955
2200-2255
Departures
Monday
0600-1555
1700-2055
Tuesday
0600-0655
0800-1655
1800-1955
Wednesday
0600-0655
0800-1655
1800-1955
Thursday
0600-1655
1800-2055
2200-2255
Friday
0600-2155
Saturday
0600-0655
0900-1455
1600-1755
Sunday
0800-2155
London Gatwick Airport
All times are UTC.
01 December 2022 – 25 March 2023
Arrivals & Departures
Monday
0600-1455
1900-1955
Tuesday
0700-1055
Wednesday
0700-0955
2100-2155
Thursday
0700-1055
1400-1455
1700-1755
Friday
0600-1855
Saturday
0600-1455
1600-1655
Sunday
0600-0955
1100-1855
All times are UTC.
London Heathrow Airport
Arrivals
Monday
0500-1655
1800-2155
Tuesday
0500-2155
Wednesday
0500-2155
Thursday
0500-2155
Friday
0500-2155
Saturday
0500-1155
1300-1455
1900-1955
2100-2155
Sunday
0500-2155
Departures
Monday
0500-2155
Tuesday
0500-2055
Wednesday
0500-2155
Thursday
0500-2155
Friday
0500-2155
Saturday
0500-1455
2000-2155
Sunday
0500-0555
0700-1755
1900-2155
London Gatwick Airport
Arrivals & Departures
Monday
0500-1955
2100-2155
Tuesday
0500-0855
1000-1955
2100-2155
Wednesday
0500-1855
Thursday
0500-1955
2100-2155
Friday
0500-1955
2100-2155
Saturday
0500-1655
Sunday
0600-2255
Review of the Traffic Distribution Rules 1991
The CAA is reviewing the 1991 TDRs, which is secondary legislation created by the Secretary of State under Section 31 of the Airports Act 1986. Under this act, before making (amending or revoking) any set of Traffic Distribution Rules, the Secretary of State must consult the CAA. In turn, before giving advice to the Secretary of State, the CAA is required to consult with airports and airlines likely to be affected by the rules. We are consulting on draft advice to the Secretary of State and plan to provide final advice in summer 2026. We welcome responses from any interested stakeholder by 26 June 2026. Responses should be submitted to economicregulation@caa.co.uk.
