Inside the London airport abandoned 67 years ago that you can visit monthly

There’s a joke that Croydon is so far, you need to take a flight to get there. And back in the day, that might have been an option.

That’s because the area had one of the most iconic airports in the UK, steeped in history and record-breaking firsts.

Obviously no longer in use, Croydon Airport used to be one of the biggest flight hubs back in its heyday.

London Croydon Airport played a major role in the development of global air travel after World War I, and has a significant place in early 20th century British history – in fact, it launched the UK’s first ever international flights.

Despite its record-breaking beginnings, the airport is now defunct and no longer in operation.

Built in 1920, the airport was especially pertinent during World War II, before it was bombed in 1940 in one of the first raids in London.

The flight hub continued to operate since then but shut down permanently in 1958 after the launch of Heathrow and Gatwick.

There’s still a chance to look inside the former flight terminals, though, as it has since opened as a heritage museum.

How to visit Croydon Airport

Croydon Airport Visitor Centre is free to enter with the option of giving an £8 donation. 

However, it only opens to the public on the first Sunday of every month, and tickets are popular, so you’ll want to act quickly – they’re usually available two weeks before the upcoming open day.

Unsurprisingly, the tickets for the Sunday, October 5 2025 open day have already sold out.

For information on the next open days, visit the Historic Croydon Airport website. You can also keep an eye on when tickets are available over on Ticket Source.

Though the museum has limited opening hours, it seems a trip to the centre leaves a lasting impression.

At the time of publishing, Tripadvisor lists it as the top thing to do in Croydon – with an overall user rating of 4.8/5.

Croydon Airport’s trailblazing achievements

Airports now have a lot to thank Croydon Airport for, given that the establishment made some historic achievements.

Significantly, the airport introduced the world to two types of specialised airport technical buildings, including an airport terminal and air traffic control tower, according to Historic Croydon.

In 1928, it had the world’s largest airport terminal and was the departure point for world-breaking pilots such as Amy Johnson, who was the first woman to fly solo from London to Australia. 

It also hosted other pioneering aviators, including Jim Mollison, Mary Bailey, and Arthur Clouston with Betty Kirby-Green.

Before the days of British Airways, Croydon Airport carried Britain’s first national airline, Imperial Airways, and had some of the first routes across Europe, Asia and Australia.

You might not be an aviation buff but you’ll appreciate this – the invention of ‘Mayday’ as an international distress call was first established at Croydon Airport.

This article was originally published in June 2024 and has been updated.