The Heathrow Airport Ride fleet covers every group size, from a 4-seat saloon taxi to a 16-seater minibus, for airport transfers, London journeys and longer trips across the UK. Choosing is simple: count your passengers, count your suitcases, and pick the vehicle that fits both. The guide to our fleet below shows you how, in about two minutes.
7
Vehicle Types
16
Max Passengers
6
London Airports
Fleet at a Glance
| Saloon Taxi | Up to 4 · 2 cases | From £30 |
|---|---|---|
| Estate Car | Up to 4 · extra boot | From £31.20 |
| MPV (5–7 seats) | Up to 7 · group | From £33 |
| 8-Seater MPV | Up to 8 · group | From £39 |
| Executive Car | Premium · business | From £36 |
| Executive MPV | Premium · groups | From £42 |
| 16-Seater Minibus | Up to 16 · events | Fare calculator |
Estimated minimum fares for up to 5 miles: confirm your fare at booking
Fleet Overview
| Vehicle | Passengers | Luggage | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saloon taxi | Up to 4 | 2 large suitcases | Solo travellers and couples |
| Estate car | Up to 4 | Extra boot space | Couples and families with more bags |
| MPV | Up to 6 | Passengers with luggage | Families and small groups |
| 8-seater MPV | Up to 8 | Group luggage | Larger families and groups |
| Executive MPV | — | Group luggage | Business groups |
| Minibus | Up to 16 | Group luggage | Large groups and events |
About Our Fleet
Our fleet isn’t a showroom of cars. It’s a set of vehicle sizes, each matched to a different kind of trip. A couple flying out of Heathrow for a week needs something quite different from a football team heading to a match, or a family of five with a month’s luggage.
That’s why every vehicle in the fleet is described the same way: how many people it carries, how much luggage it takes, and the journeys it suits best. Airport transfers are where those details matter most. Suitcases, pushchairs and golf bags turn a simple seat count into a space puzzle. But the same logic applies to a station pickup, a night out across London or a three-hour drive to Manchester.
Heathrow Airport Ride arranges all of these journeys as private, pre-booked transfers. Whichever vehicle you choose, it’s yours alone for the trip, with no shared seats and no extra stops for other passengers.
Private, pre-booked transfers: the vehicle is yours alone
Vehicle Types
Here’s the whole Heathrow Airport Ride fleet at a glance. Each vehicle will have its own page with more detail.
The saloon is the everyday car of our fleet and the one most people book. It carries up to four passengers and two large suitcases. That covers most solo trips, couples on holiday and business travellers with a carry-on. It's also the lowest-priced vehicle on our rate card.Explore the saloon taxi
An estate has the same four seats as a saloon, with a longer boot behind them. Choose it when your luggage outnumbers your passengers: a couple with three big cases, a student move, or a family trip with a pushchair.Explore the estate car
MPVs (people carriers) come in 5, 6 and 7-seat sizes on our rate card, carrying up to six passengers with luggage. They're the usual pick for families and small groups who'd be squashed in a saloon. Our 8-seater MPV takes up to eight people.Explore the MPV
The executive MPV pairs MPV space with a more premium vehicle. It's chosen for business groups heading to meetings, or for anyone who wants a little extra comfort on a long airport run.Explore the executive MPV
The largest vehicle in our fleet, the minibus, seats up to 16 passengers, which is ideal when a group wants to travel together. Think wedding parties, sports teams, corporate away-days or a big family heading to the airport at once. One vehicle means one pickup time, one booking and everyone arriving together.Explore minibus options
Inside Every Vehicle
Pictures beat spec sheets. Each card below shows one vehicle from our fleet, what fits inside it, and a typical trip it’s made for, so you can picture your own journey before you book.
Seats up to 4 · 2 large suitcasesPicture a couple heading off for a week in the sun, with two checked cases and two cabin bags. That's a saloon trip. It's also the car most business travellers book for a quick run to the terminal.From £30.00 for up to 5 miles. This is an estimated fare — you can confirm your fare at booking.
Seats up to 4 · extra luggage spaceSame four seats, much longer boot. Ideal for a family of three with a pushchair and three big cases, or a student heading to university with a term's worth of belongings.From £31.20 for up to 5 miles. This is an estimated fare — you can confirm your fare at booking.
Seats 5 to 7 · passengers with luggageThink of a family of five flying out for the school holidays, each with a case, or a group of colleagues heading to the same conference. Everyone sits comfortably and the bags go in together.From £33.00 for up to 5 miles (5-seat MPV). This is an estimated fare — you can confirm your fare at booking.
Seats up to 8 · group luggageMade for the moments when two cars would be a hassle: a multi-generation family trip, a stag or hen party, or a small team travelling together. One vehicle, one pickup, nobody left behind.From £39.00 for up to 5 miles. This is an estimated fare — you can confirm your fare at booking.
Premium saloon · business travelFor a client pickup, a board meeting or a special occasion, when how you arrive matters as much as getting there. It's a calm, comfortable cabin for catching up on emails on the way.From £36.00 for up to 5 miles. This is an estimated fare — you can confirm your fare at booking.
Premium MPV · business groupsWhen a whole team flies out together, the executive MPV keeps them in one vehicle with room to talk shop. It's also a popular upgrade for families wanting extra comfort on a long trip.From £42.00 for up to 5 miles. This is an estimated fare — you can confirm your fare at booking.
Seats up to 16 · group luggageThe answer for big groups: a wedding party going to the venue, a sports team heading to an away game, or an office trip to the airport. Everyone travels together, and everyone arrives together.Enter your journey in the Taxi Fare Calculator to see your estimated minibus fare.
Fare Comparison
The table below lines up all our airport transfer vehicles side by side. Fares follow our rate card: a minimum fare covering the first 5 miles, then a per-mile rate.
| Vehicle | Passengers | Luggage | Suitable for | Minimum fare (up to 5 miles) | Per mile after 5 miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saloon taxi | Up to 4 | 2 large suitcases | Standard journeys, couples | £30.00 | £1.30 |
| Estate car | Up to 4 | Extra luggage space | More bags than people | £31.20 | £1.35 |
| MPV (5 seats) | Up to 5 | Passengers with luggage | Small families | £33.00 | £1.43 |
| MPV (6 seats) | Up to 6 | Passengers with luggage | Families and small groups | £34.50 | £1.50 |
| MPV (7 seats) | Up to 7 | Passengers with luggage | Larger families | £37.50 | £1.63 |
| 8-seater MPV | Up to 8 | Group luggage | Groups of up to 8 | £39.00 | £1.69 |
| Executive | — | — | Business and occasions | £36.00 | £1.80 |
| Executive MPV | — | Group luggage | Business groups | £42.00 | £2.10 |
| Minibus | Up to 16 | Group luggage | Large groups | Shown in the Taxi Fare Calculator | |
These are estimated fares — you can confirm your fare at booking. The final price may vary with vehicle type, passenger and luggage numbers, pickup time and any additional stops.
Worth knowing: the price gap between vehicles in the fleet is smaller than people expect. On a 20-mile journey, a saloon is estimated at £49.50 and an estate at £51.45, just £1.95 more for the bigger boot. This is an estimated fare — you can confirm your fare at booking. If you’re unsure whether your bags will fit, the estate is usually the smarter choice.
How to Choose
Picking from a fleet is easy once you know your numbers. Most booking mistakes come down to one thing: counting seats and forgetting the suitcases. Here’s how to get it right.
Start with everyone who's travelling, including children. Every passenger needs a seat, whatever their age. Four adults fill a saloon; a fifth person means an MPV.
Next, count your luggage in three groups. Large suitcases are the checked bags that go in the hold. Cabin bags are the small wheelie cases and backpacks you'd carry on a plane. Extra items are pushchairs, car seats, golf bags, skis and musical instruments. Large cases take up most of the space, so they matter most.
This is where the right choice becomes clear. A saloon carries four people or two large cases with ease, but four adults each with a large case won't fit. That group needs an estate or, more comfortably, an MPV. The same goes for families: two adults and two children with a fortnight's luggage will travel far more happily in an MPV than squeezed into a saloon.
Airport Coverage
Airport transfers are where vehicle choice matters most, because you’re travelling with everything you need for the trip.
Long-haul travellers often carry one large case each plus cabin bags. A holiday family adds a pushchair or car seat. A group heading to a wedding abroad may have suit bags and gifts too. Choosing one size up from the passenger count is often the difference between a comfortable ride and an awkward squeeze at the kerb. That’s why our airport transfer vehicles are described by luggage space as well as seats.
Our fleet serves all six London airports: Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, London City and Southend. Every London airport now charges cars a drop-off fee at the terminal, from £7 at Heathrow to £10 at Gatwick and Stansted. Our airport taxi transfers page explains each airport’s drop-off and pickup arrangements, and our Heathrow airport taxi page covers all four Heathrow terminals.
Heathrow Airport
Drop-off fee: £7 · All 4 terminals covered
Gatwick Airport
Drop-off fee: £10 · North and South terminals
Stansted Airport
Drop-off fee: £10 · Single terminal
Luton · London City · Southend
All covered — see the airport taxi page for details
Scenario Guide
Still unsure which part of the fleet fits? Find your situation below.
The saloon taxi is all you need, and it's the lowest fare on our rate card.
Compare the estate car first. It keeps saloon-style comfort with a much bigger boot.
Look at the MPV, which seats up to six with luggage, or the executive MPV if you'd like a more premium ride.
The minibus keeps everyone together in one vehicle, from one pickup point.
If you’re between two sizes, go up one. A little extra room costs far less than a second car.
Journey Types
For journeys to and from London's airports, luggage decides the vehicle. Estates and MPVs are popular for holiday trips. Saloons suit business travellers with cabin bags only.
For local trips across London, such as appointments, dinners and visits, a saloon is usually enough. Groups heading out together often choose an MPV or minibus so nobody's left waiting for a second car. See our local taxi service in London.
On a two- or three-hour journey, comfort counts. Many people go up a size on longer trips: an estate instead of a saloon, or an MPV for four adults. Our long-distance taxi page shows estimated fares to cities across the UK.
Rail travellers often carry more than they expect, especially off a Eurostar or a long-distance train. Choose by your bags as well as your group. Our train station transfers page covers London's main termini.
How to Book
Choosing a vehicle from the fleet is part of booking, and it takes seconds once you know your numbers.
Enter your pickup, destination, date and time in the Taxi Fare Calculator. Then tell it how many passengers are travelling. You’ll see the vehicle options available for your journey, each with an estimated fare, so you can compare a saloon against an estate or an MPV before you decide.
The order is simple: journey details → passengers → luggage → vehicle → booking. Our online taxi booking page walks through every step.
Booking steps
Before You Book
A few things are worth knowing before you book.
You're booking a vehicle category, not a specific car. The photos on this page show the type of vehicle in each part of our fleet. The make and model sent for your journey may differ, but it will be the category you booked.
The passenger and luggage figures above assume a typical load. Four passengers and four large cases need more than a saloon, even though the saloon has four seats.
Pushchairs, golf bags, skis, bikes and wheelchairs take up far more room than a suitcase. Allow for them when choosing, and go up a size if in doubt.
The vehicles offered in the Taxi Fare Calculator reflect your journey details and the options available for it.
FAQs
The Heathrow Airport Ride fleet includes saloon taxis, estate cars, MPVs in 5, 6 and 7-seat sizes, an 8-seater MPV, executive cars, executive MPVs and a 16-seater minibus. That covers everything from a solo trip to a group of 16 travelling together.
It depends on your luggage more than your passenger count. A saloon suits one or two people with up to two large cases. An estate suits couples with more bags, and an MPV suits families. For groups of nine or more, choose the minibus.
Count everyone travelling, then count your large suitcases separately from cabin bags. Match both to a vehicle in our fleet: saloon for up to two large cases, estate for more, MPV for five to six people with luggage, minibus for up to 16.
Both seat up to four passengers. The difference is the boot. An estate has a longer luggage area, so it takes more suitcases or bulky items like a pushchair. On a 20-mile trip the estate is estimated at just £1.95 more. This is an estimated fare — you can confirm your fare at booking.
Yes. MPVs carry up to six passengers with luggage, which suits most families and small groups. For seven or eight people, choose the 7-seat or 8-seater MPV.
For up to eight people, the 8-seater MPV. For groups of 9 to 16, the minibus in our fleet keeps everyone together in a single vehicle, with one booking and one pickup time.
Yes. The 16-seater minibus is a practical choice for group airport transfers, such as a wedding party, a team or a school group. Enter your journey and passenger numbers in the Taxi Fare Calculator to see your estimated fare.
Yes, but plan the space. Bulky items take up far more room than a suitcase, so list them when you book. Choose an estate or MPV rather than a saloon. A family with a pushchair and four cases will travel much more comfortably in an MPV.
Less than most people think. Each vehicle has its own minimum fare and per-mile rate. On a 20-mile trip, a saloon is estimated at £49.50, a 6-seat MPV at £57.00 and an 8-seater MPV at £64.35. Shared across a group, the per-person cost often falls. This is an estimated fare — you can confirm your fare at booking.
Not necessarily. Across our fleet, you book a vehicle category, such as saloon, estate or MPV, rather than a specific make and model. The vehicle sent will be the category you booked.
You now know what each vehicle in the Heathrow Airport Ride fleet carries and which one fits your trip. Compare the options once more, or go straight to booking and check your estimated fare.
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