London to Ilinden (LGW–SKP) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

British passport holders enter North Macedonia visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. No fee, no advance application. Passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond the planned departure date with at least one blank page.

Bring proof of accommodation and a return ticket. Hotels register guests with police automatically. If staying in private accommodation, register at the nearest police station within 24 hours of arrival; failure to register can result in difficulties at departure. Overstays carry fines starting at MKD 250 (about $4.50) per day.

Direct flights from London Luton to Skopje (SKP) run about 3 hours on Wizz Air. The Macedonian denar (MKD) trades at roughly 56 MKD per $1 and is loosely pegged to the euro. ATMs in Skopje and Ohrid dispense denars; euros are occasionally accepted at tourist spots but not reliably. No vaccination requirements for UK arrivals. North Macedonia is not in the Schengen Area, so your time here does not count toward Schengen limits. The country uses its own entry/exit stamps.

The Gatwick Express runs non-stop from London Victoria to the South Terminal in 30 minutes, with trains every 15 minutes (from £21.50 one-way; advance fares cheaper online). Thameslink trains from London Bridge, Blackfriars, City Thameslink, and Farringdon are slower (35–45 min) but significantly cheaper; often £10–13 on Oyster or contactless. Southern trains also serve the route.National coaches (National Express, Megabus) connect Gatwick to Victoria Coach Station for £6–15. Taxis from central London cost £70–100+ depending on traffic. Driving via M23 and A23 takes 35–60 minutes; multi-storey car parks are directly connected to both terminals by a 2-minute monorail shuttle.