Can quite sympathise with your views on LTN!

A strange airport since it's either LCC or private jets! Have you seen all the Gulfstreams parked in the holding area - looks a bit like a bus station

I believe, for normal travellers, the equation boils down to a mix of proximity/price/airport experience/carrier experience (with managed expectations).

My parents home is in Hertfordshire, so geographically LTN is the nearest airport. Easyjet offers several flights a day from Germany at very good prices. The airport is fine and well accessible. But at the end of the day it is a LCC location, so manage your expectations.

I haven't been there this year so far, but do remember that a good way to avoid drop-off charges is to go to the mid-term car park (free entry for the dropping-off driver for 15 mins) and then the passenger takes the (free) bus to the terminal.

Agree the security check area looks horrifying if you get there at a busy time (like Sunday afternoon or so) - but as you say it moves much faster than you might initially think.

I have twice coughed up for a fast-track pass and would recommend to do this if you come up the escalator to find the whole area full (people waiting all the way back past the BP control).

And there is a pretty decent paying lounge (Servisair?) which has always been very quiet whenever I have been there. I noticed they weren't allowing access to under 18's, so no dangers of screaming children.

Regarding the distance to the gates, I have the suspicion that there are no gates anywhere near the deaparture area, irrespective of which airline you are flying on, so it's always a rush...