Flights to London from the UK 2026: Cheapest Airlines & Which Airport

The cheapest domestic flights to London in 2026 depend on where you're starting: from Scotland, easyJet and Ryanair often show fares of £25-£50 return hand-luggage only, with British Airways running the most flights and adding the central London City; from Northern Ireland, easyJet, Aer Lingus and BA compete; and from the far South West and the islands, Loganair. London has six airports, so which you fly into matters — and for many English cities, the train beats flying altogether.

This guide compares the airlines, explains all six London airports, is honest about when the train wins, and gives price bands by month. For the official destination view, Visit London is the city's tourism site. Already planning where to stay? Our best London hotels 2026 guide covers real, bookable stays across the city.

Jump to: Quick answers · Which London airport? · Airline comparison · Fly or take the train? · Which UK cities fly · Price bands by month · Baggage compared · Booking windows · Do you need ID? · Airports to the centre · Common mistakes · How to search · FAQ

Quick answers

What's the cheapest airline to London? From Scotland, easyJet or Ryanair (from ~£25-£50 off-peak); BA runs the most flights and adds London City. From NI, easyJet, Aer Lingus and BA; from the far SW and islands, Loganair.

How long is the flight? About 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes — but ~3.5-4.5 hours door-to-door.

Which airport? London City (LCY) is the most central; Heathrow (LHR) has the most flights; Gatwick, Luton, Stansted, Southend are cheaper but further out.

Fly or train? From Scotland and NI, fly. From northern England and the Midlands, the train usually wins.

When should I book? 3-6 weeks ahead most months; avoid early-morning and Friday-evening business peaks.

Do I need a passport? No — UK-to-London is domestic, but airlines require photo ID.

Which London airport should you fly into?

London has six airports at very different distances from the centre.

The convenience call. London City is the most central and fastest — worth a premium for business or a short central stay. Heathrow has the most flights. The others are cheaper but further out, all well linked by express trains. Factor the transfer time into your comparison.

Airline-by-airline comparison (2026)

British Airways — the frequency leader

Typical fare 2026: £60-£130 return; "Basic" domestic fares are cabin-only. Pros: The most flights on the Scotland-London and Belfast-London routes, into Heathrow and the central London City, plus Gatwick; Avios earning; onward connections. Cons: Higher headline fare than the budget carriers.

easyJet & Ryanair — the price leaders

Typical fare 2026: £25-£60 return off-peak, hand-luggage only. Pros: The lowest headline fares from Scotland and NI, into Gatwick, Luton and Stansted. Frequent flights, regular sales. Cons: Cheapest fares are cabin-only; further-out airports; extras cost more.

Aer Lingus & Loganair

Pros: Aer Lingus competes on Belfast-London (Heathrow); Loganair serves regional and island routes (Inverness, Newquay, Isle of Man, Channel Islands) to London. Cons: Fewer routes; check the fare for baggage.

The honest read: from Scotland/NI, easyJet or Ryanair win on fare; BA suits London City convenience, Avios and connections. From the islands and far SW, Loganair is often the only direct option.

Fly or take the train to London?

The answer depends entirely on where you're starting:

• From Scotland (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness): flying is usually faster door-to-door than the long train, and often cheaper — the default choice, though the train is city-centre and competitive on cost from Edinburgh/Glasgow.
• From Northern Ireland: flying (or the ferry-plus-drive) — there's no direct rail, so flying dominates.
• From northern England and the Midlands (Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Birmingham): the train usually wins — fast, frequent services reach London in 2-3 hours city centre to city centre, beating flying once transfers are counted. This is why there are few domestic flights from these cities to London.
• From the far South West and the islands (Newquay, Isle of Man, Channel Islands): flying is much faster than the long road/rail journey.

Which UK cities fly direct to London

Domestic flights to London are concentrated where the rail journey is long or non-existent:

• Scotland — Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness (BA, easyJet, Ryanair, Loganair).
• Northern Ireland — Belfast City and Belfast International (BA, easyJet, Aer Lingus).
• Far South West and islands — Newquay, Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey (Loganair, BA, others).

Cities with fast rail links (Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Birmingham, Bristol) are usually better served by train — check the rail option first from those.

Price bands by month for 2026

Round-trip economy, Scotland/NI to London, one adult. Representative ranges to plan against, not live quotes.

Business-heavy routes (Scotland-London) also have time-of-day peaks — early-morning and Friday-evening flights cost the most, so a midday or off-peak flight saves. See our cheapest month to fly from the UK roundup.

Baggage compared, honestly

The rule that saves the most: add any hold bag at booking, never at the airport, and compare the all-in price. For a short domestic trip, hand-luggage only is usually all you need — and it keeps the fare low. Remember the train has a generous luggage allowance with no bag fees.

The booking windows that actually save money

• Off-peak months (Jan, Feb, Nov): Book 3-6 weeks out.
• School holidays, Christmas, big events: Book 6-10 weeks out.
• Avoid business peaks: early-morning and Friday-evening flights on Scotland-London are the priciest — a midday flight saves.
• From English rail cities: compare the train, which usually wins.

Set a price alert for your dates and book when a fare drops.

Do you need ID or a passport?

A flight within the UK (from Scotland, Northern Ireland, England or Wales to London) is domestic — no passport is legally required. But every airline requires an accepted form of photo ID, and each sets its own list. Most accept a valid passport, and some accept a photo driving licence on domestic routes. Check your airline's accepted-ID list and take an ID it accepts. Note: a flight from the Republic of Ireland to London is international, not domestic.

London airports to the centre

• London City (LCY): DLR, minutes from Canary Wharf and the City — the most central.
• Heathrow (LHR): Elizabeth line and Heathrow Express, ~30-45 minutes.
• Gatwick (LGW): Gatwick Express and Thameslink, ~30 minutes.
• Luton (LTN): fast train link, ~30-45 minutes.
• Stansted (STN): Stansted Express, ~45-50 minutes.
• Southend (SEN): direct line to Liverpool Street, ~50 minutes.

All are well connected; City is the most central. Once you've sorted the flight and transfer, our best London hotels 2026 guide covers where to base yourself.

Common mistakes domestic-London travellers make

1. Flying from an English rail city. From Manchester, Leeds or Newcastle the train usually beats flying — check it first.
2. Booking a business peak. Early-morning and Friday-evening Scotland-London flights are the priciest — fly midday.
3. Ignoring which London airport. A cheap Stansted fare plus a 50-minute train may not beat a London City fare for a central stay.
4. Travelling with no accepted photo ID. It's domestic, but airlines require ID — take one they accept.
5. Adding baggage at the airport. Always add it online, or travel hand-luggage only.
6. Assuming a flight is faster than the train. Door-to-door, for shorter routes the train often wins.
7. Confusing Republic of Ireland flights with domestic. Dublin-London is international — different ID rules.

How to find the cheapest flight to London

Run the search three ways on JetMeAway Flights:

1. All six London airports, specific dates — compare a cheap Stansted/Luton fare against a central London City or Heathrow fare, factoring the transfer.
2. Compare the train — from English rail cities, price the train alongside; it usually wins.
3. Price alerts — set one and avoid early-morning and Friday-evening business peaks.

JetMeAway compares BA, easyJet, Ryanair, Aer Lingus and Loganair across all six London airports on live inventory, with zero markup — the price you see is the price the airline charges. Once your flight is booked, read our best London hotels 2026 guide for where to stay, and our cheap flights from the UK guide for the wider booking tricks.

Safe travels, and enjoy London.