Left your booking to the last minute? Here's the ins and outs of still getting a cheap flight to the UK for Christmas.
Thinking of heading home for the holidays? Maybe you want to catch up with family and friends who have taken off for the UK? Or perhaps you’re just simply imagining that fairytale white Christmas?
Whatever the case, a trip to the UK over the peak Christmas season doesn’t have to be an expensive one that will have you gritting your teeth while paying.
With the right know-how, deals and timing, you can snatch up a cheap Christmas flight in time to catch the carollers and, with luck, a healthy snowfall.
Find the cheapest Christmas flights to the UK
Search below to compare fares to the UK from hundreds of airlines and booking sites.
Latest flight deals to the UK
Flight Centre - International
Round-the-world fares from $1,179
Valid for travel between 25 February - 11 April 2019. Sample fare is Melbourne-London-Los Angeles-Hong Kong.
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Deal expires
STA Travel
London flights from $995 return
Valid for travel from 27 September - 30 November 2018. Sample fare is Sydney-London with Malaysia Airlines.
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Deal expires
Cathay Pacific
Europe flights from $1,123 return
Valid for travel from 20 August 2018 - 28 February 2019. Destinations include London, Amsterdam, Paris, Rome, Dublin and more. Sample fare is Cairns-London.
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Deal expires
Emirates
Europe flights from $1,129 return
Valid for travel from 27 September - 30 November 2018 and 14-31 January 2019. Destinations include London, Barcelona, Athens, Rome, Madrid and more. Sample fare is Perth-Istanbul.
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Deal expires
Flight Centre - International
London flights from $989 return
Valid for travel from 1 October - 22 November and 1 February - 30 March 2019. Sample fare is Melbourne-London.
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Deal expires
Skiddoo
International flights from $242 return
Valid for travel on select dates. Sample fare is Perth-Bali. Destinations include London, Dublin, Rome, Seoul, Los Angeles, Langkawi, Colombo, Singapore and more.
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British Airways
UK flights from $1,170 return
Valid for travel until October 2018. Destinations include London and Edinburgh. Sample fare is for Sydney-London.
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Lufthansa
Europe flights from $1,510 return
Valid for travel on select dates. Destinations include London, Rome, Paris, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Milan, Madrid and more. Sample fare is Perth-Barcelona.
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LookUpFare
$120 off first class seats
Valid for travel on select dates. Destinations include San Francisco, Chicago, London, Dubai, Venice and more. T&C's apply.
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Etihad Airways Australia
Europe flights from $1,878 return
Valid for travel until 31 December 2018. Destinations include Rome, Paris, Dublin, London and more. Sample fare is Perth-Amsterdam.
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Deal expires
When’s the best time to book Christmas flights to the UK?
The best time to book flights to the UK for Christmas is from March to May because this is when airlines tend to offer early bird sales on Christmas and New Year flights.
The biggest savings to London generally appear around six months prior to departure, but if you’ve missed this window, don’t despair. Airlines often have sales throughout the year and even feature last-minute deals if you’re willing to take the risk.
If you’re not willing to risk a potential flight price rise, then generally the earlier you book the better.
According to Skyscanner Best Time to Book tool, you can still save up to 3% off flights to London up to four months prior to flying.
If you want to spend the whole Christmas period in the UK, we've found that fares tend to be cheaper if you depart on 12 December or earlier. Return fares start to cheapen from 3 January onward.
Tips and tricks to getting cheap Christmas flights to UK
Can’t find a price that suits your budget? Simple ways you can get there for less include:
- Fly out on Christmas Day or New Year's Day: The major holiday dates are renowned for being the most unappealing dates to fly, so they often sport cheaper fares – even up to the last minute. If you’re not picky about having to be home by Christmas Day, this is a good option to keep your ticket price down.
- Choose to multi-stop: Direct flights are hot property over Christmas so prices skyrocket. If you don’t mind longer journeys and potentially long stopovers, you can find fares at a fraction of the cost of a direct flight. Cheap Flights breaks your options down well, detailing the cheapest flights and best direct flights for your dates. The site also highlights the smartest flights for you, with the best combination of flight time and price.
- Fly on a more “budget” airline: Multiple airlines fly from Australia to London, including Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Emirates and Qatar Airways. While these are more luxurious, you do pay for that comfort. Airlines such as China Airlines and China Eastern aren’t as prestigious but often get you there for less.
- Try the budget airline hack: Bump your way to the UK on two budget airlines, booking each separately. It’s possible to save on costs by combining a cheap Scoot flight from Australia to Singapore with one of the low-cost flights between Singapore and London now being offered by Norwegian.
- Fly into an alternate airport: Fares will be different depending on where you're flying to in the UK. You may be able to save hundreds by flying into Manchester instead of London or Glasgow instead of Edinburgh, for example. If you don't mind driving a bit further or taking a train once you arrive, this could help you save big.
