Cheapest Time to Fly to London: Month-by-Month Fares From 11 US Airports

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London is one of the easiest long-haul trips from the US, with nonstop flights from all eleven US cities we checked. The price swing across the year is big, though. From Chicago, the typical round trip in June costs more than twice what it does in January.

This guide puts KAYAK’s monthly medians for eleven US gateways side by side, then adds the booking windows, the cheapest days to fly and the extra costs that a fare search does not show. All figures were checked on November 7, 2026.

Fare data

What Flights to London Cost, Month by Month

KAYAK publishes a median round-trip price for each month on its route pages, based on searches over the past 12 months. These are typical prices, not guaranteed fares. February wins from New York, Orlando, Los Angeles and Dallas, and also from Washington ($654), Miami ($641), San Francisco ($656) and Atlanta ($823). January is lowest from Boston, Chicago and Seattle ($701).

Source: KAYAK flight route pages to London, checked November 7, 2026. Medians for round-trip searches over the past 12 months. Bold marks each route’s cheapest month. NYC is New York, BOS Boston, ORL Orlando, LAX Los Angeles, CHI Chicago and DFW Dallas/Fort Worth.

The peak is far more uniform than the low. June is the most expensive month on every route except Orlando, where December ($923) edges out July and June. Orlando is also the flattest route, which suits travelers tied to school holidays: its August median ($669) is only about $100 above February.

After the summer peak, fall brings a second, smaller dip. From Los Angeles, September costs $942 against $1,329 in June. From Chicago, October ($878) is $566 below June. New York stays in a narrow band from August to November, between $740 and $797.

Extra costs

Costs the Fare Search Does Not Show

A cheap February ticket is only part of the bill. Three costs catch first-time visitors from the US.

For daily costs once you land, from hotels to the Tube, see our UK travel costs guide.

Calendar

The London Price Calendar at a Glance

The expensive months line up with long days and the summer events. Wimbledon runs from June 28 to July 11, 2027, right in the priciest stretch. July and December follow June on most routes, with December from Los Angeles ($1,240) almost as high as July ($1,178).

How-to

How to Find the Cheapest Flight to London, Step by Step

1. Search late January through February as a block. Look at the whole month rather than fixed dates. February is lowest on eight routes, January on the other three, and the two months sit within $70 of each other everywhere except Los Angeles, Washington and Miami.
2. Book early, especially from the West and South. KAYAK’s best booking point is 25 weeks out from New York and 26 from Boston, Los Angeles, Miami and Dallas. Atlanta is the exception at 9 weeks. The saving against booking within two weeks of departure ranges from 10% from New York to 39% from Dallas.
3. Move your departure day. Monday is cheapest from New York, Boston, Orlando, San Francisco and Seattle. Wednesday wins from Washington, Chicago, Dallas and Atlanta, and Tuesday from Los Angeles and Miami. Saturday is the most expensive day on seven of the eleven routes.
4. Price a one-stop ticket. On every route we checked, KAYAK says layover fares average less than nonstops. From Los Angeles, a connection via Detroit averaged $398 round trip against $1,035 nonstop. For timing beyond London, read our guide to the cheapest day to buy airline tickets.

Airports

Which US Gateway Is Cheapest for London?

The East Coast wins. New York and Boston both drop to about $525 in their cheapest month, and Orlando follows at $563. New York also has by far the most choice, with about 181 nonstop flights a week. Flight times below are KAYAK’s nonstop times.

Source: KAYAK route pages, checked November 7, 2026. The bar shows nonstop flight time. The buttons open our flight search (powered by Aviasales) for a round trip from Monday, February 1, to Monday, February 8, 2027. Fares there are live and will not match KAYAK’s medians exactly.

From the West Coast the gap is wider. Los Angeles bottoms out at $670 and San Francisco at $656, both in February, for a nonstop of about 10 and a half hours. Pricing a cheap domestic hop to New York or Boston can be worth a look, but compare the total with bags and time included.

Video

What Flying Into London in Winter Looks Like

This window-seat video from the YVR Travels channel was filmed on an Air Canada flight from Vancouver on January 24, 2025. It starts over central London with Tower Bridge and the City below, then follows the approach to Heathrow and the landing on runway 27L.

Video: YVR Travels, “Gorgeous View of London Skyline before landing at Heathrow Airport LHR January 2025,” via YouTube (February 2025).

Seasons

Is the Cheapest Month Also a Good Month to Visit?

The Met Office 1991–2020 averages for Heathrow show highs of 8.4°C (47°F) in January and 23.9°C (75°F) in July. Winter is gray rather than harsh: February averages about 9.5 days with 1 mm of rain or more, and July has nearly three times February’s sunshine. If your plans are museums, theaters and pubs, the weather costs you little. If you want parks and long evenings, September is the better trade.

Westminster Bridge and the London Eye from the Thames. The Heathrow Express reaches Paddington, and from there it is a short Tube ride to Westminster.

Save more

Money-Saving Tips for Your London Trip

• Avoid Saturday departures. Saturday is the priciest day on seven of the eleven routes, up to 13% above average from Miami.
• Book the airport train early. An Advance Heathrow Express single from £10 beats the £26 walk-up fare. Our airport transfer price guide compares other options.
• Use the official ETA site. It costs £20 on GOV.UK. Third-party sites can charge more for the same permit.
• Combine London with Europe. Our guide to cheap flights to Europe from the US shows how London compares with other gateways.
• Lock the hotel on its own schedule. Our guide to the best time to book hotels covers when to reserve and when to wait.
• Travel off-season on purpose. Our off-season travel cost guide explains where winter trips save the most.

FAQ

FAQ: Cheapest Time to Fly to London

What is the cheapest month to fly to London?

February on eight of the eleven US routes we checked. KAYAK’s medians are $524 from New York, $563 from Orlando and $670 from Los Angeles. Boston ($525), Chicago ($636) and Seattle ($701) are cheapest in January, checked November 7, 2026.

What is the most expensive time to fly to London?

June, on ten of the eleven routes. The June median is $914 from New York, $1,444 from Chicago and $1,590 from Dallas. Orlando is the exception, with December highest at $923.

How far in advance should I book a flight to London?

About 9 to 26 weeks ahead. KAYAK’s best booking point is 25 weeks from New York, 26 from Boston, Los Angeles, Miami and Dallas, 18 from Orlando and Seattle, and 9 from Atlanta.

What is the cheapest day to fly to London?

Monday from New York, Boston, Orlando, San Francisco and Seattle, Wednesday from Washington, Chicago, Dallas and Atlanta, and Tuesday from Los Angeles and Miami. Saturday is usually the most expensive.

Do US citizens need anything to enter the UK?

A valid passport and, in most cases, an Electronic Travel Authorisation. GOV.UK lists the ETA at £20 per person. Check your own case on the official site before you book.

Fares, booking windows and cheapest days in this guide were checked on November 7, 2026, from KAYAK’s route pages. ETA and Heathrow Express prices come from GOV.UK and Heathrow Express on the same day, and weather averages from the Met Office (Heathrow, 1991–2020). Fares change daily, so treat them as a guide and check live prices before you book. How we check prices.