Flying from London to Tampa: what you need to know
London has plenty of airports to start your trip from. Explore your departure options from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and London Gatwick Airport (LGW) when planning your flight from London to Tampa. Stansted Airport (STN), London Luton Airport (LTN) and London City Airport (LCY) are the other main bases in the city.
Disembark at Tampa International Airport (TPA), the primary gateway of Tampa.
The average time for a direct London to Tampa flight is 9 hours 50 minutes.
Tampa's timezone is UTC-4, which makes Tampa four hours behind London.
With seven flights a week between the two airports, London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Tampa International Airport (TPA) is the busiest route. Hop on the first flight from London to Tampa with Virgin Atlantic at 13:55. If you'd like to get more out of your day before taking off, the latest departure from LHR to TPA is with Virgin Atlantic at 14:40.
To ensure you board your London to Tampa flight, allow plenty of time to check in and find your gate. Arriving two hours ahead of international departures and one hour before domestic flights is a good rule of thumb.
Be prepared for bigger queues in popular months such as July. Arriving up to four hours ahead of an international flight and two hours for a domestic departure is a wise move.
How to find the cheapest flights from London to Tampa
Book three months before flying. Research into pricing trends suggests this is the ideal window for finding cheap London to Tampa flights.
Plan your trip for June. That's the best month for scoring the biggest deals on plane tickets from London to Tampa. If you're flexible with your dates, use the 'Whole month' tool to find the cheapest price across each month.
Getting a cheap flight from London to Tampa is easy with Price Alerts. All you need to do is create one of these automatic alerts and we'll get in touch as soon as there's a better deal.
Lock in a cheap London to Tampa flight with the help of our filters. Choose your preferred times, airlines and number of stops, then sort the results by 'Cheapest' for the best deals.
Flying from London
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
Set off from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) on a nonstop flight from London to Tampa. From LHR, you can fly directly to Tampa International Airport (TPA).
Check out the deals with Virgin Atlantic. This carrier offers direct London to Tampa plane tickets out of LHR.
A stopover is the perfect opportunity to break up your journey — and perhaps even explore another city. When browsing London to Tampa flights departing from London Heathrow Airport, deselect the 'Direct flights only' box to see where you can visit along the way. Consider one of these popular options:
Logan International Airport (BOS)
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Miami International Airport (MIA)
The journey from central London to LHR takes around 1 hour by public transport. If you drive, ride-share or take a cab, you'll cover the 26 kilometres in 55 minutes or so, depending on traffic.
Want a relaxed start to your break? Stay near London Heathrow Airport. Whether you've booked an early flight from London to Tampa or just don't like being rushed, these hotels are ideal:
When it comes to London Heathrow Airport's on-time performance, data shows 68.18% of flights meet their scheduled arrival time.
London Gatwick Airport (LGW)
You can take a direct flight from London to Tampa leaving from London Gatwick Airport (LGW). Start your journey at LGW and touch down at Tampa International Airport (TPA).
From LGW, you can book a direct London to Tampa plane ticket with British Airways.
Get more out of your holiday with a stopover on your London to Tampa flight. Visit family or friends or tick another city off your list. Whatever you decide to do, check out these stops between London Gatwick Airport and Tampa:
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL)
LGW is about 40 kilometres from central London. It'll take 1 hour 20 minutes or so to get to the airport by car from the city centre. Public transport takes roughly 30 minutes.
Start your holiday sooner with an additional night away from home. Before your flight from London to Tampa, unwind in one of these hotels near London Gatwick Airport:
69.26% of flights taking off from London Gatwick Airport arrive within the expected time frame.
Stansted Airport (STN)
Whether just for an hour or a weekend, a stopover can make your journey feel a little more manageable. When jetting out of Stansted Airport (STN), you can book a ticket from London to Tampa stopping at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS).
The journey to STN from the centre of London is around 1 hour 25 minutes by public transport. If you prefer to travel by car, it'll take you roughly 1 hour to cover the 48 kilometres or so.
Make catching an early London to Tampa flight one of the easiest parts of your trip. Stay at one of these accommodation options close to Stansted Airport and get to the check-in counter with plenty of time to spare:
The on-time performance record of STN is 64.73%. To put it simply, that's how often flights from this airport reach their final stop as planned.
Arriving in Tampa
Tampa International Airport (TPA)
Tampa International Airport (TPA) is approximately 8 kilometres from central Tampa. If you're catching a cab or a ride-share, the drive takes roughly 15 minutes.
If you're using public transport, expect a journey time of about 55 minutes.
If you have a late flight from London to Tampa, few things beat the convenience of staying near the terminal. Grab your suitcases from the carousel and then be showered and resting soon after at one of these hotels near TPA:
Go where the road takes you with a Tampa International Airport rental car. Book your wheels from Dollar, Budget or Thrifty and experience more of Tampa and beyond.
For the best deal, reserve your ride from Tampa International Airport about one week ahead of your London to Tampa flight.
You'll find TPA at 5507 West Spruce Street.
St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE)
Central Tampa is about 24 kilometres from St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE). After your flight from London to Tampa has hit the runway and you've made your way out of the airport, the drive should be around 25 minutes.
If you travel by public transport, the ride to the centre takes 2 hours 10 minutes or so.
Budget, Alamo and Avis make collecting a St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport rental car quick and easy. These companies are located around or in the terminal and will have you behind the wheel before you know it.
Get your ideal vehicle, not just what's available, by securing your ride from PIE in advance. You'll also avoid paying extra, especially during busy airport times.
St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport is located at Suite 221 - Terminal Building.
Best time to go to Tampa
It's time to figure out your dates for your flight from London to Tampa. July is the most popular month to travel to Tampa. If you like a more relaxed atmosphere, go in May.
Book a London to Tampa ticket departing in August if you're eager to experience the city during its warmest month. You can expect temperatures in Tampa to range from 24ºC (75ºF) to 33ºC (91ºF).
Search for cheap flights from London to Tampa in January if you like travelling in cooler conditions. Temperatures are at their lowest then, ranging between 9ºC (48ºF) and 23ºC (73ºF) on average.
More about Tampa
When it comes to searching for somewhere to rest your head, you'll find the top stays in Tampa right here. Check out these options as soon as you've booked your flight from London to Tampa:
Every great holiday has to include a little sightseeing. Ybor City Tattoo Company, Tampa Riverwalk and The Florida Aquarium are must-do's during your Tampa adventure.
Explore more of United States
Jacksonville is just one of the many places in United States waiting to be explored once you've seen Tampa. Around 274 kilometres to the north, top sights here include Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens and Friendship Fountain.
Miami is another standout destination in United States and is around 338 kilometres south-east of Tampa. No trip is complete without visiting Wynwood Walls, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens and American Airlines Arena.