Flying from London to Tokyo: what you need to know
You can select from a range of airports when organising a flight from London to Tokyo. Explore your options for flying out of London from London Heathrow Airport (LHR), London Gatwick Airport (LGW) or Stansted Airport (STN). London Luton Airport (LTN) and London City Airport (LCY) also service London.
Haneda Airport (HND) and Narita International Airport (NRT) are Tokyo's primary gateways.
Book a direct London to Tokyo flight and you'll be flying for an average of 13 hours 50 minutes.
The timezone in Tokyo is UTC+9, which is nine hours ahead of London.
With 33 flights a week between the two airports, London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Haneda Airport (HND) is the most popular route. Hop on the earliest flight from London to Tokyo with British Airways at 09:00. If you prefer to make the most of your day before taking off, the last departure from LHR to HND is with JAL at 19:20.
To ensure you catch your London to Tokyo flight, leave enough time for things like baggage drop and finding your gate. Turning up two hours before international departures and an hour before domestic flights is the general rule.
During popular months like July, it's a good idea to get to the airport earlier. Plan to arrive two hours before a domestic departure and four hours ahead for international flights when you fly during a peak period in general.
How to find the cheapest flights from London to Tokyo
To score cheap London to Tokyo flights, book your journey one month ahead of your planned departure.
The best month for scoring cheap plane tickets from London to Tokyo is April. Use the 'Whole month' tool to compare prices, then choose the dates with the lowest fares.
Locking in a cheap flight from London to Tokyo is easy with Price Alerts. All you need to do is set up one of these automatic alerts and we'll notify you as soon as a better deal is available.
Tailor your trip using filters. Choose your ideal departure and arrival times, total journey duration and airlines. You can also sort the results by 'Cheapest,' 'Fastest' or 'Best' London to Tokyo flights.
Flying from London
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
If you're looking for a direct flight from London to Tokyo, you can depart from London Heathrow Airport (LHR). Travel from LHR to Haneda Airport (HND) in one seamless journey.
Choose from a variety of airlines that offer direct London to Tokyo plane tickets out of LHR. Let one of these carriers take you there:
Stopovers are the perfect opportunity to break up your trip — and possibly even explore a different city. When searching for London to Tokyo flights departing from London Heathrow Airport, uncheck the 'Direct flights only' box to see where you can stop along the way. Consider one of these popular options:
Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK)
Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)
LHR is about 26 kilometres from central London. If you're ride-sharing, catching a cab or driving from the centre, it'll take 55 minutes or so to get there, depending on traffic. If you're using public transport, expect the travel time to be around 1 hour.
After a leisurely start to your holiday? Stay near London Heathrow Airport. Whether you've booked an early flight from London to Tokyo or just don't like being rushed, these hotels are perfect:
68.18% of flights that depart London Heathrow Airport land at their destination on time.
London Gatwick Airport (LGW)
Get the most out of your holiday with a stopover on your London to Tokyo flight. Visit family or friends or cross another city off your list. Whatever you want to do, check out these stops between London Gatwick Airport and Tokyo:
Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK)
Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)
LGW is around 40 kilometres from central London. It'll take 1 hour 20 minutes or so to get to the airport driving from the city centre. Public transport takes roughly 30 minutes.
You're going on holiday, so why not extend it with an extra night away? Think about staying at one of these hotels near London Gatwick Airport the day before your flight from London to Tokyo:
London Gatwick Airport has an on-time performance rate of 69.26%. This figure provides insight into how often flights that take off from this airport arrive on schedule.
Stansted Airport (STN)
You can lock in a ticket from London to Tokyo with a stop or two out of Stansted Airport (STN). These are some of the most popular stopovers between STN and Tokyo:
Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport (FCO)
Helsinki-Vantaa Airport (HEL)
Dubai Airport (DXB)
The trip to STN from central 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.
Sleep a little longer and still make your London to Tokyo flight without having to rush. These hotels near Stansted Airport make departure day a breeze if you're flying out early:
Flights that take off from STN land at their destination within the expected time frame 64.73% of the time.
Arriving in Tokyo
Haneda Airport (HND)
Haneda Airport (HND) to central Tokyo takes about 15 minutes by car. The centre is roughly 14 kilometres away.
If you're coming in on a late flight from London to Tokyo, few things beat the convenience of staying close to the terminal. Grab your luggage from the carousel and then be showered and sleeping soon after at one of these hotels near HND:
Hit the road running by picking up a Haneda Airport rental car. Grab a set of wheels from Europcar, Nissan Rent a Car or Times and explore beyond Tokyo's usual tourist stops.
Reserving your vehicle from Haneda Airport around three weeks ahead can help you secure the lowest rate.
HND is situated at 3丁目 Hanedakuko, Ota.
Narita International Airport (NRT)
As soon as your flight from London to Tokyo has hit the runway, you can make your way to the city centre in about 1 hour by car. Central Tokyo is roughly 56 kilometres from Narita International Airport (NRT).
There are some great places ready to welcome you near NRT. Tuck yourself in after your London to Tokyo flight at any of these perfectly located options:
Airport Car Hire, JDM Rent a car and Miki Car Hire make collecting a Narita International Airport rental car quick and easy. These suppliers are located around or in the terminal and will have you ready to go in a flash.
Get what you want, not just what's left over. Securing your ride from NRT four weeks ahead of time often means better deals and a greater range of vehicles.
You can find Narita International Airport at 成田空港第2PTB(バス), Narita.
Best time to go to Tokyo
April is the busiest month for flights from London to Tokyo. To escape the crowds, go to Tokyo in February.
Book a London to Tokyo ticket departing in August if you're eager to experience the city during its warmest month. Expect temperatures in Tokyo to range from 26ºC (79ºF) to 29ºC (84ºF).
Look for cheap flights from London to Tokyo in February if you'd rather travel when it's cooler. Temperatures are at their lowest then, ranging between 15ºC (59ºF) and 20ºC (68ºF) on average.
More about Tokyo
Once you've booked your flight from London to Tokyo, find a hotel that keeps you close to what you want to see. Make one of these options your base for exploring Tokyo:
There are so many things to do and see in this city it can be tricky to know where to start. Tokyo Tower, Senso-ji Temple Yogodo and Mag's Park Rooftop Shibuya Crossing are leading attractions which should feature on any good Tokyo itinerary.
Explore more of Japan
You've visited Tokyo, now it's time to explore other corners of Japan. Travel about 31 kilometres south-west to Yokohama to tick off its top attractions. From Teishoin to Seya Christian Church and Banfukuji, you'll have a packed itinerary ahead.
Around 402 kilometres west of Tokyo, Osaka is another essential stop in Japan. Experience this destination's highlights firsthand at Osaka Castle, Dotonbori and Universal Studios Japan.
