London is one of the best-connected places on earth, but the cheapest ticket is not always the best one. Landing at the wrong airport can cost you two hours and the price of a train ticket you did not budget for. This guide shows who flies direct from where, when a stop in a Gulf or European hub makes sense, and when the train beats the plane.
Heathrow is west London's giant, with the most long-haul flights and three rail links into the city. Gatwick, south of London, has many African, holiday and low-cost routes, with fast trains to London Victoria and London Bridge. Stansted and Luton, north of London, are mainly for European low-cost airlines, and the journey into town adds time and money. London City, in the Docklands, is small and close to the centre, mostly for business routes within Europe.
If you are going to the north of England, Scotland or Wales, flying straight into Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Bristol or Cardiff, often through a European or Gulf hub, can save you a long train journey from London. Compare every airport in our UK airports guide.
London has more direct flights to Africa than any other city in Europe outside Paris. These are the main non-stop links:
For every airline at Accra and its routes to Europe and beyond, see airlines at Accra International Airport and direct flights to Europe and the Middle East on GhanaFlights.info.
From many African cities without a direct UK flight, from Freetown to Lusaka, the fastest and often cheapest way to Britain is one stop. Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa and Kenya Airways via Nairobi connect most of Africa to London. Royal Air Maroc via Casablanca, EgyptAir via Cairo, Emirates via Dubai, Qatar Airways via Doha and Turkish Airlines via Istanbul are strong alternatives. European airlines such as Brussels Airlines, KLM, Air France and TAP connect West Africa to UK airports via Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris and Lisbon.
The Gulf and Istanbul airlines are especially useful if you want to land outside London: several fly directly to Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow and other regional airports. See Emirates, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines on GhanaFlights.info.
Every UK airport has flights to Europe. Low-cost airlines such as easyJet, Ryanair, Jet2 and Wizz Air link hundreds of European cities with Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, Manchester, Bristol, Edinburgh and the other regional airports, while British Airways and the big European airlines use Heathrow, Gatwick and London City. Since April 2025, EU, EEA and Swiss travellers also need an ETA.
Heathrow has more flights to North America than any other European airport, with British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, American, United, Delta, Air Canada and others flying from dozens of US and Canadian cities. Manchester, Edinburgh and some other airports have seasonal or year-round transatlantic flights. From South America and the Caribbean, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic fly direct to London, and connections run via Madrid, Lisbon and Paris.
Direct flights link London with the Gulf, India, Pakistan, China, Japan, South-East Asia and Singapore. The Gulf airlines connect almost every Asian and Australian city to London and several regional UK airports with a single stop. From India and Pakistan, direct flights also reach Birmingham and Manchester, home to large South Asian communities.
From Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, the Eurostar through the Channel Tunnel arrives at London St Pancras in the city centre, often faster door to door than flying. Ferries cross from France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and Ireland to Dover, Portsmouth, Harwich, Hull, Holyhead and other ports. You need the same visa or ETA as when you fly.
Landed? Start exploring. Entrance fees are included in the tour price; tips are not included but are always welcome.
Every major airport, from Heathrow to Cardiff.
Terminals and the three trains into London.
Visa or ETA, before you book.
From the airport to your first bus ride.
Britain Adventures is an independent partner website. Our partner sites on Africa and its history are where the stories on this page continue:
Search our Network. Start here.