How to Find Cheap Flights to Europe

Return flights from London to Europe typically cost between £185 and £303 in September, though fares move with demand, season and how early you book. The lowest fare our search found recently was £117 — a great price and well below the usual range, so a price near this is worth grabbing. Keeping your dates flexible and comparing nearby days is the easiest way to land at the cheaper end.

On average, January is the cheapest month to fly to Europe, with return fares around £117, and March is another good-value option at about £117. Prices peak in September, when return tickets average around £372 because of higher demand. If your travel dates are flexible, shifting your trip into a cheaper month can save you a meaningful amount.

The cheapest day to depart to Europe is usually Tuesday, when fares start from around £122 — midweek departures tend to be quieter and cheaper. Saturday is typically the most expensive day to fly out (around £300), as weekend travel is popular with leisure and business travellers alike. Where your plans allow, moving your outbound to a cheaper weekday can noticeably lower the total fare.

Flights to Europe are generally cheapest departing in the morning, with fares from around £173. Departures in midday tend to cost more (about £364), as those slots are more convenient and in higher demand. Picking an off-peak departure time is a simple way to trim the price without changing your dates.

The cheapest return flights to Europe depart from London Heathrow (LHR), from around £132. London has several airports serving this route and fares can vary between them — Stansted (STN) is often the priciest at around £536. It's worth checking which London airport is both cheapest and most convenient for you before booking.

For Europe, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct, with fares from around £143 versus about £213 for a 1-stop itinerary. A direct flight also saves you time and the hassle of a connection, so it's usually the better all-round choice on this route. Stopovers only tend to pay off here if a particular date or airline happens to be cheaper.

To get a below-average price to Europe, aim to book roughly 26 weeks before departure, when fares tend to dip to around £117. Leaving it to the final week is usually the most expensive time to buy, costing about 55% more, as availability tightens. Booking extremely far ahead isn't always cheaper either, so a few weeks to a couple of months out is typically the sweet spot.