How to Find Cheap Flights to South America from £399

Return flights from London to South America typically cost between £828 and £985 in August, though fares move with demand, season and how early you book. The lowest fare our search found recently was £716 — 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, November is the cheapest month to fly to South America, with return fares around £813, and May is another good-value option at about £826. Prices peak in August, when return tickets average around £1247 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 South America is usually Tuesday, when fares start from around £852 — midweek departures tend to be quieter and cheaper. Friday is typically the most expensive day to fly out (around £1016), 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 South America are generally cheapest departing in the evening, with fares from around £806. Departures in midday tend to cost more (about £885), 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 South America depart from London Heathrow (LHR), from around £771. London has several airports serving this route and fares can vary between them — Stansted (STN) is often the priciest at around £1321. It's worth checking which London airport is both cheapest and most convenient for you before booking.

Yes — for South America you can often save by taking a stopover: 1-stop fares start from around £789, compared with about £811 to fly direct. The trade-off is a longer total journey with a connection, so weigh the saving against the extra travel time. If budget matters more to you than speed, a 1-stop option is worth considering.

To get a below-average price to South America, aim to book roughly 26 weeks before departure, when fares tend to dip to around £875. Leaving it to the final week is usually the most expensive time to buy, costing about 24% 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.