Travelling from London to Los Angeles: what you need to know
You can select from numerous airports when planning a flight from London to Los Angeles. Explore your options for departing 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.
When choosing where to land in Los Angeles, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Van Nuys Airport (VNY) are the major hubs.
A direct flight from London to Los Angeles takes on average 11 hours 22 minutes. The timezone in Los Angeles is UTC-7, making it 7 hours behind London.
The busiest route for flights from London to Los Angeles is from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Take your pick of 101 weekly services between these two airports. If you'd like to get going first thing, the earliest flight from LHR to LAX is the 10:10 British Airways option. If you prefer to leave later in the day, the final departure is at 17:30 with Virgin Atlantic.
To ensure you get on your flight from London to Los Angeles, leave plenty of time to check in and find your gate. Arriving two hours ahead of international departures and an hour before domestic flights is the general rule.
Longer lines at check-in and security are more likely if you're flying during high season, so give yourself some extra breathing room. A good rule for peak periods? Get there up to four hours ahead for international flights and two hours for domestic departures.
You will need an ETA for United States if you hold a passport from United Kingdom and are travelling for tourism purposes. Visa and travel documentation requirements can be subject to change. So before you book your cheap flights from London to Los Angeles, check with your airline and the destination country's local consulate or embassy for up-to-date information.
Flying from London
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
If you're after a direct flight from London to Los Angeles, you can catch one from London Heathrow Airport (LHR). Get from LHR to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in one seamless trip.
At LHR, there's a variety of carriers operating direct flights from London to Los Angeles, including:
Stopovers are the perfect opportunity to break up your journey — and possibly even tour another city. When searching for flights from London to Los Angeles leaving 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:
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol Airport (AMS)
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Harry Reid Airport (formerly McCarran Airport) Airport (LAS)
LHR is around 31 kilometres from central London. If you're ride-sharing, catching a cab or driving from the centre, it'll take 57 minutes or so to get there, depending on traffic conditions. If you're using public transport, expect the trip time to be approximately 1 hour and 1 minute.
Catching an early flight from London to Los Angeles? Avoid the stress of rushing to the terminal (and sneak in some extra snooze time) by choosing one of these stays near London Heathrow Airport:
London Gatwick Airport (LGW)
Get the most out of your holiday with a stopover on your flight from London to Los Angeles. Visit friends or family or tick another city off your list. Whatever you'd like to do, here's where you can stop between London Heathrow Airport and Los Angeles:
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol Airport (AMS)
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Harry Reid Airport (formerly McCarran Airport) Airport (LAS)
On public transport, you can travel from central London to LGW in around 1 hour and 26 minutes. The airport is roughly 80 kilometres away, and making the trip by car takes approximately 1 hour and 19 minutes.
It's your holiday, so why not spend an extra night away? Think about checking in to one of these hotels near London Gatwick Airport the day before your flight from London to Los Angeles:
Arriving in Los Angeles
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to the centre of Los Angeles takes about 32 minutes by car. It's approximately 32 kilometres away.
It takes around 54 minutes if you're travelling by public transport.
If you're coming in on a late flight from London to Los Angeles, few things beat the convenience of staying close to the terminal. Grab your bags from the carousel and then be showered and snoozing not long after at one of these hotels near LAX:
Van Nuys Airport (VNY)
Central Los Angeles is located around 32 kilometres from Van Nuys Airport (VNY). After your flight from London to Los Angeles has landed and you've made your way out of the airport, the drive should take about 34 minutes.
You can expect the trip to take roughly 1 hour and 41 minutes on public transport.
There are some cosy hotels to call home for the night near VNY. Tuck yourself in after your flight from London to Los Angeles at one of these perfectly located options:
How to find the cheapest flights from London to Los Angeles
Right now, P14,212 is the lowest price we've found for a one-way ticket from London to Los Angeles. The cheapest price for a return flight is P22,976. Bear in mind fares may change due to demand at the time of booking.
Book 9 months before you want to travel. After crunching the numbers on our calendar, this is how far you should book ahead to secure cheap tickets from London to Los Angeles.
Schedule your trip for May. That's the cheapest month for tickets from London to Los Angeles. If you have flexibility with your dates, use the 'Whole month' tool to find the lowest price across every month.
Locking in a cheap ticket from London to Los Angeles couldn't be easier with Price Alerts. All you need to do is create one of these automatic alerts and we'll get in touch when there's a better deal.
Take advantage of filters to find your ideal journey. To see the 'Best,' 'Cheapest' or 'Fastest' flights from London to Los Angeles, use the 'Sort by' function. You can also filter by airline, departure and arrival times, and number of stops.
Best time to go to Los Angeles
It's time to pick your trip dates for your flight from London to Los Angeles. July is the most popular month to travel to Los Angeles. If you want a quieter atmosphere, go in May.
The warmest month in Los Angeles is August, with temperatures ranging between 16ºC and 32ºC. Lock in your flights from London to Los Angeles in this month if this is the type of weather you enjoy.
If you like cooler conditions, search for a cheap ticket from London to Los Angeles in February when temperatures average between 6ºC and 26ºC.
More about Los Angeles
Once you've booked your flight from London to Los Angeles, think about where to rest your head in this city. Make one of these options your base for exploring Los Angeles:
There are so many things to discover in this city it can be hard to figure out where to start. Griffith Observatory, The Broad and La Brea Tar Pits & Museum are popular attractions which should feature on any good Los Angeles itinerary.
Complete your Los Angeles trip with a car rental
Explore our lineup of car rentals once you've locked in your hotel and cheap flight from London to Los Angeles. Whether you're after a compact ride, spacious sedan or something in between, you can compare companies in one go to get the best deal.