Enjoy a flight with Etihad Airways, as they are currently offering the lowest rates for flights from Johannesburg to London. Don't miss out on the Summer events and festivals that are being held in London, such as the Kew's Summer Festival.
*This is not an offer, but merely a snapshot of cheapest airfares as we saw them. There was very limited availability (don't expect it to be on every date, it was the cheapest we could find) when we checked & prices may have increased already. Click through the link on the price to check whether the price is still available.
Cheapest Flights to London
The bullet-proof method of booking the cheapest flight to London from South Africa is by:
typing your flight details into the flight price comparison tool on the left & reserving the cheapest flight.
There are direct flights from Cape Town to London with British Airways & Virgin Atlantic (seasonal). SAA quit direct CPT-LHR flights in 2012.
1-stop flights
You can fly 1-stop from Johannesburg to London with Qatar Airways, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad, Egyptair, Turkish Airlines, Kenya Airways, Swiss, Jet Airways (codeshare), Air France or KLM.
You can fly 1-stop from Cape Town to London with Emirates, South African Airways, Condor, Turkish Airlines, KLM, Air France or Lufthansa.
You can fly 1-stop from Durban to London with Emirates, SAA, BA or Virgin Atlantic (codeshare).
To get from other parts of South Africa to London, first fly to Johannesburg (or fly to Cape Town), and then connect onto a flight to London.
News
24 Feb 2013: Mkuseli Apleni, the director-general of the Department of Home Affairs, says that the SA government has approached the UK to reinstate visa-free travel. "We now have one of the world’s safest passports that cannot be forged. The process of issuing passports is more credible and has stringent checks and balances to ensure that applicants are genuinely South Africans...We make sure we know who is landing in South Africa, from where and using what mode of transport. We also cross-check during the arrival that names and passports correspond so that we are sure of visitors, the purpose of their visit and citizens."
"This has also affected our neighbouring states even though we have visa-free status, except for Madagascans and Angolans, since South Africa now requires a transit visa if (a traveller’s) destination is not South Africa." said Apleni
12 Feb 2013: Flights to London may become more expensive, as London's Heathrow Airport has applied to increase passenger charges. Their proposal is that passenger charges increase from £19.33 per passenger now to £21.96 in 2014, and £27.30 from April 2018.
London Eye
When in London we recommend getting a birds eye-view of the city by going up the London Eye. And nothing says you were there quite like a shot of yourself with London in the background.
Time zones
The time difference between South Africa and the UK varies from being 1 hour ahead in the South African winter (when the UK has daylight saving) to 2 hours and in the South African summer.
UK
GMT + 1 during UK summer
GMT + 0 during UK winter
South Africa
GMT + 2
London Calling
Mandatory to listen to, before your visit to London.
Map of London, UK
South African food in London
If you're feeling homesick in London, you may want to try the following restaurants for some South African cuisine:
So, what's it like to travel to London - here's an account:
Legendary Harry Morris travels to London
Here's a little extract from the book "Genius for the Defence" recounting how the famous Johannesburg advocate Harry Morris, travelled to London:
"In 1927 Morris considered it time for a respite from the avalanche of briefs and tooks his wife and sons on a trip abroad. Their progress from Johannesburg was marked by an unsettling succession of thirteens. The railway coach numbers totalled 13. The dock porter's number was 13. They sailed on Friday, May 13, and their cabin numbers, 24 and 25, added up to 13. But none of these coincidences proved of ill omen and thereafter any superstition the Morris family might have harboured about the figure 13, was banished.
On board the cruise, Morris was a great favourite. He was always in demand for deck games, concerts and daily activities and he assisted gaily in the duckings at the crossing-the-line ceremony.
In England Morris put his sons in a boarding school and set off with his wife on a Continental tour. His visits to the great European galleries gave him a wider knowledge and appreciation of art. And on his return to the Cape a fortuitous south-easter was instrumental in putting this knowledge and appreciation to some practical use. The mailship, Windsor Castle, was blown across Table Bay by a gale force wind and docked several hours late. The Johannesburg train left without the ship's passengers and Morris spent the afternoon with Morris Green, a shipper and financier, nostalgically roaming Cape Town and examining art dealers' collections. In one shop they bought 52 paintings."
London Heathrow International Airport
Most international flights from South Africa land at London Heathrow International Airport. Navigate to London Heathrow flight information to check whether flights are on schedule.
Phone Number
The phone number at London Heathrow Airport is 0844 335 1801.
Trains
Every 15 minutes a Heathrow Express non-stop train leaves Heathrow for Paddington station.
Heathrow Connect goes along the same route as the Heathrow Express, but also has some stops along the way (and is a bit cheaper).
The London Underground (The Tube) is the cheapest train and has the most stops.
National Express
Slightly cheaper even than the London Underground are National Express coaches.
Buses
There are bus services from London Heathrow, but you may find you have to change several times to get to London (the exception being the night service to Aldwych).
Taxis
Yes, you can take a taxi, but expect to pay a lot for black cab.
Hotels near the Airport
If you're keen on staying really near the airport, we recommend trying the Premier Inn Heathrow Airport or the YOTEL at London Heathrow Airport. There's also the Sheraton Skyline Hotel London Heathrow, the Ibis London Heathrow Airport, the Holiday Inn London - Heathrow Ariel, the London Heathrow Marriott and the Radisson Blu Edwardian Heathrow Hotel.
Carefully consider whether you really want to hire a car from Heathrow Airport, as it's often easier to just take the tubes in London. Car rental agencies operating from London Heathrow include Europcar, Avis, Budget, Enterprise Rent a Car and Hertz.
Gatwick Airport
There are far fewer flights from South Africa when end up in Gatwick Airport than Heathrow. Navigate to Gatwick flight information to check whether your flight is on schedule.
Phone Number
The phone number at London Heathrow Airport is +44 844 892 0322.
Trains
The Gatwick Express runs every 15 minutes to London Victoria, taking about half an hour to get there.
Southern Railway runs every 15 minutes to London Victoria via Clapham (slightly cheaper than the Gatwick Express, but takes about 5 minutes longer).
First Capital Connect is the cheapest rail, running to London Bridge, Blackfriarys, and a number of other stations.
National Express
There are National Express coaches from Gatwick to Stansted, Heathrow Airport, as well as London Victoria.
Buses
It's just over an hour with easyBus to Earl's Court.
Taxis
Yes, you can take a taxi, but expect to pay a lot for black cab.