Flying from London to Johannesburg: what you need to know
Take your pick of multiple airports when organising a flight from London to Johannesburg. Check out 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.
Come in for landing at Johannesburg's major arrival point, O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB).
Hop on a direct London to Johannesburg flight and you'll be in transit for an average of 11 hours.
Johannesburg is two hours ahead of London and observes the UTC+2 timezone.
The most popular route for flights from London to Johannesburg is from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB). There are 21 weekly services between these two airports. If you want to head off as soon as possible, the earliest flight from LHR to JNB is the 18:25 British Airways option. If you have other commitments or plans on your day of travel, the final scheduled service is at 22:30 with Virgin Atlantic.
Give yourself plenty of time to catch your London to Johannesburg flight. As a general rule, arrive two hours before international departures and an hour ahead for domestic flights.
Flying during a peak month such as July? Public holidays and other popular seasons can mean longer queues at check-in and security. Be extra cautious and get there up to four hours ahead of an international flight and two hours before a domestic departure.
How to find the cheapest flights from London to Johannesburg
To secure cheap London to Johannesburg flights, reserve your journey two months before your planned departure.
Organise your trip for May. That's the best month for landing an incredible deal on plane tickets from London to Johannesburg. If you're flexible on when you fly, use the 'Whole month' tool to find the lowest price across each month.
Getting a cheap flight from London to Johannesburg couldn't be easier with Price Alerts. Simply set up one of these automatic alerts and we'll let you know when there's a better deal.
Select your preferred arrival and departure times, airlines and number of stops by using the filters. Or sort your London to Johannesburg flight results by 'Best,' 'Cheapest' or 'Fastest.'
Flying from London
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
You can catch a direct flight from London to Johannesburg departing from London Heathrow Airport (LHR). Start your trip at LHR and arrive at O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB).
British Airways is a leading airline that offers direct London to Johannesburg plane tickets leaving from LHR.
Consider adding a stopover to potentially save money on your London to Johannesburg flight. Just uncheck 'Direct flights only' when searching for departures from London Heathrow Airport. Break up your trip (and maybe save some cash) by stopping at one of these popular options:
Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)
Zurich Airport (ZRH)
Travelling from central London to LHR takes about 1 hour by public transport. If you drive, ride-share or take a cab, you'll cover the 26 kilometres in 55 minutes or so, depending on traffic.
Have an early flight from London to Johannesburg? Avoid the hassle of rushing to the airport (and catch some extra z's) by choosing one of these hotels close to London Heathrow Airport:
Of all flights leaving London Heathrow Airport, 68.18% arrive as scheduled at their destination.
London Gatwick Airport (LGW)
Get more out of your holiday with a stopover on your London to Johannesburg flight. Visit friends or family or cross another city off your list. Whatever your plans, check out these options between London Gatwick Airport and Johannesburg:
Zurich Airport (ZRH)
Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
On public transport, you can travel from central London to LGW in around 30 minutes. The airport is roughly 40 kilometres away. Driving will take you about 1 hour 20 minutes.
Get your holiday started early with an extra night away from home. Before your flight from London to Johannesburg, unwind in one of these hotels near London Gatwick Airport:
69.26% of flights taking off from London Gatwick Airport make it to their destination as expected.
Stansted Airport (STN)
Whether just for a couple of hours or a few days, a stopover can make your entire trip feel a little easier. When flying out of Stansted Airport (STN), you can book a ticket from London to Johannesburg with a stop at Dubai Airport (DXB).
STN is around 48 kilometres from central London. Driving from the city centre to the terminal takes about 1 hour. If you're thinking about taking public transport, expect a journey of around 1 hour 25 minutes.
Make departure day worry-free — stay close to Stansted Airport and know you'll reach the terminal with time to spare. Get comfy at one of these hotels the day before if you've booked an early London to Johannesburg flight:
Flights departing from STN make it to their destination as scheduled 64.73% of the time.
Arriving in Johannesburg
O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB)
O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) to central Johannesburg takes about 30 minutes to reach by car. The centre is roughly 23 kilometres away.
It typically takes 1 hour 10 minutes to get there on public transport.
The last thing you want is a long journey to your hotel if you're landing late on a flight from London to Johannesburg. Check in to one of these accommodation options near JNB instead:
Go where the road takes you with an O.R. Tambo International Airport rental car. Pick up your wheels from Carwiz, Alamo or Green Motion and see more of Johannesburg and beyond.
To lock in the lowest price, book your ride from O.R. Tambo International Airport around three weeks ahead of your London to Johannesburg flight.
Lanseria International Airport (HLA)
After your flight from London to Johannesburg has hit the tarmac, you can get to the city centre in about 50 minutes by car. Central Johannesburg is approximately 32 kilometres from Lanseria International Airport (HLA).
Forget about inconvenient public transport schedules or cab lines. Grab a Lanseria International Airport rental car and take your trip in whatever direction you choose. Check out the availability and rates from First - Car Hire, Tempest - Car Hire and Firefly powered by Hertz.
Score the best price by securing your ride from HLA four weeks ahead of time. You'll also have access to a greater range of vehicles.
Best time to go to Johannesburg
July is the busiest month for flights from London to Johannesburg. To travel when it's less crowded, go to Johannesburg in February.
Before locking in your London to Johannesburg tickets, consider what kind of weather works for you. January is the warmest month in Johannesburg, with temperatures ranging from 15ºC (59ºF) to 30ºC (86ºF).
Look for cheap flights from London to Johannesburg in July if you like travelling in cooler conditions. Temperatures are at their lowest then, ranging between 4ºC (39ºF) and 20ºC (68ºF) on average.
More about Johannesburg
Start your Johannesburg trip off on the right foot by choosing the perfect place to stay. As soon as you've booked your flight from London to Johannesburg, browse our range of hotels including:
Constitution Hill and Maboneng Precinct are just the start of the top-rated attractions to add to your Johannesburg must-do list. Keep the adventure rolling by checking out Johannesburg Zoo.
Explore more of South Africa
Johannesburg is easy to fall in love with, but there are so many other parts of South Africa waiting to be explored. About 18 kilometres west of Johannesburg, a trip to Soweto will keep you on the go. Start with popular sights like Mjebha Park, Tutu House - Soweto tours and Go Green Go Clean.
If you're ready to explore another great destination in South Africa, head for Pretoria, about 56 kilometres north of Johannesburg. 32 Battalion Tree of Honour, Wonderpark and Viscount Memorial Wall are key reasons to visit.
