Flying from London to Beijing: what you need to know
When organising a flight from London to Beijing, you'll have a good range of airports to leave from. Check out London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and London Gatwick Airport (LGW) for departure options. Other possibilities include Stansted Airport (STN), London Luton Airport (LTN) and London City Airport (LCY).
Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) and Daxing International Airport (PKX) are Beijing's major entry points.
Around 10 hours is how long you'll be in transit on a direct London to Beijing flight.
Beijing's timezone is UTC+8, making Beijing eight hours ahead of London.
The most popular route for flights from London to Beijing is from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK). Take your pick of 14 services every week between these two airports. If you want to head off as soon as possible, the earliest flight from LHR to PEK is the 17:40 Air China service. If you have other commitments or plans on your day of travel, the latest available service is at 22:40 with Air China.
For a relaxed travel experience, arrive at the airport two hours ahead of international flights and one hour before domestic departures. That way, you won't have to rush to catch your London to Beijing flight.
During popular months like July, it's a good idea to get to the airport even earlier. Plan to arrive two hours before a domestic departure and four hours ahead for international flights when you fly during peak periods in general.
How to find the cheapest flights from London to Beijing
Book one month before your departure date. Pricing trends suggest that this is the ideal window for finding cheap London to Beijing flights.
Plan your trip for April. That's the best month for scoring an incredible deal on plane tickets from London to Beijing. If you're open to different travel dates, use the 'Whole month' tool to find the lowest price across each month.
There's no need to check back in every day to find out if fares have dropped when you create a Price Alert. We'll notify you the moment a better deal is available on cheap flights from London to Beijing.
Save money on your London to Beijing flight with the help of our filters. Select your ideal times, number of stops and airlines, then sort the results by 'Cheapest' for the best deals.
Flying from London
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
Begin your journey at London Heathrow Airport (LHR), which has a range of direct flights from London to Beijing. From LHR, you can fly nonstop to Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) or Daxing International Airport (PKX).
Lock in your London to Beijing plane tickets with Air China. This carrier is a top choice for direct flights from LHR.
Think about adding a stopover to potentially save on your London to Beijing flight. Just deselect 'Direct flights only' when searching for departures from London Heathrow Airport. Take a break from travelling at one of these airports:
Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)
Located around 26 kilometres from the centre of London, LHR can be reached in about 55 minutes by car (depending on traffic). The journey by public transport takes roughly 1 hour.
Booked an early flight from London to Beijing? Avoid the hassle of rushing to the airport (and sneak in some extra snooze time) 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)
You can book a direct flight from London to Beijing out of London Gatwick Airport (LGW). Nonstop services from LGW will take you to Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK).
Air China offers direct London to Beijing plane tickets from LGW. Book your favourite seat and reach your destination in a single stretch.
Visit family or friends or just take some time to unwind with a stopover. If you'd like to break up your London to Beijing flight, browse these options when taking off from London Gatwick Airport:
Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)
Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
You can get to LGW from the centre of London in about 1 hour 20 minutes by car, depending on traffic conditions. The journey by public transport will take roughly 30 minutes to travel the 40 kilometres or so.
Get your holiday started early with an additional night away from home. Before your flight from London to Beijing, take it easy in one of these hotels close to London Gatwick Airport:
69% of flights departing London Gatwick Airport arrive within the expected time frame.
Stansted Airport (STN)
You can lock in a ticket from London to Beijing with one or more stops leaving from Stansted Airport (STN). These are some of the most popular stopovers between STN and Beijing:
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)
Vienna International Airport (VIE)
Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN)
From central London, STN is around 48 kilometres away. It'll take you roughly 1 hour to get there by car and 1 hour 25 minutes or so if you're on public transport.
Make departure day worry-free — stay close to Stansted Airport and know you'll get to the terminal with time to spare. Get comfy at one of these hotels the day before if you've booked an early London to Beijing flight:
Airports have an on-time performance rating that monitors how often flights reach their destinations without delays. At STN, that rate is 64.73%.
Arriving in Beijing
Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK)
The distance from Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) to central Beijing is approximately 26 kilometres. It takes around 40 minutes to get to the centre driving.
The last thing you want is a lengthy journey to your hotel if you're getting in late on a flight from London to Beijing. Book one of these accommodation options near PEK instead:
Pick up a Beijing Capital International Airport rental car and explore parts of Beijing that most visitors tend to miss. Book your wheels with Hertz.
To get the best deal, reserve your vehicle from Beijing Capital International Airport at least a couple of weeks in advance. Prices typically increase closer to the day of travel.
You'll find PEK at Capital Airport Rd.
Daxing International Airport (PKX)
Central Beijing is around 40 kilometres from Daxing International Airport (PKX). Once your flight from London to Beijing has touched down and you've made your way through the terminal, expect a drive of around 1 hour 5 minutes.
There are some great places to lay your head close to PKX. Tuck yourself in after your London to Beijing flight at any of these well-located options:
Best time to go to Beijing
It's time to work out your trip dates for your flight from London to Beijing. April is the busiest month to visit Beijing. If you want a quieter atmosphere, go in February.
When booking your London to Beijing tickets, consider the kind of weather you prefer. July is the warmest month in Beijing, with temperatures ranging from 21ºC to 35ºC.
Look for cheap flights from London to Beijing in January if you like travelling in cooler conditions. Temperatures are at their lowest then, ranging between -11ºC and 3ºC on average.
More about Beijing
Once you've booked your flight from London to Beijing, find a hotel that keeps you close to what you want to see. Make one of these accommodation options your base for exploring Beijing:
There are so many things to explore in this city it can be hard to work out where to start. Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and Tiananmen Square are major attractions which should be on any good Beijing itinerary.
Explore more of China
Beijing has plenty to offer, but there are so many other corners of China just waiting to be discovered. Around 113 kilometres south-east of Beijing, a visit to Tianjin will fill your itinerary to the brim. Don't miss top attractions like Ancient Culture Street, Porcelain house and Haihe River.
If you're ready to explore another side of China, head for Tai'an, roughly 418 kilometres south of Beijing. Sanyi Cypress, Xixi Stone Pavilion and Qiuxian Cave are key reasons to visit.
