Flying from London to Rio de Janeiro: what you need to know
You can take your pick of a range of airports when organising a flight from London to Rio de Janeiro. Check out your options for leaving London from London Heathrow Airport (LHR), London Gatwick Airport (LGW) or London Stansted Airport (STN). London Luton Airport (LTN) and London City Airport (LCY) also service London.
Disembark at Rio de Janeiro's major arrival point, Rio de Janeiro Internacional Airport (GIG).
Around 11 hours 45 minutes is how long you'll be travelling on a direct London to Rio de Janeiro flight.
Rio de Janeiro is three hours behind London and is in the UTC-3 timezone.
With seven weekly flights between the two airports, London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Rio de Janeiro Internacional Airport (GIG) is the most popular route. Board the first flight from London to Rio de Janeiro with British Airways at 20:55. If you'd like to make the most of your day before leaving, the latest departure from LHR to GIG is with British Airways at 22:10.
Leave enough time to make your London to Rio de Janeiro flight. As a general rule, turn up at least two hours before international departures and an hour ahead for domestic flights.
During popular months such as July, it's a good idea to get to the airport earlier. Plan to arrive two hours before a domestic departure and four hours ahead for an international flight when you fly during a peak period in general.
How to find the cheapest flights from London to Rio de Janeiro
To pick up cheap London to Rio de Janeiro flights, book as early as you can. Airlines usually offer lower fares when tickets first go on sale.
The 'Whole month' search tool will show you the cheapest plane tickets from London to Rio de Janeiro across the month. It's a good way to find a bargain if your travel plans are flexible.
Spend less time searching for cheap flights from London to Rio de Janeiro by creating a Price Alert. You'll get an email or notification through the app when a lower fare pops up.
Choose your ideal departure and arrival times, airlines and number of stops with the filters. Alternatively, sort your London to Rio de Janeiro flight results by 'Cheapest,' 'Best' or 'Fastest.'
Flying from London
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
You can catch a direct flight from London to Rio de Janeiro taking off from London Heathrow Airport (LHR). Begin your journey at LHR and arrive at Rio de Janeiro Internacional Airport (GIG).
Be on the lookout for deals with British Airways. This airline offers direct London to Rio de Janeiro plane tickets out of LHR.
Stopovers are the perfect opportunity to break up your journey — and maybe even visit a new city. When browsing London to Rio de Janeiro flights leaving from London Heathrow Airport, deselect the 'Direct flights only' box to see where you can stop along the way. Top options include:
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS)
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
Madrid Airport (MAD)
Located around 26 kilometres from the centre of London, LHR can be reached in about 45 minutes by car (depending on traffic). The journey by public transport is roughly 25 minutes.
Have an early flight from London to Rio de Janeiro? Avoid the last-minute rush to the terminal (and enjoy a little extra shut-eye) by choosing one of these stays close to London Heathrow Airport:
78% of flights leaving from London Heathrow Airport arrive at their destination on schedule.
London Gatwick Airport (LGW)
Make the most of your holiday with a stopover on your London to Rio de Janeiro flight. Visit friends or family or tick a new city off your list. Whatever your plans, check out these options between London Gatwick Airport and Rio de Janeiro:
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS)
Frankfurt am Main Airport (FRA)
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
LGW is about 40 kilometres from central London. It'll take you 1 hour 5 minutes or so to get to the airport in a car from the city centre. Public transport takes roughly 45 minutes.
Get your holiday started early with an extra night away from home. Before catching your flight from London to Rio de Janeiro, kick back in one of these hotels close to London Gatwick Airport:
Flights from London Gatwick Airport have a track record for punctuality, with 83% of them landing on schedule.
London Stansted Airport (STN)
Lock in a ticket from London to Rio de Janeiro out of London Stansted Airport (STN) with one or more stops. Some popular stopovers between STN and Rio de Janeiro are:
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS)
Madrid Airport (MAD)
Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO)
From central London, STN is around 48 kilometres away. It'll take you roughly 1 hour 5 minutes to reach the airport by car and 45 minutes or so on public transport.
Make departure day worry-free — stay close to London Stansted Airport and know you'll reach your gate with time to spare. Get settled at one of these hotels the day before if you've booked an early London to Rio de Janeiro flight:
STN has a top-tier on-time arrivals performance of 80%, so you can count on your flight to stay on track and reach your final stop as expected.
Arriving in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro Internacional Airport (GIG)
Rio de Janeiro Internacional Airport (GIG) is approximately 13 kilometres from the centre of Rio de Janeiro. If you're catching a taxi or a ride-share, the drive will take around 30 minutes.
It usually takes 1 hour to get there on public transport.
Book a hotel close to GIG if you're coming in on a late flight from London to Rio de Janeiro. Settle into one of these options and skip the long transfer:
Fast-track your adventure by picking up a Rio de Janeiro Internacional Airport rental car. Grab your wheels from Foco, Localiza or Movida and experience the lesser-explored corners of Rio de Janeiro and beyond.
Reserving your ride from Rio de Janeiro Internacional Airport around four weeks ahead gives you the best chance of locking in a great deal.
Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont Airport (SDU)
Central Rio de Janeiro is located around 2 kilometres from Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont Airport (SDU). As soon as your flight from London to Rio de Janeiro has landed and you've navigated your way to arrivals, expect a drive of about 10 minutes.
If you choose to travel on public transport, you'll get to the city centre in 20 minutes or so.
Hang the 'Do not disturb' sign on your door and relax at a hotel close to SDU. Here are a few options where you can check in after your flight from London to Rio de Janeiro:
Foco, Localiza and Movida make picking up a Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont Airport rental car easy and quick. These suppliers are located in or around the terminal and will have you on your way in a heartbeat.
Get first dibs on the best options. Booking your ride from SDU three weeks ahead of time often means more savings and a greater range of vehicles.
Best time to go to Rio de Janeiro
December is the most popular month for flights from London to Rio de Janeiro. To escape the crowds, head to Rio de Janeiro in March.
When booking your London to Rio de Janeiro tickets, consider what kind of weather you prefer. February is the warmest month in Rio de Janeiro, with temperatures ranging from 20ºC to 36ºC.
If you want cooler conditions, search for a cheap flight from London to Rio de Janeiro in July when temperatures average between 14ºC and 29ºC.
More about Rio de Janeiro
Start your Rio de Janeiro trip right by choosing the ideal place to stay. As soon as you've booked your flight from London to Rio de Janeiro, browse our range of hotels including:
All great adventures should include a little sightseeing. Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro Carnival and Ipanema Beach are must-do's during your Rio de Janeiro adventure.
Explore more of Brazil
Sao Paulo is just one of the many cities in Brazil waiting to be explored once you've taken in the sights of Rio de Janeiro. Around 354 kilometres to the west, check out popular attractions including Ibirapuera Park, Av. Paulista and Pinacoteca Do Estado De Sao Paulo.
Belo Horizonte is another standout destination in Brazil and is around 338 kilometres north of Rio de Janeiro. No journey is complete without a visit to Pampulha Modern Ensemble, Casa do Baile and Igreja São Francisco de Assis.