Travelling from London to Sofia Airport (SOF): What you need to know
Planning your flight from London to Sofia Airport (SOF) begins with finding the most convenient airport to kick off your journey from. London Heathrow Airport (LHR), London Gatwick Airport (LGW) and London Stansted Airport (STN) are the main departure points in London.
Book a direct London to Sofia Airport flight and you'll be in the air for an average of 3 hours 10 minutes.
Sofia is two hours ahead of London. Sofia Airport is located in Sofia, which runs on the UTC+2 timezone.
You can pick from 9 direct services every week between London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and Sofia Airport (SOF). This is the busiest route, with British Airways offering a 6:10am departure from LHR to SOF.
To ensure you catch your flight from London to SOF, leave plenty of time to check in and find your gate. Arriving two hours ahead of international departures and one hour before domestic flights is the general travel rule.
Head to the airport even earlier during popular months like July. Aim for two hours before a domestic departure and as much as four hours for international flights. After checking in, you can use any extra time to finalize your plans or simply relax.
Airports in London
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
Get to your destination in one go from London Heathrow Airport (LHR). Direct flights from London to Sofia Airport (SOF) can be booked from here.
When leaving from LHR, you can take a direct flight from London to Sofia Airport with Bulgaria Air.
Most travellers choose to book seats with Bulgaria Air from LHR to SOF.
The carrier with the most reliable on-time arrival rate on this route is British Airways.
A stopover is the ideal opportunity to break up your trip and perhaps even visit a new city. When browsing cheap flights from London to SOF leaving from London Heathrow Airport (LHR), uncheck the 'Direct flights only' box to find out where you can stop along the way. Some popular options include:
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS)
Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
LHR is around 24 kilometres from central London. If you're driving, catching a taxi or ride-sharing from the centre, it'll take you 45 minutes or so to get there, depending on traffic conditions. If you're using public transport, expect the travel time to be around 25 minutes.
Want an easy start to your journey? Stay near London Heathrow Airport. Whether you have an early flight from London to Sofia Airport or aren't a fan of being rushed, these hotels offer the perfect solution:
Of all flights leaving London Heathrow Airport, 78% land on time at their destination.
London Gatwick Airport (LGW)
Think about setting out from London Gatwick Airport (LGW). You can book a direct London to Sofia Airport (SOF) plane ticket with departures from here.
From LGW, direct flights from London to SOF are offered by easyJet.
On the LGW to SOF route, easyJet is the preferred choice of many.
For reliable, punctual service, book with easyJet. It has an on-time performance of 80.0% for flights between London Gatwick Airport and Sofia Airport.
Split up your flight from London to Sofia Airport with a stop so you can recharge or cross a new place off your list. Some top stopovers between London Gatwick Airport and SOF are:
Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
Rome Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport (FCO)
Vaclav Havel Airport Prague (PRG)
You can get to LGW from the centre of London in about 1 hour 5 minutes by car (depending on traffic). The ride on public transport takes roughly 1 hour 20 minutes to travel the 48 kilometres or so.
Want to enjoy an extra night away before boarding your London to SOF flight? Unwind in a hotel near London Gatwick Airport before your holiday officially begins. These stays are expecting you:
Most flights that depart London Gatwick Airport arrive at their destination as expected. It maintains a high on-time performance rate of 82%.
London Stansted Airport (STN)
Board once and be on your way from London Stansted Airport (STN). Direct flights from London to Sofia Airport can be booked from here.
Get ready for takeoff with Ryanair. It offers direct London to SOF plane tickets from STN.
Most passengers choose to fly with Ryanair from STN to SOF.
Ryanair is the most punctual carrier on this route, with 78.31% of its services landing on time.
Lock in a plane ticket from London to Sofia Airport (SOF) departing from London Stansted Airport (STN) with one or more stops. Popular stopovers between STN and SOF are:
Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP)
Milan Bergamo Airport (BGY)
Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ)
From the centre of London, STN is around 56 kilometres away. It takes roughly 1 hour 5 minutes to get to the airport by car and 45 minutes or so if you use public transport.
Stay in bed a little longer and still make your London to Sofia Airport flight with time to spare. These accommodation options near London Stansted Airport make getting to the terminal a breeze if you're setting off early:
With 80% of its departing flights arriving as planned, STN is a dependable starting point for your journey.
About Sofia Airport (SOF)
Consider staying in a hotel close to SOF if you have a late flight from London to Sofia Airport. Choose one of these accommodation options and be in bed sooner:
For the best deal, book your vehicle around one week in advance of your London to Sofia Airport flight.
Getting from Sofia Airport (SOF) to central Sofia
Sofia Airport is around 10 kilometres from central Sofia. It takes around 25 minutes or so to get to the city by car.
Travelling by public transport takes roughly 30 minutes.
How to find the cheapest flights from London to Sofia Airport (SOF)
Rs4,819 is the lowest price for a one-way ticket from London to Sofia Airport. Return flights start at Rs12,624. These fares may change based on availability.
Book one month before you travel. Research into pricing trends suggests this is the ideal window for finding cheap flights from London to SOF.
Organise your trip for June. That's the best month for scoring an awesome deal on London to Sofia Airport tickets. If you're flexible on when you fly, use the 'Whole month' tool to find the lowest price across each month.
Save time searching for cheap plane tickets from London to SOF by creating a Price Alert. We'll send you an email or push notification on the app when a lower fare pops up.
Save on your flight from London to Sofia Airport by using filters. Select your ideal times, number of stops and airlines, then sort the results by 'Cheapest' for the best deals.
The best time to fly from London to Sofia Airport (SOF)
It's time to figure out when to book your flight from London to Sofia Airport (SOF). July is the peak month for travel to Sofia. If you prefer a quieter vibe, go in December.
Lock in a London to SOF plane ticket departing in August if you're eager to experience the city during its warmest month. You can expect temperatures in Sofia to range from 13ºC to 32ºC.
January sees temperatures of between -11ºC and 7ºC. Look for cheap tickets from London to Sofia Airport around that time if you like travelling in cooler conditions.
More about Sofia
Once you've booked your flight from London to Sofia Airport, find a hotel that's got location and comfort covered. Make one of these options your base for exploring Sofia:
Your Sofia trip should come with a bit of sightseeing. Major attractions that belong on your itinerary include Boyana Church, National Historical Museum and Cathedral of the Dormition.
Explore more of Bulgaria
Plovdiv is just one of the many cities in Bulgaria waiting to be explored after you've experienced Sofia. Around 129 kilometres away to the southeast, well-known attractions include Plovdiv Roman Theatre, Municipal Institute "Ancient Plovdiv" and Museum Centre for Contemporary History.
Around 193 kilometres east of Sofia, Stara Zagora is another essential stop in Bulgaria. Experience major highlights starting with Antique's mosaic, State Opera Stara Zagora and Stara Zagora Art Gallery.
