London Gatwick to Budapest Ferenc Liszt
1464 km great-circle distance, typically flown in 2h 14m with 7 airlines operating direct service from London Gatwick (LGW) to Budapest Ferenc Liszt (BUD). Cheapest fares are usually in January (around £59 return), with peak prices in August (around £148). Departures on a Tuesday tend to undercut weekend prices on this corridor.
Flying from London Gatwick
Gatwick is London's leisure-leaning airport — the home of British Airways' short-haul leisure operation, easyJet's largest UK base and a long lineup of TUI and Norwegian holiday flights. South and central London passengers reach it via the Gatwick Express or Thameslink. The mix is broader than Heathrow on European leisure routes, often cheaper, and you'll see the same destination served three or four times a day across competing airlines — useful when one carrier delays.
Arriving in Budapest
Budapest Ferenc Liszt is 16 km southeast of the city, with bus 100E running direct to Deák Ferenc tér in 35 minutes for 2200 HUF. Ryanair, Wizz and easyJet drive most UK traffic; BA adds Heathrow service. Budapest holds its value through winter (off-peak fares from £39 from London bases) — the spa-and-cafe city break is cheaper in November–February than at any other time.
Who flies LGW to BUD?
| Airline | IATA | Flight time | Cabin |
| easyJet | U2 | 2h 14m | Economy |
| British Airways | BA | 2h 14m | Economy |
| TUI Airways | BY | 2h 14m | Economy |
| Vueling | VY | 2h 14m | Economy |
| Wizz Air | W6 | 2h 14m | Economy |
| Norwegian | DY | 2h 14m | Economy |
| Ryanair | FR | 2h 14m | Economy |
7 carriers fly direct on this corridor. Frequencies vary by season — summer and winter holiday peaks see additional flights.
Best time to fly LGW→BUD
Synthesised from 12-month price aggregates. Cheapest months in green, peak in red.
Estimated baseline. Prices update on a 30-day cadence as Travelpayouts data refreshes. Cheapest day-of-week typically Tuesday.
London to Budapest FAQs
Direct flights from London Gatwick (LGW) to Budapest Ferenc Liszt (BUD) take approximately 2h 14m for the 1464 km journey, plus 30–60 minutes of taxi, climb and descent. Total airport-to-airport time depends on cruise winds and air-traffic queueing on approach.
January is typically the cheapest month on this route, with one-way fares from £45. August is the peak — expect prices 2–3× higher. Book 4–8 weeks ahead for best fares; last-minute prices on this corridor rise sharply inside two weeks of departure.
7 carriers operate direct service from London Gatwick (LGW) to Budapest Ferenc Liszt (BUD): easyJet, British Airways, TUI Airways, Vueling, Wizz Air and 2 more. Frequencies vary by season and carrier — easyJet typically operates the highest weekly count on this corridor.
UK passport holders generally do not need a visa for short stays in Hungary (Schengen-area members allow 90 days in any 180-day window). ETIAS pre-authorisation will apply once live for European destinations. Always check gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/hungary before booking.
Budapest Ferenc Liszt (BUD) is the primary international airport for Budapest. Allow 30–60 minutes for the ground transfer by train, express bus or taxi, depending on traffic and time of day. Most European hub airports sit 10–25 km from their host city centre. See the airport's official website for current train and shuttle timetables.