London Gatwick to Heraklion
2680 km great-circle distance, typically flown in 3h 45m with 7 airlines operating direct service from London Gatwick (LGW) to Heraklion (HER). Cheapest fares are usually in January (around £119 return), with peak prices in August (around £296). 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 Crete
Heraklion Airport is 4 km east of central Heraklion, the largest city in Crete. Bus 1 runs every 15 minutes to the city centre. The May–October leisure schedule is intense; winter capacity drops sharply but doesn't disappear. Crete's size means you can fly into Heraklion (HER) or Chania (CHQ) — match the airport to your accommodation cluster to save the 2-hour cross-island drive.
Who flies LGW to HER?
| Airline | IATA | Flight time | Cabin |
| easyJet | U2 | 3h 45m | Economy |
| British Airways | BA | 3h 45m | Economy |
| TUI Airways | BY | 3h 45m | Economy |
| Vueling | VY | 3h 45m | Economy |
| Wizz Air | W6 | 3h 45m | Economy |
| Norwegian | DY | 3h 45m | Economy |
| Ryanair | FR | 3h 45m | 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→HER
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 Crete FAQs
Direct flights from London Gatwick (LGW) to Heraklion (HER) take approximately 3h 45m for the 2680 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 £91. 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 Heraklion (HER): 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 Greece (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/greece before booking.
Heraklion (HER) is the primary international airport for Crete. 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.