Best UK airports to Tokyo
Only Heathrow has direct Tokyo service. Regional UK passengers route via Heathrow (BA/JAL), Helsinki (Finnair), Doha (Qatar) or Dubai (Emirates).
| UK airport | Route | Airlines | From |
| London Heathrow (LHR) | Direct (11h 45m) | BA, JAL, ANA, Virgin | £499 |
| London Heathrow (LHR) | 1-stop via HEL (15h) | Finnair | £475 |
| London Heathrow (LHR) | 1-stop via DOH (17h) | Qatar Airways | £515 |
| London Heathrow (LHR) | 1-stop via DXB (17h) | Emirates | £549 |
| Manchester (MAN) | 1-stop via DOH | Qatar Airways | £599 |
| Manchester (MAN) | 1-stop via DXB | Emirates | £625 |
| Birmingham (BHX) | 1-stop via IST/DOH | Turkish, Qatar | £645 |
| Edinburgh (EDI) | 1-stop via DXB | Emirates | £695 |
| LGW or premium LHR | ANA Business / JAL First | ANA The Room, JAL First | £3,295+ |
ANA's "The Room" Business class is widely regarded as the best premium-cabin product to Tokyo — 4 daily LHR-HND/NRT services. Finnair's Helsinki hub has become the fastest 1-stop option since Russia airspace closed.
Airlines to Tokyo from the UK
Cheapest months to fly to Tokyo
Lowest one-way fare from London. Cherry blossom (late March–early April) and autumn foliage (mid-November) are the two flight-price peaks.
🟢 Cheap (£499–£555) · 🟡 Average (£555–£700) · 🔴 Peak (£700+). Jan–Feb and June are the sweet spots for weather vs price.
Best time to book Tokyo flights
Haneda (HND) vs Narita (NRT)
Build your Tokyo trip
Tokyo flight FAQs
London Heathrow — BA, JAL, ANA, Virgin Atlantic direct from £499 return on sale, £625 typical. 1-stop via Helsinki (Finnair), Istanbul (Turkish) or Doha (Qatar) drops under £499. Manchester has no direct — always 1-stop, from £599.
Direct flights take 11h 45m eastbound (against jet stream) and 12h 30m return. Due to Russian airspace closure since 2022, BA/JAL/ANA/Virgin route over polar or Alaskan airspace, adding 2h to pre-2022 times. 1-stop via Helsinki (Finnair) is now often similar duration to direct.
UK passport holders get a free 90-day visa-free stamp on arrival at Narita or Haneda. Passport must be valid for duration of stay. Japan requires proof of onward travel (return ticket) and sufficient funds — rarely checked. Long-term (180+ days) requires visa in advance.
Haneda (HND) is 14km south of central Tokyo — Monorail to Hamamatsucho 13 min, ¥520. Best for central Tokyo (Ginza, Shinjuku). Narita (NRT) is 60km east — Narita Express train to Tokyo Station 60 min, ¥3,070. BA, JAL, ANA use Haneda for most daily flights; Virgin Atlantic uses Haneda. Pick Haneda if you can.
January, February and early June — fares from £499. Avoid cherry-blossom season (late March-early April), Golden Week (late April-early May, all flights within Japan spike), autumn foliage (mid-November) and New Year (30 Dec-5 Jan).
Tokyo is surprisingly affordable now — roughly 25% cheaper than London. A ramen bowl is £6-8, convenience store meals £3-5, subway rides £1-2. Mid-range hotels £80-150/night. Shinkansen (bullet train) is expensive: £90+ Tokyo-Kyoto one way. Get a 7-day JR Rail Pass (£265) before you fly.