Cheap flights from Cork to London

Demand here follows the school calendar more than the weather. School breaks in Ireland and the United Kingdom, the Christmas fortnight and the summer holidays fill the flights, and Fridays, Sundays and bank-holiday weekends go first. Midweek departures sit on the quiet, cheaper side of the week for most of the year. October is the calm stretch between the peaks, and the fare calendar usually dips lowest there, before the December run-up begins. The calendar on this page spans the twelve months from September, so the whole year is visible at a glance. For Christmas and summer dates, book as soon as your days are set; on a short low-cost hop like this, fares tend to creep up as seats fill.

Start with what the fare includes, because that is where the difference hides. Ryanair and Ryanair UK sell the bare ticket: a small cabin bag flies with you, while checked luggage, a larger cabin bag and seat choice appear as paid extras. Aer Lingus and Emerald Airlines sit at the full-service end, with cabin baggage included in the fare. The rest of the list — KLM Cityhopper, HOP!, Lufthansa, Lufthansa Cityline, Sun Express and Mokulele Flight Service — turns up mainly on connecting itineraries, worth a look when the direct times don't fit your day. Whatever you pick, price the trip with your bag added; on a route this short the add-ons decide whether the low-cost fare really stays low.

Arrange your way into town before you land, because the five arrival airports sit in different corners around London. City is the only one practically in town, a short ride from the docklands. Heathrow pairs express trains with its own Underground line; Gatwick has trains from a station at the terminal. Luton and Stansted lie farther out and need shuttle-plus-train or coach runs, so pad the journey there. Late landings need a plan, since some trains and many coaches stop before the last flights do. Make sure the airport on your booking is the one you meant: five serve the city, and they are not interchangeable.

Currency

GBP (£)

Power sockets

Type G · 230 V

Language

English

Emergency number

112, 999

Calling code

+44

Internet domain

.uk

Population of London

8.8 M (2021)

Time zone

UTC+01 (Europe/London)

Country facts: Wikidata

• Check what documents the United Kingdom requires from your nationality, since entry rules differ from those for travel inside Ireland.
• Pick the London airport first: City, Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton and Stansted are far apart, and the transfer shapes your day more than the fare.
• On Ryanair and Ryanair UK fares, add the bag you actually need before comparing, since extras decide whether the low-cost ticket is really lower.
• If a connecting option is sold as separate tickets, leave enough slack to absorb a late first leg.
• Compare October against the school-holiday months on the price calendar, since the season moves this fare more than anything else.