Cheap flights from London to Chennai

September is the cheapest month on this route, so if your dates are flexible, start there and work backwards. Fares between London and Chennai move with demand rather than a fixed season: the weeks around school holidays and big festivals in Britain and India fill up first, and seats bought a few months ahead cost less than seats bought in the last fortnight. Midweek departures tend to be quieter than Friday or Sunday flights, and the price calendar shows how far each month moves. If you are travelling for a family event, book as soon as your dates are fixed; if you are flexible, let the calendar pick the month for you.

There are no non-stop flights between London and Chennai, so every itinerary involves at least one change, and the airline list reflects that. Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Gulf Air, Oman Air, British Airways, Air India and Srilankan Airlines are the full-service names you will see, with Air Arabia, Indigo and Easyjet on the low-cost side. Low-cost fares usually come without a checked bag or a meal, both of which you add at booking, while full-service tickets tend to include a checked allowance and food. What separates two similar itineraries is the hub and the length of the layover, so compare the whole journey rather than the headline fare.

Every flight on this route lands at Chennai International, the only airport serving the city, so there is no second gateway to weigh up. It sits outside the centre, and the drive in slows down once traffic builds, so allow more time than the distance suggests. Prepaid taxi counters in the arrivals hall and app-based cabs are the usual ways into town; confirm the fare before you get in. If you are heading on to another part of India, check whether a domestic connection from Chennai beats a long road transfer, and keep your first evening loose in case immigration queues run long.

Currency

INR (₹)

Power sockets

Type C, D, G · 230 V

Language

English, Hindi

Emergency number

112, 100, 101

Calling code

+91

Internet domain

.in, .بھارت

Time zone

UTC+05:30 (Asia/Kolkata)

Country facts: Wikidata

• Check which London airport your fare actually leaves from, because Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and London City sit far apart.
• On a low-cost ticket, add the checked bag and the meal before you compare it with a full-service fare.
• If your itinerary is two separate tickets, leave a generous gap at the connecting airport, since a missed connection is yours to fix.
• Check the entry rules for India and your passport's validity before you pay for anything.
• Look at the price calendar for your month, and remember that September is the cheapest on this route.
• Check whether your layover airport requires a transit visa, especially when you change in the Gulf or in Colombo.