Cheap flights from London to Hangzhou

November is the cheapest month to fly from London to Hangzhou, and it is the one to aim for if your dates are open. Prices are also shown for September, October, December, January, February, March, April and July, so you can weigh a late-autumn trip against a winter or spring one. Steer clear of the weeks around Chinese New Year and the autumn holiday week in China, when seats fill up and fares climb; in the UK, the Christmas break and the summer school holidays push prices up as well. Midweek departures are usually quieter than Friday or Sunday ones, and booking a few months ahead helps on a connecting route like this.

No airline flies this route non-stop, so every option is a connection, and the carriers split into two groups. From China you have Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Xiamen Airlines, Beijing Capital Airlines and Tianjin Airlines. From further afield come Emirates, Austrian and Portug. What you get on board varies more by ticket type than by brand: the cheapest fare on any of them may come without a checked bag or with a tight connection, while a flexible fare usually includes more. Compare the total journey time and the baggage allowance, not just the headline fare.

Hangzhou has one airport, and it sits outside the city rather than in the middle of it, so plan on a transfer after you land. The metro, airport shuttle buses and taxis or ride-hailing apps are the usual ways in, and the metro is the simplest if you are travelling light and arrive during the day. Late arrivals leave you with fewer options, so check the last train or bus before you book a flight that lands after dark. Immigration and baggage can take a while after a long connecting trip, so do not schedule anything tight for right after landing.

Currency

CNY (¥)

Power sockets

Type A, C, I · 220 V

Language

Putonghua

Emergency number

110, 119, 120

Driving side

right

Calling code

+86

Internet domain

.cn, .中国

Population of Hangzhou

11.9 M (2020)

Time zone

UTC+08 (Asia/Shanghai)

Country facts: Wikidata

• Check which London airport your fare leaves from: City, Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton and Stansted are not interchangeable.
• There are no direct flights, so weigh the total journey time and the connection, not just the departure time.
• If your legs are on separate tickets, a missed connection is yours to fix, so leave a generous gap.
• Compare baggage allowances: the cheapest fare on a connecting route often excludes a checked bag.
• Confirm your passport and Chinese visa are valid well before departure.
• November is the cheapest month here, so weigh it against school holidays and Chinese New Year.