Cheap flights from London to Kolkata

October is the cheapest month on this route, and the price calendar covers most of the rest of the year too, so it pays to compare a few months rather than fixing on one date. Fares climb around the UK school holidays and again over Christmas and New Year, and in Kolkata the autumn festival season fills planes in both directions. Flying out midweek and coming back midweek usually costs less than a weekend departure. For winter and spring travel, book well ahead, because seats sell steadily and the cheap buckets go first.

No airline flies London to Kolkata nonstop, so every itinerary is a connection, usually through a Gulf hub or a European city. Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways and Gulf Air route you through their Gulf bases, which keeps the whole trip on one ticket. British Airways and Air India are the full-service names most travellers recognise here, while KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Iberia, Air China and Aer Lingus turn up on itineraries that pass through their home airports. Indigo is the low-cost piece of the mix, so weigh what a low-cost fare actually includes against a full-service ticket before you choose.

Kolkata has one airport, Subhas Chandra Bose International, so there is nothing to choose on the arrival side — every flight from London lands there. The terminal sits outside the city, and the drive into the centre takes a while once traffic builds, so allow time if a train or a hotel check-in is waiting. Taxis and app-based cabs are the usual way in, and there is a prepaid taxi counter inside arrivals if you would rather settle the fare before you set off. Immigration and baggage reclaim slow down when several long-haul flights land together, and plenty of London departures touch down in the small hours, when the airport is quiet and the roads are empty.

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

Population of Kolkata

4.5 M (2011)

Time zone

UTC+05:30 (Asia/Kolkata)

Country facts: Wikidata

• London has five airports, so check which one your ticket leaves from before you plan the journey to the airport.
• Every itinerary on this route involves a connection, so compare total journey time and the layover airport as well as the fare.
• If your legs are booked on separate tickets, your bags will not be checked through and a missed connection is yours to sort out.
• Check what a low-cost fare includes, hold baggage in particular, before you compare it with a full-service ticket.
• Make sure you have a valid visa or e-visa for India and enough validity left on your passport.
• October is the cheapest month, but compare the autumn festival season and the winter holidays before you lock in dates.