Cheap flights from London to Luang Prabang

March comes out cheapest on this route in the price data, and the fare calendar runs from October through March, so that stretch is where the comparison happens. Start from March if your dates are flexible. Travel around Christmas, New Year or the school holidays needs more lead time, and shifting a departure by a few days can move the fare more than changing carriers. If you are fixed on a particular winter week, book as soon as the dates are set rather than waiting for a dip.

None of the ten carriers on this route is low-cost: Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa, Austrian, LOT Polish Airlines, Edelweiss Air, Virgin Atlantic, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Cathay Pacific and Vietnam Airlines all run full-service models, where checked baggage, meals and a rebooked journey after a missed link are generally part of the fare. The list mixes European, Gulf and Asian carriers, so the routings differ widely; every itinerary involves a change of plane, sometimes two. Put the length of the stop next to the price when you compare, because a tight connection can cost more time than the fare saves.

Getting into town is the easy part of this trip: Luang Prabang's airport sits a short drive from the centre, so a taxi from the terminal or a car booked through your hotel covers the transfer before it has time to feel like one. Keep your passport and arrival paperwork to hand, because entry rules for Laos differ by nationality and the visa question is one to settle before you fly. If your hotel sits outside the centre, confirm the pick-up in advance so the short ride stays short.

Currency

LAK (₭)

Power sockets

Type A, B, C, E, F · 230 V

Language

Lao

Emergency number

190, 191, 195

Driving side

right

Calling code

+856

Internet domain

.la

Population of Luang Prabang

54 k (2012)

Time zone

UTC+07 (Asia/Bangkok)

Country facts: Wikidata

• Check the entry and visa rules for Laos that apply to your passport before you book.
• Compare the five departure airports — City, Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton and Stansted — since the starting point changes both fare and total journey time.
• Check whether the connection sits on one ticket or two, because a missed link on separate tickets is yours to fix and pay for.
• Confirm that checked baggage is included in the fare shown rather than added at checkout.
• Give extra lead time to any trip overlapping Christmas, New Year or the school holidays.
• Put March next to the neighbouring months in the calendar, since the data marks it as the low point on the route.