Cheap flights from London to Sharm El Sheikh

December is the cheapest month on this route, and the weeks either side of it, late autumn and early spring, stay close behind. Sharm El Sheikh is winter sun, so demand rises through the Christmas and New Year holidays and again for school breaks, and fares follow. Midweek departures, Tuesday and Wednesday in particular, tend to cost less than Friday or Sunday flights. Summer is hot on the Red Sea, which is why July and August prices soften. For winter travel, book a few weeks ahead and watch the price calendar rather than a single date.

Low-cost carriers do the heavy lifting here: Wizz Air UK, Wizz Air, Wizz Air Malta, Easyjet, Sun Express, Pegasus and Ajet. Turkish Airlines is the full-service option on the list, and TUI Airways flies as a holiday carrier. The route has direct flights, so you can often skip a connection altogether. What differs is what you get: a low-cost ticket usually means hand baggage only, with a cabin bag, a checked bag and a chosen seat costing extra, and changes handled by the airline's own rules. Full-service fares tend to bundle a checked bag and food, and a connection booked on one ticket is protected if a leg runs late. On separate tickets, it is not.

Sharm El Sheikh International is the airport you land at, and it sits a short drive from the resort strips along the coast, so most hotels are a taxi or a transfer ride away rather than a long trek. Taxis, pre-booked transfers and hotel shuttles are the usual ways in. Agree the fare before you get in, or arrange a transfer with your hotel, especially if you land late at night when the choice of drivers thins out. Keep some local currency for the ride and check the entry rules for Egypt before you fly, since they depend on your nationality and on where you plan to travel.

Currency

EGP (LE)

Power sockets

Type C, F · 220 V

Language

Arabic

Emergency number

122, 123, 180

Driving side

right

Calling code

+20

Internet domain

.eg, .مصر

Population of Sharm El Sheikh

73 k (2015)

Time zone

UTC+02 (Africa/Cairo)

Country facts: Wikidata

• Decide which London airport you want before you compare fares, since Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted and London City all serve this route.
• Add a checked bag and a seat when you book a low-cost ticket, rather than at the airport.
• If your connection is on separate tickets, allow a long gap and check whether you must collect and re-check your bags.
• Check the entry rules for Egypt before you fly, as they depend on your nationality and on where you plan to travel.
• Book winter dates early: December is the cheapest month, but the holiday weeks fill up first.
• Match your arrival time to your transfer, because late-night landings leave fewer ways into the resorts.