Cheap flights from Shannon to London

Book a few weeks ahead for the calmer fares, and earlier still if your dates fall around Christmas or the summer school holidays; those weeks fill fast on a hop this short. November is the quiet stretch before the festive season and the low point for fares on this route. Midweek departures usually cost less than Friday evenings or Sunday returns. Fares are listed for every month of the year, so you can slide your dates before you settle on one.

What the fare includes is where the real difference sits. Ryanair keeps its base fare down to the seat and a small personal item, with bags, seat choice and anything bigger added as extras at booking. Aer Lingus works closer to the full-service model, with cabin baggage in its regular fares and more included as you move up the fare types. Carriers such as Lufthansa, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, United Airlines and Eurowings Discover appear with connecting itineraries rather than nonstops, trading a longer travel day for their own fare structures. Whichever you pick, price the trip with your bags in before you compare base fares.

London City is the small one of the bunch: short walks, quick exits and a light-rail stop right by the terminal. Heathrow and Gatwick are different animals, with long corridors, passport queues and more than one terminal to keep straight. Heathrow sits west of central London with frequent train and underground links into town; Gatwick lies to the south, reached by trains from a station under the terminal. Stansted, to the northeast, and Luton, to the north, sit furthest out, and the coach or train ride in takes time. Whichever one you land at, check the terminal before you arrange a pickup or a meeting.

Currency

GBP (£)

Power sockets

Type G · 230 V

Language

English

Emergency number

112, 999

Calling code

+44

Internet domain

.uk

Population of London

8.8 M (2021)

Time zone

UTC+00 (Europe/London)

Country facts: Wikidata

• If your itinerary has a connection, check whether it sits on one ticket or two; on separate tickets, the second airline will not rebook you when the first leg runs late.
• Low-cost fares on this route cover little beyond a small personal item, so price a cabin bag or a checked bag into the total before you compare.
• Check which London airport your ticket uses — City, Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton and Stansted are far apart and hard to swap once you have booked.
• Check the documents the United Kingdom asks of travellers with your nationality before you pay.
• Fares dip in November and climb around Christmas and the summer holidays, so slide your dates if the calendar lets you.