Cheap UK flight deals look different on this page to what you find on most comparison sites. We don’t just list every available fare. We check each deal for the route, the dates, what’s included in the price, and whether it genuinely represents value. A £39 flight to Malaga that departs at 6am and arrives home at midnight, with no luggage included, is not the same as a £59 flight at a sensible time with a cabin bag in the price. We flag the difference.
For European short-haul, Ryanair and easyJet are consistently the cheapest carriers, particularly for routes from London airports. Jet2 is often competitive from northern and Midlands airports and includes 22kg hold luggage in the base fare, which can make it better value than budget carriers once extras are added. Wizz Air covers central and eastern Europe at prices the other budget airlines rarely match. For long-haul, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and Gulf carriers, including Emirates, Qatar, and Etihad, run the most regular promotional fare windows.
Latest flight deals we've found
The cheapest time to book a flight from the UK depends on your destination. For short-haul European routes, booking 6 to 8 weeks in advance typically gives you the best combination of price and availability. Closer than that and airlines hold fares up, knowing last-minute travellers have fewer options. Further out and you may be paying early-bird prices that don’t represent the best value. For long-haul routes to the US, Caribbean, or Asia, booking 3 to 6 months ahead is safer, particularly for popular summer or Christmas departure dates.
Day of the week matters for both booking and departure. Flights departing on Tuesday and Wednesday are consistently cheaper than the same route on Friday and Sunday. Fares are typically lowest at the start of the week when fewer people are actively searching. Flexible travellers who can shift their departure by two or three days often save between £30 and £80 on a return trip to Europe.
Baggage is the most overlooked cost in a flight deal. Budget carriers include only a small personal item in the base fare. Adding a cabin bag typically costs £15 to £35 each way with Ryanair and easyJet; hold luggage adds £25 to £60 each way depending on the route and how early you add it. Always calculate the total cost, including fare, bags, and seat selection if you need it, before comparing across airlines. A return fare that looks £40 cheaper can end up costing more once all the extras are included.
Use the deals below as a starting point. If you have a destination in mind, the guides further down this page cover typical fare ranges, which airports offer the most departures, and when prices reliably drop.
Cheap flights are useful only when the full trip still makes sense. We look at the route, timings, baggage rules, travel dates, and comparable fares before a flight deal appears here.
For flexible trips, start with the latest deals above. If you are still choosing where to go, use the guides below for practical help on when to book, which airlines to compare, and when a low fare stops being good value after bags or awkward timings are added.
While national airlines do tend to have sales across the year, there are some low-cost airlines operating in the UK that tend to offer the cheapest fares.
Ryanair: In past years, this Irish airline seems to have the cheapest fares of them all, with constant promotions across hundreds of airports spread across Europe. Their cheapest offers usually range from £2 to £9.99 each way.
Easyjet: This English airline tends to use the main airports in destinations (compared to Ryanair) so you can expect that prices will be slightly higher but still relatively cheap.
Wizz Air: Growing steadily popular each year, Hungarian Wizz Air offers low fares across Europe, especially to destinations in Eastern Europe not covered by other airlines.
Finding cheap flights requires a mix of timing, flexibility, and strategy. Start by booking your tickets well in advance, ideally 6-8 weeks before your trip, as prices tend to rise closer to the departure date. Use flight comparison websites like Google Flights, Skyscanner, or Kayak to track and compare fares. Be flexible with your travel dates and times, as flying mid-week or during off-peak seasons often results in cheaper options. Additionally, setting up price alerts and being open to nearby airports can also help you snag the best deals.
For short-haul European flights, booking 6–8 weeks in advance typically gives you the best prices. For long-haul, 3–6 months ahead is a safer window. Mid-week departures — particularly Tuesday and Wednesday — are usually cheaper than Friday or Sunday. January and February tend to be the most affordable months to fly, once the post-Christmas surge has passed.
London Stansted and Luton consistently offer the lowest fares thanks to a high concentration of budget carriers, particularly Ryanair and easyJet. Regional airports including Manchester, Bristol, and Birmingham can be competitive too, especially to popular European sun destinations. Always compare from your nearest airport — the savings on travel to London can outweigh the cheaper fare.
Not always. Comparison sites like Google Flights and Skyscanner are a good starting point, but it’s worth checking the airline’s own website directly — airlines occasionally offer exclusive fares or lower booking fees when you go direct. Flight Tribe monitors deals across multiple sources daily, so you don’t have to check everything yourself.
Ryanair and easyJet dominate on price for short-haul routes. Wizz Air offers competitive fares to Eastern Europe. For domestic UK flights, Flybe (in its current form) and Loganair serve regional routes that other carriers don’t. Keep in mind that budget fares often exclude hold luggage — factor in the extras before comparing headline prices.
Google Flights has a price tracking tool that sends email alerts when fares change on a specific route. Skyscanner’s price alerts work similarly. You can also bookmark Flight Tribe and check back regularly — we publish new deals every day, covering flash sales, error fares, and promotional rates as they appear.
