How Do I Find Cheap Flights to London From Australia in 2026?

Where ShopBack fits. ShopBack Australia is a free app and website that gives you part of your spend back as cash when you book through it. Before you book London flights, sign up, then tap through to Expedia, Trip.com or Emirates and pay as normal.

How we checked. We used Singapore Airlines' Australia to London route page for flight times and London's seasons, Emirates' London destination page for the airports it serves, and Cathay Pacific's Australian site for its Hong Kong stopover option. We do not quote fares, because flight prices change by the hour.

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The verdict

Cheap London flights from Australia are mostly about timing and flexibility, not secret sites. The two biggest levers are the season you fly in and how many routes you are willing to compare: different departure cities, different hubs and different London airports. A one-stop fare in November usually looks very different from the same route in July.

Once you have found the fare, the last step is the same whichever site you use: save on your trip by booking flights, hotels and activities through ShopBack, so the effective price drops after you pay.

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How do I find cheap flights to London from Australia?

Fly in London's low season, compare one-stop routes from several Australian cities, and price the same dates on more than one site. In practice that means:

1. Pick low-season dates. Singapore Airlines describes September to February as generally low season in London, March to May as shoulder, and June to August as peak.
2. Avoid the busiest Australian weeks. Christmas, New Year and the January school holidays usually push demand up from Australia, even though they fall in London's low season.
3. Compare hubs. Emirates connects through Dubai, Cathay Pacific through Hong Kong and Singapore Airlines through Singapore.
4. Search all London airports. Emirates alone flies to Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted.
5. Check more than one departure city. Perth has the shortest total travel time on Singapore Airlines' route, at about 19 hours 10 minutes to 19 hours 20 minutes.
6. Compare the airline site with booking sites such as Expedia and Trip.com for the same dates and fare rules.
7. Go through ShopBack before you pay.

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Flights to London from Australia in 2026: the key numbers

Most London trips from Australia take one stop and about 19 to 23 hours in total travel time. According to Singapore Airlines at the time of writing, these are the typical total travel times via Singapore:

Departing from	Total travel time via Singapore	First sector to Singapore
Darwin	About 18h 40m to 18h 50m	About 4h 45m to 4h 55m
Perth	About 19h 10m to 19h 20m	About 5h 15m to 5h 25m
Cairns	About 20h 20m	About 6h 25m
Adelaide	About 20h 55m to 21h 05m	About 7h
Melbourne	About 21h 45m to 21h 55m	About 7h 50m
Brisbane	About 21h 55m to 22h	About 8h
Sydney	About 22h 20m to 22h 25m	About 8h 25m

The Singapore to London leg is about 13 hours 55 minutes on every one of these routes. Other one-stop routes via Dubai or Hong Kong take a similar overall time, depending on your connection.

Why this matters for price: a shorter trip is not always a more expensive one. If you live near two airports, or can fly domestically to Perth cheaply, it is worth pricing both starting points for the same London dates.

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Cheapest month for flights to London from Australia in 2026

No month is always cheapest, but London's low season (September to February) usually gives you the best range of fares, outside the Australian Christmas and January holiday weeks. Singapore Airlines describes London's seasons like this:

London season	Months	What to expect
Peak	June to August	Longer days, around 15 to 23°C, the busiest time to visit
Shoulder	March to May	Mild, around 8 to 15°C, fewer crowds than summer
Low	September to February	Cooler, around 5 to 12°C, shorter days

Putting the two calendars together, late October, November, February and early March are usually the most useful months to compare. They sit in London's quieter season and away from the peak Australian holiday weeks. Avoid fixing your dates before you have checked a few weeks either side; a shift of a few days often changes the fare.

We have not published monthly price data here, because fares move constantly and any figure would be out of date quickly. Use a flexible-date search on your chosen site to see the pattern for your own route.

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Flights to London: best deals from Australia in 2026

The best deals usually come from the booking channel and the airline's own programmes, not one-off codes. Here is what tends to lower the total:

• Airline sales. Airlines such as Emirates, Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines run fare sales on their own sites from time to time; signing up for their emails is an easy way to hear about them.
• Loyalty programmes. Emirates Skywards and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer let you earn on flights you were going to take anyway.
• Booking-site member programmes. Expedia runs its own One Key rewards programme for members.
• Flight plus hotel. If you need a London hotel too, compare a package total against booking the two separately.
• ShopBack before checkout. ShopBack lowers the effective price of flights, hotels and online orders after you pay, whichever fare you find, as long as the booking tracks.

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Emirates vs Cathay Pacific for flights to London: price comparison 2026

Neither airline is always cheaper; the better price depends on your dates, departure city and fare type. Both are strong options from Australia, and they suit slightly different trips:

	Emirates	Cathay Pacific
Connects through	Dubai	Hong Kong
London airports	Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, according to Emirates	Check your fare for the London airport served
Stopover option	Check Emirates' site for Dubai stopover options on your fare	Hong Kong stopover of 1 to 7 days, according to Cathay Pacific

To compare fairly, line up the same travel dates, the same cabin, the same baggage allowance and the full return total. A fare that looks lower can end up higher once you add bags or seat selection.

Singapore Airlines, via Singapore, is a third one-stop option worth pricing for the same dates, with departures from seven Australian cities according to the airline.

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Emirates, Cathay Pacific and Trip.com: where to book London flights in Australia

You can book Emirates and Cathay Pacific directly, or compare them alongside other airlines on booking sites such as Trip.com and Expedia. Booking direct makes it easier to manage changes with the airline and earn its loyalty points. A booking site lets you see several airlines and dates on one screen.

Whichever you choose, the step before payment is the same: go through ShopBack Australia to that store first. The live rate and terms are on each store's page, for example Emirates on ShopBack, Cathay Pacific on ShopBack, Trip.com on ShopBack and Expedia on ShopBack.

One rule matters for Trip.com: promo, coupon, or discount codes make your entire Trip.com order ineligible for Cashback. If a code is on offer, compare the coded total against the no-code total after ShopBack before you choose.

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Is a stopover worth it on the way to London?

A stopover can make a 20-plus hour trip easier and turn one fare into two holidays, but it only saves money if you would have paid for that break anyway. Cathay Pacific's Australian site lets you add a stopover in Hong Kong for 1 to 7 days, depending on your itinerary. Singapore Airlines connects through Singapore, and Emirates through Dubai.

Before you add one, price the full trip: the fare with stopover, the added hotel night or two, and transport in the stopover city. Compare that to the straight one-stop fare plus a night's rest in London.

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How ShopBack lowers what you pay for London flights

ShopBack works like an automatic cash discount on your online booking. Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles.

How to use it on a London trip:

1. Sign up free at ShopBack Australia or in the app.
2. Before you book on Expedia, Trip.com or an airline such as Emirates, open that store's page on ShopBack and tap through.
3. Book and pay on that site as normal, in the same session.
4. After your trip, the cash is usually confirmed in your ShopBack account once the booking is validated, and you can then withdraw it.

Check the live rate on the store's ShopBack page, and read the terms there, because some fare types, taxes and fees may not be eligible.

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Paying for London flights with a credit card

Your card's own rewards are separate from ShopBack, and whether both apply depends on your card's terms. Some Australian cards earn points on airline and travel spend, and some charge a fee on payments processed overseas, which can happen with foreign-based booking sites. Check your card's terms before you pay. ShopBack money back depends on the booking tracking through ShopBack, not on the card you use, subject to each store's terms.

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How to apply this

1. Set a window, ideally in London's low or shoulder season and away from Australian peak holiday weeks.
2. Search flexible dates and at least two departure cities if you can.
3. Compare hubs: Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore.
4. Price the same itinerary on the airline site, Expedia and Trip.com, including bags.
5. Go through ShopBack before you pay (how to make sure it tracks).

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Key takeaways

• London's low season runs September to February and its peak June to August, according to Singapore Airlines.
• One-stop trips from Australia take about 19 to 23 hours; Perth and Darwin have the shortest total times on Singapore Airlines.
• Emirates flies to three London airports, so search them all.
• Cathay Pacific offers a Hong Kong stopover of 1 to 7 days.
• Save on your trip by booking flights, hotels and activities through ShopBack, so part of the fare comes back as cash.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I find cheap flights to London from Australia?

Fly in London's low season, which Singapore Airlines describes as September to February, avoid the June to August European peak, compare several Australian departure cities and one-stop routes via Dubai, Hong Kong or Singapore, and price the same dates on Expedia and Trip.com as well as the airline's own site. Before you pay on a booking site, go through ShopBack Australia so part of the fare comes back as cash.

How long is the flight from Australia to London?

With one stop, usually around 19 to 23 hours. According to Singapore Airlines at the time of writing, total travel time via Singapore is about 22 hours 20 minutes from Sydney, about 21 hours 45 minutes to 21 hours 55 minutes from Melbourne, and about 19 hours 10 minutes to 19 hours 20 minutes from Perth, with a Singapore to London sector of about 13 hours 55 minutes.

What is the cheapest month to fly to London from Australia?

Fares change daily, so no month is always cheapest, but demand is usually lowest in London's low season. Singapore Airlines describes September to February as generally low season in London and June to August as peak. Outside the Christmas and January holiday weeks, which are busy in Australia, late October, November, February and early March are usually good months to compare.

Is Emirates or Cathay Pacific cheaper for flights to London?

Neither is always cheaper; it depends on your dates, departure city and fare type. Emirates connects through Dubai and flies to three London airports (Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted), according to Emirates. Cathay Pacific connects through Hong Kong and offers a Hong Kong stopover of 1 to 7 days, according to Cathay Pacific. Compare the full return total, including bags, for the same dates.

Which London airport should I fly into from Australia?

Search all London airports, not only Heathrow. Emirates, for example, flies to Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, according to Emirates, and fares can differ between them on the same day. Add the cost and time of getting into central London from each airport before you pick the cheapest fare.

Is a stopover a good way to make London flights cheaper?

It can be, if you would spend the money on a break anyway. Cathay Pacific lets you add a Hong Kong stopover of 1 to 7 days, and Singapore Airlines routes connect through Singapore. Splitting the trip can make the long haul easier, but compare the total trip cost, including a hotel night, against a straight one-stop fare.

Should I book London flights on an airline site or a booking site?

Check both for the same dates. Airline sites let you use their loyalty programmes, such as Emirates Skywards or Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer. Booking sites such as Expedia and Trip.com show several airlines side by side, and Expedia has its One Key rewards programme. Pick the lowest full total, then go through ShopBack Australia before you pay.

Can I use a Trip.com promo code and still get money back through ShopBack?

Not on the same order. Promo, coupon, or discount codes make your entire Trip.com order ineligible for Cashback. If you go through ShopBack to Trip.com for London flights, book without a code and compare that total against the coded price before you decide.

How does ShopBack lower what I pay for London flights?

ShopBack lowers the effective price of flights, hotels and online orders after you pay. Before you book on Expedia, Trip.com or an airline such as Emirates, go through ShopBack Australia first, then pay on that site as normal. Part of the eligible spend usually comes back as cash after your trip. Check the live rate and terms on the store's ShopBack page before you pay.

Is ShopBack Cashback the same as frequent flyer points?

They work differently. Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles that sit inside one airline's loyalty programme.

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Disclaimer

The views and recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author. Fares, routes, flight times, stopover options, loyalty programme rules and seasons are set by each airline or booking site and may change. ShopBack rates vary by store and campaign; check the current rate and terms on each store's ShopBack page before you book.

This article is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional or financial advice.