Flying from London to Osaka: what you need to know
When organizing your flight from London to Osaka, you'll have a good choice of airports to jet out of. Consider London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and London Gatwick Airport (LGW) for departure options. Other possibilities include London Stansted Airport (STN), London Luton Airport (LTN) and London City Airport (LCY).
Touch down in Osaka at Kansai International (Osaka) Airport (KIX) or Kobe Airport (UKB).
Osaka's timezone is UTC+9, which makes Osaka nine hours ahead of London.
To ensure you make your London to Osaka flight, leave enough time to check in and drop off your luggage. Turning up two hours ahead of international departures and one hour before domestic flights is the general rule to follow.
Be prepared for bigger queues during popular months like July. Arriving up to four hours in advance for international flights and two hours for domestic departures will give you plenty of time for security and boarding.
How to find the cheapest flights from London to Osaka
Don't leave everything to the last minute. You're more likely to get cheap London to Osaka flights if you book in advance. Airlines often have some great early bird discounts.
Finding cheap plane tickets from London to Osaka is easy if you can be flexible with your travel dates. Try using the 'Whole month' search tool to see the best prices across every month and bag a sweet deal.
There's no need to check every day to see if prices have dropped when you set up a Price Alert. We'll let you know the moment there's a better deal on cheap flights from London to Osaka.
Tailor your trip using filters. Pick your departure and arrival times, airlines and total journey duration. You can also sort your results by 'Cheapest,' 'Fastest' or 'Best' London to Osaka flights.
Flying from London
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
Stopovers are the ideal opportunity to take a travel break — and maybe even explore a different city. When searching for London to Osaka flights departing from London Heathrow Airport, uncheck the 'Direct flights only' box to see where you can visit along the way. Here are some options to consider:
Shanghai Pudong Airport (PVG)
Beijing Capital Airport (PEK)
Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND)
Located around 26 kilometres from the centre of London, LHR can be reached in about 45 minutes by car, depending on traffic. The journey by public transport is roughly 25 minutes.
Catching an early flight from London to Osaka? Avoid rushing to the airport (and sneak in some extra snooze time) by choosing one of these hotels near London Heathrow Airport:
When it comes to the on-time performance of London Heathrow Airport, data shows 78% of flights stick to their scheduled arrival time.
London Gatwick Airport (LGW)
Visit friends or family or just take a moment to recharge with a stopover. If you'd like to break up your London to Osaka flight, here's where you can stop when heading out from London Gatwick Airport:
Shanghai Pudong Airport (PVG)
Beijing Capital Airport (PEK)
Munich Airport (MUC)
You can get to LGW from central London in about 1 hour 5 minutes by car, depending on traffic. The journey by public transport will take roughly 45 minutes to travel the 40 kilometres or so.
Want to enjoy an extra night away before your flight from London to Osaka? Relax in a hotel near London Gatwick Airport before your trip officially starts. Here's where you can stay:
London Gatwick Airport has earned its reputation for punctuality. 83% of flights leaving here meet their scheduled arrival times without fail.
London Stansted Airport (STN)
Lock in a ticket from London to Osaka departing from London Stansted Airport (STN) with one or more stops. Some popular stopovers between STN and Osaka include:
Dubai Airport (DXB)
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS)
Helsinki Vantaa Airport (HEL)
The journey to STN from the centre of London is around 45 minutes on public transport. If you're in a car, it'll take you about 1 hour 5 minutes to cover the 48 kilometres or so.
Make catching an early London to Osaka flight the easiest part of your trip. Stay at one of these hotels near London Stansted Airport and get to the check-in counter without rushing:
STN has a solid on-time arrivals rating of 80%, so you can count on your flight to stay on course and reach your final stop as expected.
Arriving in Osaka
Kansai International (Osaka) Airport (KIX)
The distance from Kansai International (Osaka) Airport (KIX) to central Osaka is approximately 40 kilometres. It takes about 50 minutes to reach the centre driving.
Getting there by public transport will take you roughly 45 minutes.
The last thing you want is a lengthy journey to your hotel if you're getting in late on a flight from London to Osaka. Stay at one of these accommodation options near KIX instead:
Pick up a Kansai International (Osaka) Airport rental car and discover Osaka and beyond with your own wheels. BEST KANSAI CAR RENTAL, BE KOBE and TravelCar are top providers you can book with here.
Increase your likelihood of getting the best deal by booking as early as you can. Reserving your vehicle from Kansai International (Osaka) Airport several weeks in advance is a smart move.
You'll find KIX at 1 Senshukukokita, Izumisano.
Itami Domestic (Osaka) Airport (ITM)
The centre of Osaka is around 11 kilometres from Itami Domestic (Osaka) Airport (ITM). As soon as your flight from London to Osaka has hit the runway and you've made your way to arrivals, the drive should be around 30 minutes.
If you're catching public transport, it'll take around 35 minutes.
Hang the 'Do not disturb' sign on your door and rest at a hotel close to ITM. Here are a few options where you can tuck yourself in after your flight from London to Osaka:
No time to waste? The fastest way to get to where you're going is with a Itami Domestic (Osaka) Airport rental car. Grab a set of wheels from Europcar, Times or Rakuten and hit the road in a heartbeat.
Generally speaking, the earlier you book, the better the prices and vehicle selection. Lock in your ride from ITM as soon as you know your dates.
You can find Itami Domestic (Osaka) Airport at 3丁目555 Nishimachi, Hotarugaike, Toyonaka.
Kobe Airport (UKB)
Kobe Airport (UKB) is about 26 kilometres from the centre of Osaka. It'll take you about 40 minutes to reach the city centre by cab or ride-share after your flight from London to Osaka.
If you're using public transport, the journey takes around 50 minutes.
Be in control of the next leg of your trip with a Kobe Airport rental car. Europcar, Times and Rakuten are dependable companies for booking.
Rental agencies sometimes offer promotions for early bookings, so secure your ride from UKB ahead of your flight from London to Osaka. A bit of planning goes a long way in savings.
Kobe Airport's address is 1 Kobekuko, Chuo Ward.
Best time to go to Osaka
November is the busiest month for flights from London to Osaka. To steer clear of the crowds, visit Osaka in March.
The warmest month in Osaka is August, with temperatures ranging between 21ºC (70ºF) and 34ºC (93ºF). Lock in your London to Osaka ticket then if that's your ideal forecast.
January has average temperatures of between 0ºC (32ºF) and 10ºC (50ºF). Search for cheap flights from London to Osaka around that time if you like cooler conditions.
More about Osaka
When it comes to searching for somewhere to lay your head, you'll find the best places to stay in Osaka right here. Check out these options after locking in your flight from London to Osaka:
Dotonbori and Osaka Castle are just a couple of the top attractions to add to your Osaka itinerary. Keep the sightseeing going at Universal Studios Japan.
Explore more of Japan
Tokyo is just one of the many places in Japan waiting to be discovered once you've taken in the sights of Osaka. Around 402 kilometres to the east, check out popular attractions including TOKYO SKYTREE, Sensho-ji and Ginza Central Street.
Nagoya is another essential stop in Japan and is around 137 kilometres northeast of Osaka. No journey is complete without dropping by Nagoya Castle, Sky Promenade and Port Of Nagoya Public Aquarium.
