Flying from New York to London might seem like just another international trip, but have you ever wondered what makes this transatlantic journey unique? Covering 5,564 kilometers (approximately 3,451 miles), the flight takes around 7 hours and 10 minutes—just enough time to enjoy a few movies, get some rest, and land in one of the world's most iconic cities. Whether you're a first-time traveler or a frequent flyer, understanding what to expect on this route can make your journey smoother and more enjoyable. By the way it is open to bad surprises such as flight disruptions, long delays or cancellations.
There are a few things travelers should understand before embarking on this journey. This is why we have put thi s piece together: to understand passengers’ rights, how to find cheap airlines, how airline regulations work, and other relevant information about airline travel.
The distance between New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and London Heathrow Airport (LHR) is approximately 3,451 miles. And it takes slightly over seven hours (actually 7 hours and 10 mins) to reach the destination.
But it all depends on where the flight is coming from though. If it’s taking off from Canada’s Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, it’s expected to take up to 10 hours and 1 minute to land at the London Heathrow Airport.
Also, it’s important to note that there’s no stopover while traveling from New York to London. While some airlines may be doing this, a report from Kayak, a popular traveling agency, says that between 29 and 31 airlines do a non-stop flight from New York to London.
As earlier stipulated, passengers living in the United States are expected to take off from the popular John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), New York, all the way to the London Heathrow Airport (LHR). Aside from the New York-JFK Airport, you might as well use the Newark Airport, if you are traveling from New York. For London residents, Luton Airport (LTN), Stansted Airport (STN), London City Airport (LCY), and Gatwick Airport (LGW) can serve that purpose, depending on your location.
The estimated flight duration (for a non-stop flight) is between 7 hours and 10 minutes. But this is different with flights with layovers. Depending on the route and timing of the layover, the total timing is estimated at 14-20 hours. (Depending on the route taken by the airline, and the timing of the layover).
However, it can be more. As for passengers departing from Miami International Airport (MIA), the estimated departure time is 9 hours and 48 minutes (for direct flights only).
Passengers can access the London route through Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) with American Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and British Airways. Those in Chicago can also leverage the services of Chicago-O’Hare (ORD) International Airport where they can access United Airlines and American Airlines which have a direct route to London – and do multiple flights daily.
Those passengers in Miami might as well use Miami International Airport (MIA), which offers a non-stop service to London via British Airways and American Airlines. Boston Logan International Airport also offers non-stop direct flights to London via Delta Airlines, American Airlines, and British Airways.
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) offers daily flights to London, with American Airlines dominating the operation. The last on the list is Francisco International Airport (SFO). It provides a non-stop service to London, with Virgin Atlantic and United Airlines dominating the operation.
It is also worth mentioning that some of the common top airline companies are Virgin Atlantic, Air France, KLM Royal Dutch, Delta Airlines, and SWISS airline. For direct flights from New York to London, you might as well consider Norse Atlantic UK, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Atlantic, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and British Airways.
Yes, they do. Flights from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Newark Airport , all the way to London Heathrow Airport (LHR), Luton Airport (LTN), Gatwick Airport (LGW) or Stansted Airport (STN) are covered by the UK261, otherwise known as EC261. But it can only work under certain terms and conditions.
However, there are certain requirements for eligibility. The affected flight must have either departed from a UK airport or been operated by a UK-based airline arriving in the UK. Since Brexit, flights arriving in the UK from the EU are only covered if they are operated by a UK carrier. Conversely, flights departing from the UK or operated by an EU airline are still covered under EU261.
Additionally, flights must be operated under a valid UK or EU operating license to qualify. The compensation amount is based on flight distance: for flights over 3,500 km, passengers may be entitled to up to €600 (£520) if the flight is delayed by more than three hours or canceled under qualifying circumstances. UK261 largely mirrors the provisions of EU261 and continues to apply to flights covered under UK jurisdiction post-Brexit.
This is where the affected passengers may need some help with. Should your New York to London marred by either a delay or cancellation, you should first assess your flight eligibility: if the flight is departing or arriving at a UK airport. But in a situation where it's operated by an American airline, it doesn't qualify under the UK261 regulations. However, to qualify for the New York – London route, the flight must be managed by a UK or EU airline.
Then there’s the status of the situation: whether it’s a delay or cancellation, and the reason behind the cancellation or delay. As in, if it has something to do with man-made or natural situations. Going through this process can be rigorous and tedious at the same time and may take months to go through.
This may not be practical for the average passenger, thereby necessitating the assistance of a third party to facilitate the process. This is where Click2Refund comes in. With over a decade in the field, the company has the right experience and professionality to get through the compensation process in weeks.
The steps included in processing compensation from your airline include (but are not limited to):
We have all been in that situation where we gush out to the particular price of air tickets. But the good news is that it’s possible to get these tickets cheaper than their original prices. Interested parties will have to apply some level of flexibility, research, and of course, a touch of planning to get through this. Now, this is how anyone can get cheaper flight tickets:
As earlier mentioned, prospective passengers should be flexible with their schedules. This is because the prices of air tickets change as the day goes by. The thing is, as the prices may remain unchanged from Tuesdays to Wednesdays, it can be cheaper during off sessions. The potential traveler should also reconsider the time of their departure and arrival. This is because early morning flights, red-eye flights, or other flights scheduled at unpopular hours are often cheaper.
By being proactive we mean being a proactive planner: book your flights in advance. The earlier a flight is booked, the cheaper it is. In most cases, airlines do create special offers for early birds. These offers can range from promotions to special discounts for passengers who have booked in advance.
You might as well use flight comparison online platforms like Google Flights, Skyscanner, and Kayak to track ticket prices and receive updated alerts on prices.
This is where you have to research and compare the prices of these flight tickets. You can also use Google Flights, Kayak, Skyscanner, and Hipmunk to do this. These websites are very useful in comparing prices across airports anywhere across the world. They can track both dates of arrival and departure.
Not many have heard about the error fares. These are those airfares that are mistakenly input in the system, which most times are significantly cheaper than the usual prices. Also, note that this type of fare doesn’t last on the system before it’s removed (corrected) – only the early birds get to rip the benefits.
Extra Tips:
Consider other airports. This will only be possible if the passenger route can be accessed through multiple airports. You might be lucky to find better deals in alternative airports.
Hope on a good day. Yes, that’s something like the good day, as a passenger, you just have to find out when the perfect day for cheaper flight tickets. It varies between airlines. While it can be on a Sunday for some airlines, to the other it can be a Saturday.
Clear your cookies. This is a tricky one. In most cases, flight comparison and airlines leverage cookies in tracking browsing history. This may lead to them increasing the prices if they notice their viewers are not interested in a particular flight. So, clearing the cookies on your browser will help prevent price increases.
Q. What’s the estimated flight time from the New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and London Heathrow Airport (LHR)?
A. If there’s no delay, the expected flight time from New York (JFK) to London (LHR) is between 7 hours/10 minutes and 8 hours/ 30 minutes.
Q. What’s the exact distance between New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and London Heathrow Airport (LHR)?
A. Distance from New York (JFK) to London (LHR) is measured at 5,564 kilometers, approximately 3,451 miles.
Q. What’s the commonest route to reach London from New York?
A. Flights from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and London Heathrow Airport (LHR) go through the North East route, then through the Atlantic Ocean, cross Canada, North Atlantic, and Ireland before finally arriving the London Heathrow Airport (LHR).
Q. What’s the time difference between London and New York?
A. London, UK is 5 hours earlier than New York, USA. For emphasis, when it’s 10:00 AM in New York, it will be 3:00 PM in London.