Flights to Berlin — What to Expect
Berlin is served by one main airport: Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER), which opened in 2020 after years of delays and now handles all commercial traffic for the city. It sits about 18km southeast of the city centre in Schönefeld, and getting in is straightforward. If you're hunting for cheap flights to Berlin, you're in luck — the city is one of Europe's most competitive routes. Budget carriers like Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air serve BER from dozens of European cities, keeping prices low. From UK airports including London Stansted, Gatwick, and Luton, return fares regularly appear in the £40–£100 range when booked 6–8 weeks out. From other European hubs — Amsterdam, Paris, Madrid, Warsaw — expect similar or lower fares on the right booking windows.
Full-service carriers including Lufthansa, British Airways, and Air France also operate flights from major European capitals to Berlin, and while they cost more, they're worth considering if you're connecting from outside Europe or want flexible tickets. Lufthansa in particular runs a tight hub-and-spoke operation through Frankfurt and Munich into BER. Flight time from London is around 2 hours, from Paris under 2 hours, from Amsterdam just 1h20m. If you're flexible on dates and can fly midweek — Tuesday and Wednesday departures tend to be cheapest — you'll find the best Berlin flight deals without much effort.
Best Time to Visit Berlin
Berlin rewards visitors across most of the year, but some months are clearly better than others. May and June are the sweet spot: temperatures sit comfortably between 14–22°C, the city's parks and outdoor bars (called Biergärten) come alive, and you're ahead of the peak summer crush. September and October are equally good — the summer crowds thin out, the light turns golden, and the city's arts and club calendar kicks into high gear. These four months are genuinely the best time to visit Berlin if you want good weather without overpaying for accommodation.
July and August bring Berlin's warmest days (averaging around 24°C), which sounds ideal but comes with packed museums, higher hotel rates, and the peculiar emptiness of locals who flee on their own holidays. It's still a fine time to visit — just book ahead. Winter (December–February) is cold and grey, with temperatures hovering near freezing, but Berlin's Christmas markets in late November and December are genuinely excellent and worth braving the chill for. January and February are the quietest months with the cheapest flights and hotels — good for budget travellers who don't mind a coat. March and April are transitional: unpredictable weather but low prices and the first hints of spring.
Getting Around Berlin
From BER airport, the S-Bahn (S9 and S45 lines) connects directly to central Berlin in around 30–45 minutes, costing roughly €3.80 for a standard ticket into the AB zone. The U-Bahn (U2) extension to the airport is also operational. Taxis cost around €35–45 to Mitte or Prenzlauer Berg. Rideshare apps like FreeNow and Uber operate in the city and are often slightly cheaper than taxis.
Within Berlin, the public transport network — operated by BVG — is excellent and covers U-Bahn (underground), S-Bahn (overground rail), trams, and buses. A single AB zone ticket costs €3.80; a day ticket is €10.40 and covers unlimited travel. The 7-day ticket at €39.90 makes sense for most visitors staying a week. Cycling is also a legitimate way to get around — Berlin is flat and has extensive bike lanes, and rental apps like Nextbike and Lime are widely available.
Where to Stay in Berlin
Berlin's neighbourhoods each have a distinct personality, and where you stay shapes your trip significantly. Mitte is central and tourist-friendly, close to the Brandenburg Gate and Museum Island — convenient but pricier and less characterful. Prenzlauer Berg is a great mid-range choice: leafy streets, good cafés, and easy U-Bahn access; popular with families and creative types. Kreuzberg and Neukölln are where Berlin's countercultural energy lives — independent restaurants, street art, nightlife, and a younger, more international crowd. Budget travellers do well here. Friedrichshain is similarly affordable and sits close to the East Side Gallery. For something more upscale, Charlottenburg in the west offers grand pre-war architecture, luxury hotels, and the Kurfürstendamm shopping boulevard.
Top Things to Do in Berlin
- Brandenburg Gate and the Holocaust Memorial: The symbolic heart of Berlin. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe next door is one of the most affecting public monuments in Europe — don't skip the underground information centre.
- Museum Island: Five world-class museums on one UNESCO-listed island in the Spree. The Pergamon Museum and the Neues Museum (home to Nefertiti's bust) alone justify a half-day.
- The East Side Gallery: 1.3km of original Berlin Wall preserved and painted by international artists. Free to visit, best in morning light before the tour groups arrive.
- Berghain and Berlin's club scene: If you're into electronic music, Berlin's nightlife is genuinely world-class. Berghain is the famous one, but Tresor, Watergate, and Sisyphos are equally serious venues.
- Tempelhofer Feld: The old Tempelhof Airport is now a vast public park where Berliners cycle, barbecue, and kite-skate on the old runways. Completely unique to Berlin.
- Markthalle Neun and street food: Thursday evening Street Food Thursday at Markthalle Neun in Kreuzberg is the best food market in the city — genuinely good vendors, no tourist-trap pricing.
Practical Travel Tips
Visa: EU citizens need only a national ID card. UK citizens can visit Germany visa-free for up to 90 days within a 180-day period under current post-Brexit rules — no visa required, but carry your passport. Note that the EU's ETIAS authorisation system is expected to launch in 2025/2026, which will require a quick online registration for UK and other non-EU visitors. Check the latest requirements before you travel.
Currency: Germany uses the Euro (€). Berlin is notably more cash-friendly than many European capitals — many bars, smaller restaurants, and market stalls are cash-only, so keep €20–40 in your wallet. ATMs (called Geldautomat) are widely available. Tipping: Not mandatory but appreciated. Rounding up the bill or leaving 5–10% is standard. Say the amount you want to pay when handing over cash — don't leave it on the table. Safety: Berlin is generally safe. The U-Bahn and S-Bahn are reliable at night. Alexanderplatz can feel rough late at night; standard big-city awareness applies. Watch for pickpockets in tourist areas and on crowded trams.
FAQ — Flights to Berlin
How much do flights to Berlin cost?
From within Europe, return flights to Berlin typically range from €40 to €150 depending on origin, airline, and how far ahead you book. Budget carriers like Ryanair and easyJet regularly offer fares under €60 return from UK and Western European cities. Booking 4–8 weeks in advance midweek will get you the best prices. Last-minute fares can spike significantly, especially in summer.
Which airlines fly to Berlin?
Berlin Brandenburg is served by a wide range of carriers. Budget options include Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air, and Eurowings. Full-service airlines on European routes include Lufthansa, British Airways, Air France, KLM, and LOT Polish Airlines. Lufthansa operates the most frequent connections through Frankfurt and Munich for travellers connecting from long-haul routes.
What is the cheapest month to fly to Berlin?
January and February are consistently the cheapest months for flights to Berlin, with fares sometimes 30–40% lower than summer peaks. November (outside Christmas market season) and early March are also good value windows. If you want cheap flights to Berlin with decent weather, late April and early October offer the best compromise between price and conditions.
How long is the flight to Berlin from London?
Flights from London to Berlin take approximately 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours 10 minutes depending on the departure airport and routing. From Amsterdam it's around 1 hour 20 minutes, from Paris roughly 1 hour 50 minutes, and from Madrid or Barcelona around 2 hours 30–45 minutes. Berlin is one of the most accessible major European capitals by air from almost anywhere on the continent.