Flying from London to Amsterdam
London to Amsterdam is one of Europe's busiest short-haul routes — and for good reason. The two cities sit roughly 360 kilometres apart as the crow flies, and direct flights from London to Amsterdam clock in at just 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes in the air. It's the kind of trip where you're barely settled with a coffee before the descent begins. In practice, you'll spend more time getting to and from the airport than you will in the sky, so choosing the right London departure point matters more than most people realise.
London has four airports serving Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS): Heathrow (LHR), Gatwick (LGW), City Airport (LCY), and Stansted (SEN). Each has its own trade-offs in terms of price, convenience, and airline choice. Heathrow and City tend to suit west and central London travellers, Gatwick works well if you're coming from the south, and Stansted is the budget option for those willing to make the trek into Essex. All routes land at Amsterdam Schiphol, which is the Netherlands' main international hub and one of the best-connected airports in Europe.
Airlines on This Route
Three airlines dominate flights from London to Amsterdam: easyJet, KLM, and British Airways. easyJet operates multiple daily departures from Gatwick and occasionally other London airports, making it the go-to option for budget travellers. KLM, as the Dutch flag carrier, runs a dense schedule out of Heathrow with several flights per day — expect a proper seat allocation, included cabin baggage, and a noticeably smoother experience overall. British Airways flies from Heathrow as well, operating out of Terminal 5, and competes directly with KLM on the full-service side of the market.
Beyond the big three, you'll occasionally find codeshare options and connecting itineraries through carriers like Air France, Lufthansa, SAS, Aer Lingus, Swiss, and Iberia, though these involve a stop and rarely make sense on such a short route unless you're bundling them into a longer journey. For most travellers, a direct flight is the only sensible choice here — layovers on a sub-90-minute route just don't add up.
Flight Prices: London to Amsterdam
Cheap flights to Amsterdam from London can start as low as £20–£25 one-way with easyJet if you catch a sale and book well in advance. More realistically, budget around £45–£80 each way for a decent fare with a low-cost carrier, or £90–£150 each way if you're flying KLM or British Airways in economy without advance planning. Round-trip fares in the £89–£130 range are achievable on flexible dates, while last-minute bookings or peak-season travel can push prices toward £200–£250 return.
To find the best Amsterdam flight deals from London, book at least 6–8 weeks ahead for budget carriers, and use flexible date searches to spot cheaper midweek options. Tuesday and Wednesday departures are consistently cheaper than Friday and Sunday flights on this route. Also worth noting: easyJet frequently runs flash sales, and signing up for their price alerts pays off if your travel dates are flexible.
Best Time to Book London to Amsterdam Flights
November, January, and February are the quietest months for this route and typically produce the lowest fares — November in particular is a sweet spot before Christmas demand kicks in. If you're after a city break without the crowds or the premium pricing, late autumn is genuinely the best time to fly. March can offer reasonable prices before the spring surge hits. Avoid April entirely if cost is a concern — tulip season brings a significant spike in demand that pushes fares up across the board. Summer (June through August) is expensive but manageable if you book two to three months ahead. The Christmas and New Year period is predictably pricey from both ends.
Amsterdam Airport Guide
Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) is a single-terminal airport, which makes it unusually easy to navigate. There are departure halls labelled 1, 2, and 3, but arrivals all feed into one central area. The airport sits about 18 kilometres southwest of Amsterdam city centre, and getting into town is genuinely straightforward. Trains run directly from Schiphol Plaza (located underneath the terminal) into Amsterdam Centraal station — the journey takes around 17 minutes and costs roughly €5–€6. Trains run every 10–15 minutes during the day. Taxis and rideshares are available but expect to pay €40–€55 for the same journey into the city centre. The train is almost always the better call.
FAQ — London to Amsterdam Flights
How long is the flight from London to Amsterdam?
Direct flights from London to Amsterdam take between 1 hour 15 minutes and 1 hour 20 minutes. The actual block time varies slightly depending on which London airport you depart from and wind conditions, but it's consistently one of the shortest international routes you can fly from the UK.
What is the cheapest time to fly from London to Amsterdam?
November, January, and February offer the lowest fares on this route. Midweek flights — particularly Tuesdays and Wednesdays — are cheaper than weekend departures year-round. Booking 6–10 weeks in advance gives you the best chance of securing a low fare without gambling on last-minute drops.
Which airlines fly from London to Amsterdam?
The main airlines operating direct flights from London to Amsterdam are easyJet (from Gatwick and Stansted), KLM (from Heathrow), and British Airways (from Heathrow). easyJet is the budget option; KLM and British Airways offer more structured full-service experiences with better flexibility on changes and cancellations.
How much do London to Amsterdam flights cost?
One-way fares start from around £20–£30 with easyJet during sales, with typical prices sitting in the £45–£80 range for budget carriers. Full-service airlines like KLM and British Airways generally price from £80–£150 one-way in economy. Round-trip fares in the £90–£140 range are realistic with advance booking outside of peak season.