If you're looking to fly from New York to the UK, but are not sure which city to fly to, Alternative Airlines can help. Use our guide below to find out which airlines operate frequent routes between New York and the UK, which UK airports to fly to and many more FAQs.
Flying from New York to London is the most popular option for American travellers - there are 5 major airports situated in and around the London city centre, making it easy for anyone to access. The best times to visit London are from March to May, when the weather is mild, and September to October, during the beginning of autumn. Popular tourist attractions in London include the London Eye, Buckingham Palance and Westminster Abbey.
Getting to London from New York is very easy and straightforward - many major airlines operate daily flights between the cities.
Route Frequency: 1200+ weekly flights from New York to London
Ticket Price: $600+ USD single, $600+ USD return
Flight Time: 6-8 hours (direct)
Airports: New York-JFK ➡ London-Gatwick; New York-Newark ➡ London-Heathrow; New York-JFK ➡ London-Heathrow
Airlines: United Airlines, Lufthansa, Brussels Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Finnair, British Airways, American Airlines, Iberia, jetBlue, Virgin Atlantic, Delta Air Lines, KLM and Air France.
Manchester is a great city to fly into if you're planning on exploring or travelling around the UK Midlands. Manchester has a broad range of attractions that draw tourists into the northern city every year - from Manchester Cathedral to the National Football Museum to the Old Trafford Stadium. The busiest season in Manchester is between June and August when the summer weather is at full throttle and the city comes to life with festivals.
New York to Manchester is another easy, direct route that is frequently operated by major airlines.
Route Frequency: 40+ weekly flights from New York to Manchester
Ticket Price: $800+ USD single, $1100+ USD return
Flight Time: 7-8 hours (direct)
Airports: New York-Newark ➡ Manchester Airport; New York-JFK ➡ Manchester Airport
Airlines: Aer Lingus, Virgin Atlantic, Delta Air Lines, KLM, Air France
If you want to escape from bustling city life by venturing off to the highlands of Scotland, you'll need to start your journey by flying from New York to the city of Edinburgh. Tourist attractions in Edinburgh range from Edinburgh Castle to the National Museum of Scotland to the Edinburgh Dungeon. The best time to visit this historical city is from June through to August - this is when the weather is warmest and festivals begin to fill up the city.
Route Frequency: 45+ weekly flights from New York to Edinburgh
Ticket Price: $950+ USD single, $1200+ USD return
Flight Time: 6-8 hours (direct)
Airports: New York-Newark ➡ Edinburgh Airport; New York-JFK ➡ Edinburgh Airport
Airlines: United Airlines, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic, Delta Air Lines and KLM
If you want to book your New York to UK flights today but spread the cost over time, you can do so through Alternative Airlines. We offer 40+ different ways to pay including 'Buy Now, Pay Later' payment plans that help you split the cost of your tickets, letting you pay back later. If you reside in the US, you can choose from Afterpay, Affirm and PayPal Credit. If you reside in the UK, you can pay later with Klarna, Clearpay and PayPal Credit. We offer many finance options at checkout - find out more in our Pay Later guide.
Direct Flights: To make your life easier, we've outlined the main airlines that operate frequent direct routes between New York and the UK. You can also book flights with a layover or stopover with other airlines, with a journey time of 14+ hours.
American Airlines is a major airline based in the US, with headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas. It's currently the world's largest airline measured by fleet size and passengers carried. American operates over 6,500 flights a day to domestic and international destinations. It's also a founding member of the Oneworld Alliance - an alliance of leading world-class airlines including British Airways, Qantas, SriLankan Airlines and more.
United Airlines, commonly referred to as United, is another major airline based in the US. With headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, the airline operates over 4,800 flights a day and is also a founding member of the Star Alliance.
British Airways is the national flag carrier of the United Kingdom and is headquartered in London, England. The airlines currently operates over 850 flights per day and provides frequently used routes between the UK and the USA. It's also a member of the Oneworld Alliance alongside American Airlines.
Use the search form at the top of the page to begin searching for flights with any of these airlines and more. You can also use our airline filters to only view flights with a specific airline.
There are 2 airports in New York that you can fly from if you're travelling to the UK - JFK and Newark. Both of these airports can be used to fly to and from London, Manchester or Edinburgh.
New York JFK Airport
JFK Airport, short for John F. Kennedy International Airport, is the primary international airport serving New York City. Over 90 airlines operate from this airport including American Airlines, United, Delta, British Airways and more.
New York Newark Airport
Newark International Airport is situated in the US state of New Jersey and serves the New York metropolitan area. It's currently the third-largest hub for United Airlines and serves 50 other carriers. The airport offers direct flights between New York and London, Manchester and Edinburgh.
London Heathrow Airport
Heathrow Airport is a major international airport situated in London, England. As of 2021, Heathrow Airport was classed as the 7th busiest airport in the world measured by scheduled international passenger traffic. It's also a hub for British Airways.
London Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport, located in Crawley, West Sussex, is another major international airport within the UK. Although it's situated outside of London, it has been classed as the 2nd busiest airport in the UK by passenger traffic. British Airways also uses Gatwick as a hub.
Manchester Airport
Manchester Airport is an international airport located southwest of the Manchester city centre. The airport currently serves almost 200 destinations - its most popular routes are to Dubai, the Canary Islands and Dublin. Passengers also frequently travel to Heathrow from Manchester Airport in order to access more flights operated by airlines that don't fly to Manchester.
Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport, located in the Islington area of Edinburgh, is the busiest airport in Scotland, serving almost 15 million passengers in 2019. The airport only has one runway and one terminal but is a major gateway for international tourists looking to explore Scotland.
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Of course! Flying directly between New York and the UK is easy thanks to a broad range of airlines operating this popular route. The main airlines that fly this route are British Airways, American Airlines and United Airlines. Depending on where you plan to travel within the UK, there are 3 cities you can arrive in - London, Manchester and Edinburgh. Our search form at the top of the page will let you find direct flights from New York to the UK. Read our guide on flights from USA to UK to find out more.
Direct flights between New York and the UK normally last between 6-8 hours. If your trip includes a connecting flight, the duration could last 13+ hours.
Why not? At Alternative Airlines, you can book your New York to UK flights today and pay in instalments over time, either on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis depending on the payment plan you choose. Some of our popular finance options amongst our customers are Afterpay, Klarna and PayPal Credit. Read our Buy Now Pay Later guide to find out more about all of the finance options we offer at checkout.
