LHR → CPT
London Heathrow to Cape Town
- Route
- LHR → CPT
- Distance
- 6,016 miles
- Non-stop flying time
- around 12h 15m
- With one stop
- usually 16h 15m–18h 15m
- Arrive at
- Cape Town International Airport
- Local time
- UTC+2
Leaving from London Heathrow
The UK’s busiest airport, about 15 miles west of central London, reached by the Elizabeth line, the Heathrow Express and the Piccadilly line. Heathrow has the widest choice of long-haul flights in the UK, including direct services on many routes and one-stop connections with every major Gulf carrier.
Arriving in Cape Town
Table Mountain, the winelands and the Cape Peninsula — one of the world’s great city escapes.
Connections and timing
Typical connecting points on this route: Istanbul, Dubai, Doha, Addis Ababa, Nairobi and major European hubs such as Amsterdam and Paris. Best time to go: november to March is summer and the driest time.
Fares on this route are usually lowest when booked well ahead and outside UK school holidays, Eid and Christmas. Being flexible by a day or two, or flying mid-week, often helps — your consultant will tell you what moves the price on your dates.
Other UK airports to Cape Town
Questions people ask
- How long is the flight from London Heathrow to Cape Town?
- The two airports are about 6,016 miles apart. A non-stop flight, where one operates, takes around 12h 15m. With one connection, most journeys take 16h 15m to 18h 15m door to gate, depending on the layover.
- Are there direct flights from London Heathrow to Cape Town?
- It depends on the season and the airline — non-stop services start, stop and change frequency through the year. Most travellers on this route connect via Istanbul, Dubai, Doha, Addis Ababa, Nairobi. Call us and a consultant will check what is flying on your dates.
- Which airport will I land at?
- Cape Town International Airport (CPT).
- How can I get the cheapest fare?
- Book early, avoid peak holiday weeks, and be flexible by a day or two if you can. Send us your dates and we’ll compare fares across the airlines for you — or call 020 3137 8781, open 24/7.