- Flight
- about 6.5 to 7 hours northbound
- Departs
- Murtala Muhammed International
- Lands at
- Heathrow
- Time difference
- London is up to 1 hour behind
- Currency
- Pounds sterling, in cash
Lagos to London is about six and a half hours, and the clocks are either the same or an hour apart depending on the season. Of every intercontinental route to London, this one asks the least of you.
Barely a time difference at all
Nigeria sits one hour ahead of GMT and does not change its clocks. London is on GMT in winter and one hour ahead in summer. So for half the year the two cities keep exactly the same time, and for the other half there is an hour in it. There is nothing to adjust to.
The overnight landing
Most departures from Lagos leave late in the evening and reach London early in the morning. That is a short night in a seat and an arrival before anything opens. The flight is short enough that you will not have slept much, so the first morning is the weak point of the trip rather than the whole first day.
Heathrow, or Gatwick
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic fly to Heathrow. Air Peace flies to Gatwick. The Gatwick service is a genuine alternative rather than a poor relation, but the two airports are on opposite sides of London, so decide where you are staying with the arrival airport in mind.
The visa is the real planning
A Nigerian passport needs a Standard Visitor visa for the United Kingdom, and this is the part that takes the time and causes the trouble. Apply well ahead, expect a fee, and do not buy an unchangeable ticket before it is granted.
What is different in London
Everything is arranged in advance and in writing, with the hourly rate agreed before anyone meets and paid in cash in pounds. Nobody tips on top of the fee. The booking guide covers the first message and the screening that follows, and the UK law guide sets out the position in England and Wales, which differs sharply from Nigerian law.
The flight home
The flight home is much the same length. This route runs north to south rather than across the winds, so there is no hour to gain or lose in either direction, and London back to Lagos is scheduled within a few minutes of the flight out. One fewer thing to plan around.
Before you book
Most visitors travelling on a Nigerian passport need a Standard Visitor visa before they fly. Applications take time and carry a fee, so settle it before you buy a ticket you cannot change. The official check if you need a UK visa service tells you what applies to your passport.
When to get in touch
London runs 1 hours behind you. Messages sent between about 12pm and 12am your time land during London working hours, which is when replies actually come. For most people that is the evening and the night, so send in the evening and expect the answer to be waiting when you wake.
Areas near where you land at Heathrow
The big figure is the straight line distance from the airport in miles, and nothing about travel time, which in London is always longer. Each page has the stations, the route from Heathrow and the measured rates.
Also close to where you land, with no profiles of their own but a guide to getting there and how outcall works: Feltham, Hayes, Hounslow, Southall.
Other cities in Africa
See every departure city
Cities with a similar flight time
Common questions
How long is the flight from Lagos to London?
The flight from Murtala Muhammed International takes about 6.5 to 7 hours northbound. Add the connection time if your fare has a stop, and allow for getting to and through the airport at both ends.
What is the time difference between Lagos and London?
London is up to 1 hour behind. The United Kingdom and most other countries change their clocks on different dates, so for a few weeks each spring and autumn the gap shifts by an hour.
What time should I message from Lagos?
London runs 1 hours behind you. Messages sent between about 12pm and 12am your time land during London working hours, which is when replies actually come. For most people that is the evening and the night, so send in the evening and expect the answer to be waiting when you wake.
Which London airport do flights from Lagos land at?
Most land at Heathrow, about fifteen miles west of central London and on the Piccadilly line and the Elizabeth line. Some services use Gatwick, to the south, so check the airport on your ticket before you book a hotel.
Do I need a visa to fly from Lagos to London?
Most visitors travelling on a Nigerian passport need a Standard Visitor visa. Use the official GOV.UK check if you need a UK visa service for your own passport, and apply well before you book flights you cannot change.
Do I need to arrange things before I fly?
It helps. Good diaries fill days ahead, and arranging from home means you are doing it awake and unhurried instead of jet lagged in an unfamiliar city.
Is escorting legal in the UK?
Yes, in England and Wales it is legal for two consenting adults to exchange sex or company for money. What is illegal is the activity around it, such as soliciting in the street, running a brothel or controlling someone else's work. The Crown Prosecution Service sets this out in its published guidance.
Is prostitution legal in the UK?
Selling and buying sex between consenting adults is not itself a crime in England, Wales or Scotland. Northern Ireland is the exception, where paying for sex has been an offence since 1 June 2015. Public soliciting, brothel keeping and exploiting another person's work are offences in different forms across the UK.