- Flight
- about 2.5 to 3 hours
- Departs
- Humberto Delgado
- Lands at
- Heathrow
- Time difference
- Same time as London
- Currency
- Pounds sterling, in cash
Lisbon to London is about two hours and fifty minutes, and the two cities keep exactly the same time all year. That makes this the simplest arrival in Europe: the time on your ticket is the time it actually takes.
No clock to think about
Portugal runs on the same time as the United Kingdom and changes its clocks on the same dates, which no other country on this list does. Leave Lisbon at nine, land at Heathrow just before midday, and the whole day behaves exactly as it reads. There is no hour lost, no hour gained, and nothing to recalculate.
Three hours is a real flight
Lisbon is further from London than people assume, so this is not quite the hop that Paris or Brussels is. Three hours in a seat, plus the airports, makes it a half day rather than a morning. Worth factoring in if you were planning to land and go straight out.
Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton or Stansted
TAP and British Airways fly to Heathrow several times a day. easyJet and Ryanair spread the rest across Gatwick, Luton and Stansted. The fare difference is real and so is the difference at the far end, where Stansted can add ninety minutes to a three hour flight.
What is different in London
Prices, mostly. London rates run well above Lisbon, and the gap is wider than the cost of living difference would suggest. Everything is arranged in advance, in writing, and the hourly rate is settled before anyone meets. The rates guide has the measured figures by area, and the visitor guide covers the etiquette.
Before you book
Visitors from Portugal who do not need a visa still need an electronic travel authorisation, or ETA, before they fly. It is a short online application, and it should be made through the official GOV.UK ETA service, not a site that charges extra to do it for you. The rules change, so check them before you book.
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 Southern Europe and Turkey
See every departure city
Cities with a similar flight time
Common questions
How long is the flight from Lisbon to London?
The flight from Humberto Delgado takes about 2.5 to 3 hours. 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 Lisbon and London?
Same time as London.
Which London airport do flights from Lisbon 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 an ETA to fly from Lisbon to London?
Most visitors from Portugal who do not need a visa need an electronic travel authorisation, or ETA, before they fly. Apply through the official GOV.UK service only, and check the current rules before you book, because they 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.