- Flight
- about 6.5 to 7.5 hours eastbound
- Departs
- Philadelphia International
- Lands at
- Heathrow
- Time difference
- London is 5 hours ahead
- Currency
- Pounds sterling, in cash
Philadelphia to London is about seven hours with five hours of difference, from an airport that works as a transatlantic hub for its airline. You get more choice of departure than the size of the city suggests.
Philadelphia or New York
Newark and JFK are both a train ride away, and plenty of Philadelphians look at them when prices or times do not suit. The trade is an extra hour or two at the start against a wider choice of departures. If what you want is the evening flight that lands at breakfast, compare before you book.
The overnight pattern
Evening departures reach Heathrow between six and eight in the morning. Your room will not be ready and you will have slept badly, so treat the morning as lost. The first evening is usable if you sleep when you arrive, and not worth forcing if you do not.
Five hours is easy to work with
Early afternoon in Philadelphia is early evening in London, when messages are being answered. Arrange everything in your own working day and you will not be up at strange hours doing it.
The flight home
Going home takes longer than coming over. Heading west you are flying into the jet stream rather than along it, and on this route that is worth roughly an extra hour in the air. London back to Philadelphia is scheduled accordingly, so read the arrival time rather than assuming it mirrors the flight out. It matters most if you have a connection waiting at the other end.
Before you book
Visitors from the United States 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.
Worth reading first
The visitor guide and the rates guide cover the two things people get wrong most often: etiquette and money.
When to get in touch
London runs 5 hours ahead of you. Messages sent between about 6am and 6pm your time land during London working hours, which is when replies actually come.
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.
Flying from a specific airport? The route pages give the flight time, the landing and the first day: PHL to London.
Other cities in US Northeast
See every departure city
Cities with a similar flight time
Common questions
How long is the flight from Philadelphia to London?
The flight from Philadelphia International takes about 6.5 to 7.5 hours eastbound. 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 Philadelphia and London?
London is 5 hours ahead. 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 Philadelphia?
London runs 5 hours ahead of you. Messages sent between about 6am and 6pm your time land during London working hours, which is when replies actually come.
Which London airport do flights from Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia to London?
Most visitors from the United States 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.