Overview
Prague is one of Europe's most rewarding short-break cities and sits within easy reach of the UK. The Czech capital pairs a fairy-tale historic core — Gothic spires, cobbled lanes and a hilltop castle — with lively cafés and riverside beer gardens, all at a friendly cost of living once you arrive. With a flight time of roughly two hours and a wide choice of carriers, weekend trips and longer city breaks are equally easy to arrange. This guide covers when to fly, which airlines serve the route and how to keep the cost of cheap flights to Prague down.
Best time to fly to Prague
Spring (April to June) and early autumn (September to October) are the sweet spot: mild days, thinner crowds and better-value fares than peak summer. July and August are warm, with highs in the low-to-mid twenties Celsius, but the Old Town is at its busiest. December is popular for the Christmas markets on Old Town Square, while January and February are cold and usually the cheapest time to fly. For the current picture, check the When to book chart above and the price charts on this page.
Airlines and routes
Direct flights from London to Prague are operated by British Airways from Heathrow, easyJet from Gatwick and Ryanair from Stansted. Jet2.com and Ryanair also fly from Manchester, with further direct services from airports such as Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh and Leeds Bradford. Flying time is about two hours from London and around 2 hours 10 minutes from Manchester. Connecting flights via hubs like Amsterdam, Frankfurt or Paris exist but rarely make sense on a route this short unless you are combining Prague with another city.
Things to do in Prague
Prague is compact and walkable, so you can cover the headline sights comfortably in a couple of days.
- Prague Castle: a vast hilltop complex housing St Vitus Cathedral, royal palaces and sweeping views over the red rooftops.
- Charles Bridge: the 14th-century stone bridge lined with baroque statues, best crossed early morning before the crowds.
- Old Town Square and the Astronomical Clock: the medieval heart of the city, with the Orloj chiming on the hour.
- Josefov (Jewish Quarter): moving synagogues and the atmospheric Old Jewish Cemetery.
- Petřín Hill: reached by funicular, with gardens, orchards and a lookout tower styled on the Eiffel Tower.
At Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG)
The airport lies about 17 km west of the centre, roughly 30 minutes by road. There is no direct train, but public transport is cheap and frequent: bus 119 links the terminals to Nádraží Veleslavín on metro line A, and the Airport Express coach runs to the main railway station (Hlavní nádraží). Licensed taxis and app-based cars such as Bolt and Uber are widely used and take around half an hour depending on traffic.
Top tips for finding cheap flights to Prague
- Book roughly one to three months ahead for city breaks; last-minute fares to Prague are rarely a bargain.
- Fly midweek — Tuesday to Thursday departures are usually cheaper than Friday or Sunday.
- Use flexible date search to compare a day either side, and travel in shoulder season rather than school holidays.
- Compare low-cost and full-service airlines together, and factor in baggage fees before deciding which is truly cheapest.
Travel essentials
UK passport holders do not need a visa for tourism in Czechia and can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period; your passport should be valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure and issued within the past ten years. The currency is the Czech koruna (CZK), not the euro — cards are accepted almost everywhere, but a little cash is handy for markets. No special vaccinations are required; carry a GHIC or travel insurance for medical cover.
