Overview
Copenhagen makes one of the easiest short breaks from the UK: under two hours in the air, only a one-hour time difference, and a compact, walkable centre laced with canals, cycle lanes and harbour baths. The Danish capital pairs royal palaces and rows of colourful merchant houses with one of Europe's best food scenes and plenty of design-led shopping. It suits a long weekend, a family trip built around Tivoli, or a first stop on a wider Scandinavian tour. Check the price charts on this page to see how current fares are moving before you book.
Best time to fly to Copenhagen
Late spring to early autumn (May to September) brings the mildest weather, with July and August usually the warmest at around 20–22°C and very long daylight hours. This is peak season, so flights and hotels cost more, especially during school holidays. May, early June and September are the sweet spot: pleasant days, thinner crowds and softer prices. Winter is cold and often grey, hovering near freezing, but the city leans into hygge with Christmas markets and Tivoli's festive season. Use the When to book chart above to compare months.
Airlines and routes
SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) is the main carrier on UK–Copenhagen routes, with British Airways also flying from Heathrow. Low-cost options include easyJet, Ryanair and Norwegian. Direct flights run from London (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton, depending on the airline), plus Manchester, Edinburgh, Birmingham and Bristol among others. Typical flight time is about 1 hour 50 minutes from London and 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours from Manchester. Connecting itineraries via Amsterdam or a Scandinavian hub exist but are rarely worth it on such a short hop.
Things to do in Copenhagen
The centre is small enough to explore on foot or by bike, with most highlights within easy reach of each other.
- Tivoli Gardens: historic pleasure garden in the heart of the city, with rides, landscaped gardens, concerts and evening lights.
- Nyhavn: the postcard canal lined with gabled townhouses, old wooden ships and quayside cafés.
- The Little Mermaid & Langelinie: the famous bronze statue on a scenic harbour promenade beside Kastellet fortress.
- Rosenborg Castle: a Renaissance royal palace displaying the Danish crown jewels, set in the King's Garden.
- Christiansborg Palace: seat of the Danish parliament, with a tower you can climb free for one of the best views over the city.
At Copenhagen Airport (CPH)
Copenhagen Airport, also known as Kastrup, sits about 8km south-east of the city centre on the island of Amager. The M2 Metro runs directly from the terminal to Kongens Nytorv and the centre in around 13–15 minutes and operates 24 hours a day. Frequent DSB trains reach Copenhagen Central Station in roughly 13 minutes, with some continuing to Malmö in Sweden. Taxis wait outside Terminal 3 and take about 20 minutes to the centre. One ticket, bought from machines or the DOT app, covers metro, train and bus.
Top tips for finding cheap flights to Copenhagen
- Book roughly one to three months ahead for short breaks; last-minute fares to a business-heavy city like Copenhagen rarely drop.
- Fly midweek (Tuesday to Thursday) and avoid Friday evening and Sunday returns, when demand and prices peak.
- Use flexible-date search to shift your trip out of school holidays and off the busiest departure slots.
- Compare SAS and British Airways against easyJet and Ryanair, and factor in baggage and airport transfer costs before deciding.
Travel essentials
UK passport holders do not need a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area. Your passport should be issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least three months after the date you plan to leave. A new ETIAS travel authorisation is being introduced for visa-exempt visitors, so check the latest rules before you travel. The currency is the Danish krone (DKK), not the euro, and card and contactless payments are accepted almost everywhere. No special vaccinations are required; bring a GHIC or EHIC for state healthcare and take out travel insurance.
