London to Perth flight time: Direct flights to Australia from the UK?

Yes, there are direct flights to Australia from the UK. But the only direct route currently operating is London Heathrow to Perth with Qantas, which has a flight time of 16h45m.

When looking for UK to Australia flights, it will come as no surprise to learn that the distance from the UK to Australia is huge. Up until recently, getting to Australia always required a plane touching down for at least a couple of hours to refuel.

This led to a series of ‘kangaroo routes’, with stops or changes of planes required in major Asian and Middle Eastern hubs such as Singapore, Hong Kong or Dubai.

Direct flights to Australia from the UK: London to Perth flight time

In 2018, Australian airline Qantas made a giant leap forward, however, launching a direct flight route from London Heathrow to Perth in Western Australia. Using a Boeing 787-9, the outbound leg on these direct flights to Australia from the UK takes 16 hours and 45 minutes. The return leg takes an even heftier 17 hours and 15 minutes.

Clearly, that’s a long old time to be on a plane, particularly in the not especially generous economy seats. You might well decide that stopping over somewhere and stretching the legs is preferable.

5 great day trips from Perth – make your visit special

Rottnest Island ferry transfer – with bike hire and snorkelling gear. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Pinnacles desert – with koalas 🐨 and sandboarding.
Wave Rock day tour – with wildflowers & Aboriginal culture.
Margaret River wineries experience 🍷 – with tastings, caves & Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse.
Full day Swan Valley wine tour 🍷– with lunch.

Direct London to Perth flights: Fare prices

However, if you’d sooner get the whole flight over and done with, you’ll play a small premium for it. The direct London to Perth flight with Qantas costs a little more – we got £791 for a dummy-booked return ticket in May 2021. If not bothered about a direct Australia to UK flight, indirect Perth returns can often be found for around the £700 mark with other airlines.

The cheapest time of year for flights from the UK to Australia tends to be November.

Departure and arrival times in Perth are designed to accommodate connecting flights to and from other major Australian cities, but this won’t be necessary for too long. Qantas has set the goal of direct flights from London to Sydney – and has even done a test flight. It’s physically possible. The catch is how to do it in a way that gets enough passengers on board to be economically viable.

For now, though, the London to Perth route provides the only direct flights to Australia from the UK. If you’re looking to go elsewhere in Australia, it makes little difference whether your layover is in Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai or Perth. It’s possible to use Perth as a stopover destination, though, staying for a couple of days before catching a flight from Perth to Sydney or Melbourne.

✅ Find the best tours and experiences in Western Australia right here. ✅

Things to do in Perth

Should you be wanting a short layover, however, Perth arguably has more going for it. With a couple of days to explore, you can see quokkas or skydive on Rottnest Island, go wine-tasting in the Swan Valley and enjoy native flora in Kings Park. In the CBD, meeting spots include quirky London Court, modern Yagan Square and riverside Elizabeth Quay. From the latter, Little Ferry Company cruises head around kangaroo hangout Heirisson Island.

Alternatively, you can learn to surf at Scarborough Beach, or take a tour of the tunnels under Fremantle Prison. And, if you want the cute factor of holding a sleepy (not stoned!) koala, there’s always the Cohunu Wildlife Park.

Moving on, you can drive from Perth to Broome along the west coast. In the opposite direction, the drive from Perth to Margaret River, then back from Albany to Perth, makes for a nice week-long road trip. Alternatively, if daunted by the size of Western Australia, connect to a domestic flight. There are direct flights from Perth to Kalgoorlie. You can also fly from Perth to Geraldton.