last edited Apr 11, 2026
Flying to Great Britain
General Information
As one might expect, Great Britain is extremely well served by air travel. It is even one of the countries with the densest and most connected air traffic in the world, particularly through its "hubs" like London-Heathrow, London-Gatwick, Manchester, and Edinburgh.
In 2025, the British aviation sector once again broke records, with over 300 million passengers passing through its airports for all types of flights operated by both regular and low-cost airlines.
Local Airlines
Although the number was higher in the past, Great Britain is home to around twenty airlines, the foremost being the national carrier, British Airways, with its London bases (Heathrow and Gatwick), a network of approximately 250 destinations worldwide, and 40 million passengers carried in 2025.
While BA is a staple of the aviation industry, it is not the only major player. Others include easyJet, a dominant presence in European skies, Virgin Atlantic, specializing in long-haul flights, and the low-cost airline Jet2.com, among the key players.
By Region
Each British region has its own air travel entry points. For travelers from France, this means numerous direct flight options, whether departing from Paris or most major provincial cities. Here’s a breakdown:
- Flying to England: to/from various London airports as well as other cities, with a wide selection including Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Liverpool, Manchester, and Sheffield.
- Flying to Scotland: to/from major airports in Glasgow or Edinburgh.
- Flying to the Channel Islands: to/from Guernsey and especially Jersey.
- Flying to Northern Ireland: to/from Belfast Airport.
- Flying to Wales: to/from Cardiff.