Tokyo to London - a 12-hour ultra-long-haul dominated by BA, ANA, and JAL with polar.
Three carriers compete on Tokyo-London nonstops, each from a different base. BA operates from Heathrow with departures from both Haneda and Narita. ANA runs Haneda-Heathrow nonstops using its Star Alliance joint venture with United. JAL covers Haneda-Heathrow under its oneworld partnership with BA. The routing is polar - flights pass over Siberia or near the North Pole, making westbound journeys roughly 30 minutes longer than eastbound.
February and November are the pricing sweet spots. February sits between New Year holiday cleanup and cherry blossom anticipation, while November falls between autumn foliage demand and Christmas build-up. Summer (July-August) is the most expensive period, with Obon week in mid-August adding a domestic demand spike that inflates outbound fares across all long-haul routes from Tokyo. Tokyo - London spans about 9,560 km, so itinerary structure can change total travel time.
Haneda departures are strongly preferred by Tokyo residents because of the 13-minute connection to Shinagawa. Narita adds an hour-plus of ground transport but occasionally produces lower fares on BA. For connections beyond London, BA's Heathrow hub feeds dozens of European cities, making same-terminal transfers straightforward.
Westbound nonstops run approximately 12 to 12.5 hours via polar routing. Eastbound returns are slightly shorter (11-11.5 hours) due to jet stream patterns. One-stop options via Middle Eastern hubs add 6-10 hours but can be significantly cheaper.
Haneda is far more convenient for central Tokyo residents (13 minutes to Shinagawa). Narita sometimes has lower fares. BA operates from both; ANA and JAL fly Haneda only. If convenience is your priority, target Haneda departures.
February and November consistently offer the lowest fares. Avoid Golden Week (late April-May), Obon (mid-August), and Christmas-New Year - these three periods produce the year's highest prices on this city pair.
