Cheap Flights from London to Dakar | Seven Zones Travel
A cheap flight to Dakar is genuinely findable once you know which airlines actually cover this route there are more options than most people realize. I've helped a few people work through booking a trip to Dakar, and the biggest mistake is always the same: searching once, seeing a high fare, and giving up before comparing what's actually out there.
This one covers the essentials flight time, airlines, the airport, and a handful of things that help when you're trying to find cheap flights to Dakar rather than staring at the same three results.
Flight to Dakar: Route and Airline Basics
A flight from London to Dakar mostly runs as a connecting flight, though a direct flight does exist on certain days depending on the season and airline. Air France routes through Paris, Turkish Airlines connects via Istanbul, TAP Air Portugal goes through Lisbon, and Vueling occasionally shows up on connecting itineraries too. Royal Air Maroc, routing through Casablanca, and Air Senegal, the national carrier, round out the more common options.
Most flights depart from LON meaning London Heathrow or London Gatwick Airport, depending on the airline so it's worth checking both departure airports when comparing flight options. Booking directly with the airline sometimes beats a travel agent, but not always, so compare flight prices across a couple of sources before committing.
London to Dakar: Flight Time and What to Expect
Quick answer, since this gets searched constantly: a direct flight from London to Dakar takes around 6.5 to 7 hours where one is running. Flying from London to Dakar on a connecting flight instead usually adds several hours depending on the layover total travel time can stretch to 10 or 11 hours on some routings.
Dakar's airport is Blaise Diagne International Airport, code DKR you'll see DKR on your booking confirmation regardless of which airline you fly. Dakar Blaise Diagne sits roughly 45 minutes outside the city centre, a fair bit further out than some older African airports, so factor that into your arrival plans.
Airlines Flying from London to Dakar
Popular airlines on this route include Air France, Turkish Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, and Air Senegal, with Royal Air Maroc and Vueling appearing on certain connecting itineraries too. Airlines flying from London don't all run daily, so availability shifts depending on the day of the week and time of year, which affects fare more than people expect.
Cabin classes available vary by carrier most offer economy, premium economy, and business, so if you're chasing the cheapest flight, economy on a one-stop connection is usually your best starting point before comparing the pricier direct option.
Best Time to Fly to Dakar from London
The cheapest time to fly tends to sit two to three months ahead of departure that's roughly the time to book a flight if you want a fair fare without gambling on a late drop. The cheapest month for flights is typically outside major Senegalese beach holidays and outside the busier July and August travel window; Dakar in July, for instance, tends to see higher demand for flights and higher fares to match.
If your dates can move, the best time to fly shifts a fare noticeably. Someone with flexible plans and no fixed reason to visit Dakar in peak season will almost always find a better one-way flight or round-trip flight by shifting a week or two either direction.
How to Find Cheap Flights to Dakar from London
A few things that genuinely help when comparing deals to Dakar:
Compare flight prices across Air France, Turkish Airlines, and TAP Air Portugal directly instead of relying on a single aggregator. Fares between these routings can differ by a meaningful margin for the same travel dates.
Check a one-way flight separately sometimes. A return flight to Dakar isn't always cheaper booked as a single ticket pairing a one-way flight with a separate booking on a different airline occasionally wins on price.
Set a fare alert instead of manually searching for a flight every few days. That's usually how people catch cheap tickets before a fare disappears, especially with last-minute flight deals from London that don't last long.
Book flights from London a little ahead of departure where you can. International flights booked further out tend to average lower than late bookings, particularly around Senegalese holiday periods when demand climbs.
Add up the extras before assuming you've found the best price. Baggage allowances and connecting flights fees vary by airline, so the full fare not just the headline number is what actually matters when you compare flight options.
Blaise Diagne International Airport: Landing and Getting Around
Blaise Diagne International Airport is modern and relatively easy to navigate, though the distance from the city means budgeting extra time for the drive in, especially during rush hour. Airports near Dakar itself are limited Blaise Diagne handles all international traffic essentially now so there's little ambiguity about where you'll land.
If this is your first time visiting Dakar, the climate stays warm most of the year, with a hotter, more humid stretch through the summer months, so pack accordingly regardless of when you end up flying.
Final Thoughts
A cheap flight to Dakar mostly comes down to comparing your airline options and giving yourself a bit of lead time. Check Air France, Turkish Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, and Air Senegal before committing, keep an eye on fares a few months out, and don't assume the first flight ticket you see from London is the best one available. Whether it's business, a family visit, or your first trip to Senegal, a little legwork before you book a flight to Dakar tends to pay off.
