Peak season:
The peak seasons differ slightly depending on where exactly in Peru you are flying into, for example the coast, which includes Lima, is best to visit during the summer months of December to March. May to September is better however if you’re hoping to visit Cuzco, the Inca Trail, Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley as the weather is drier. Jungle Treks are much more enjoyable from May to September. February/March sees the great Carnaval, which is normally held a few days before Lent, and sees the country celebrate with music, dancing and colourful parties. The week before Easter sees the Semana Santa festival which is one of Peru’s best religious events. During any of these events or peak seasons you’ll need to make sure you secure your flight tickets in advance to have a chance of finding cheap flights to Peru.
Off season:
There isn’t much of an off season in Peru as peak months for one area of the country will see an influx of tourists in another. Your best bet is to decide on where in Peru you want to visit and then find cheap flights to Peru accordingly by planning ahead and figuring what events are on and what the climate is like.
October to February typically has the cheapest flights to Peru, with the exception of certain events which will increase the price of flight tickets. You’ll want to make sure your flight tickets are secured at least 4 or 5 months in advance, or if you can book even earlier. If you can be flexible with your dates and location then you’ll easily find the cheapest flights to Peru with little difficulty, however you might need to be lenient with certain weather conditions. If you’re flying into Cuzco, especially if you are flying from Lima to Cuzco if you are exploring different parts of the country, then aim to sit on the left hand side of the plane for absolutely stunning views.
Flights from London to Lima, Peru: 12 hours 35 minutes.
Flights from Manchester to Lima, Peru: 15 hours 55 minutes.
Flights from Birmingham to Lima, Peru: 16 hours 00 minutes.
Flights from Glasgow to Lima, Peru: 15 hours 05 minutes.
British Airways is one of the only airlines that provides direct flights to Peru, and usually only from London. That said there are a few different airlines you can also consider if you don’t mind the connecting flight in-between. KLM, Air Europa, American Airlines and Air France all offer flights to Peru, although the price of flight tickets does vary quite a lot between them all. British Airways offer free food and drinks for the duration of the flight, and you can also join an executive program which allows you to collect ‘Avios’ points which you can then redeem off of future flight tickets. Once you’ve narrowed down your dates you can decide which airlines works best in your favour and go from there.
Lima:
The major airport in Peru is the Jorge Chavez International airport in Lima. It’s only around 11km away from the centre so finding your way isn’t too problematic; however your options are slightly limited. The easiest way is to find a taxi booking desk in the arrival area. Make sure you agree on the fare before you begin the journey, and make sure you have agreed to currency in PEN as some taxi drivers like to scam passengers and confuse them into thinking the amount was in dollars instead. Failing that you can get a bus, however they do not enter the airport grounds and instead you can find them around a 15 minute walk away from the airport. The fare for the bus is incredibly cheap, working out at around £0.16 a journey, however if you’re not keen on taking public transport your best bet is a taxi.