Cheap flights to Leeds

Quick summary

Why track Leeds with SniperAir

You don't need to compare prices every day

Airport and getting into town

An airport about 16 km out, linked to the centre by bus

Distances and times are approximate, based on Wikivoyage (EN) and Wikipedia (FR, EN, DE); timetables change, so check them before you travel. We give no fares.

Leeds is the largest city in West Yorkshire and one of the biggest in the United Kingdom, with more than 750,000 people. It is a major rail hub: trains run to London King's Cross about twice an hour in 2 hours 15 minutes, to York in half an hour, and to Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle and Hull. The city, once a powerhouse of wool and textiles, is now a financial and commercial centre with two large universities.

Landmarks and sights

Victorian arcades, a river and a ruined abbey

Central Leeds is best explored on foot, from Briggate and its arcades to the River Aire, then by bus to Kirkstall Abbey. Three places are illustrated; others are described in text only.

The city centre from above

Leeds's glass towers and red-brick buildings stand out against the Yorkshire hills. The historic core is organised around Briggate, Kirkgate and The Calls, names that come from Old Norse. The city received its charter as a city in 1893, and its late-19th-century boom left grand Victorian buildings.

The River Aire and its bridges

The River Aire runs through the centre, with its quays, cast-iron bridges, weirs and former warehouses turned into offices, bars and restaurants. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal, opened in 1816, and the Granary Wharf district near the station are good walking spots, and a river shuttle links the wharves with Leeds Dock per Wikivoyage (EN).

Kirkstall Abbey

West of the centre, the ruins of the Cistercian Kirkstall Abbey, dating from the 12th century, count among the finest medieval abbeys in northern England. They stand in a park, and the Abbey House Museum, in the former gatehouse, presents Victorian life and the world's earliest known moving pictures.

Arcades, Town Hall and parks, in text

The Victorian arcades off Briggate, including the Victoria Quarter and County Arcade, with their elegant glass roofs and mosaics, are among the finest in the country. The Corn Exchange, a domed grain market restored in the 1980s, now houses boutiques. The Town Hall on The Headrow and Millennium Square form the civic quarter. Roundhay Park, about 280 hectares to the north, has tropical glasshouses; Temple Newsam, a Tudor-style mansion, can be visited to the east.

Museums and culture

Arms, fine art and the first moving pictures

Royal Armouries

Opened in 1996 at Leeds Dock, the museum displays arms and armour from collections originally held at the Tower of London, in a modern waterside building. The Dock district has changed a great deal since the 1990s, with cafés, restaurants and apartments. We give no ticket prices.

Leeds Art Gallery and the Henry Moore Institute

Leeds Art Gallery, on The Headrow, has the best collection of 20th-century British art outside London, per Wikivoyage (EN). The neighbouring Henry Moore Institute, devoted to sculpture, and the central library with its Victorian interior complete the picture. Several of these are free according to that source: check before you go.

Roundhay Garden Scene and the city's museums

Leeds City Museum and the Abbey House Museum present local history; the latter recalls Louis Le Prince and his Roundhay Garden Scene, filmed in 1888 in Leeds and regarded as the oldest surviving film. The City Varieties theatre on Swan Street, a former music hall, still stages shows.

Food and drink

Yorkshire curries, covered markets and historic pubs

The dishes

In Yorkshire, Sunday means a roast with Yorkshire pudding, a puffed batter served with the meat and gravy. Leeds also has many curry restaurants because of a large South Asian population, per Wikivoyage (EN).

Markets and districts

The arcades off Briggate hold cafés and small shops; Kirkgate Market, the city's big covered market, sells fresh produce and hot food. The Corn Exchange area and Call Lane bring together chic bars and restaurants. A food and drink festival is held every year at the end of August.

Pubs and nightlife

The centre has over 180 bars and pubs, per Wikivoyage (EN), including centuries-old pubs tucked into the yards off Briggate, such as Whitelocks, more than 300 years old. The two universities keep nightlife lively, especially at weekends.

Getting around

A pedestrian-friendly centre, frequent buses and big trains

On foot

The centre is fairly compact, and more streets are being pedestrianised: the arcades, the river and most sights are within walking distance. Free maps are available at the tourist office.

Buses and trains

Most major bus routes run roughly every ten minutes; Metro, the West Yorkshire transport authority, provides local bus and train timetables. The train is the best option for excursions: Harrogate, York, Saltaire and Skipton are easy to reach.

Day trips

York, a walled city half an hour away by train, Harrogate, an elegant spa town, Saltaire, an industrial village listed by UNESCO, and the Yorkshire Dales make good extensions. For the national parks a car is often useful.

Budget and precautions

British price levels, affordable nights out

Price level

Leeds sits around the British average: lodging of every category, plenty of affordable places thanks to the student population, but higher rates during big events. The currency is the pound sterling (GBP). We give no figures, as we could not cross-check them on two independent open sources.

Flying

The flight is the most variable item. SniperAir tracks fares to LBA and compares them with the route's history, but it does not sell or book tickets. Manchester (MAN), about 1 hour 30 by train, is another gateway worth comparing.

Entry and precautions

The United Kingdom is outside the Schengen area: entry requirements, including any electronic travel authorisation, depend on your nationality, so check the official sites. Leeds has a friendly reputation, but at night take care in the poorly lit areas named by Wikivoyage (EN), such as Chapeltown, Holbeck or Mabgate.

When to go

A temperate oceanic climate, fairly dry for the country

Lying east of the Pennines, Leeds has an oceanic climate, fairly dry for a large UK city per Wikivoyage (EN), with rare extremes. We give no precise temperatures, as we could not cross-check them; check the forecast before you go. From May to September is the most pleasant period, although rain can fall at any time of year.

By length of stay

What to do in Leeds depending on how long you stay

In pictures

Leeds in pictures

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions about flights to Leeds