UK ETA for Australians, and flying Adelaide to London

UK ETA: the key facts (checked 20 October 2026)

Question	Answer
Do Australians need one?	Yes, for visits, tourism and short business trips without a visa. GOV.UK lists Australia among the countries whose citizens usually need an ETA rather than a visa
Since when?	Required for travel from 8 January 2025. Fully enforced from 25 February 2026, when airlines began refusing boarding without one
Cost	£20 per person on the official service
How to apply	The UK ETA app, or online at gov.uk/eta/apply. You need your passport, an email address, a payment card (or Apple Pay or Google Pay) and a photo of your face
How long it takes	Usually a decision within a day, often within minutes in the app. It can take up to 3 working days
How long it lasts	Two years, or until the passport you applied with expires, whichever comes first. Multiple trips of up to six months each
Children	Each traveller needs their own ETA, including babies and children. You can apply for other people, such as family members
Transit	You need one if you pass through UK border control. Passengers connecting at Heathrow or Manchester without going through passport control don't currently need one

An ETA lets you travel to the UK but doesn't guarantee entry. Border Force still checks you on arrival.

How to apply, step by step

1. Download the official UK ETA app, or go to gov.uk/eta.
2. Scan or enter the passport you will travel on. If you renew your passport, you'll need a new ETA.
3. Take or upload a photo of your face, answer the suitability questions and pay £20.
4. Wait for the email. Check your spam folder if it hasn't arrived after 3 working days.

Watch out for copycat websites. GOV.UK warns that other websites may charge more and imitate government services. The only official routes are GOV.UK and the UK ETA app.

Who doesn't need a UK ETA?

• British and Irish citizens, including dual Australian–British citizens. GOV.UK says dual British citizens should travel on a valid British passport or a certificate of entitlement.
• People who already hold a UK visa or other permission, such as a work or student visa, or settled status.
• Travellers on other passports may need a visa instead. For example, Indian passport holders visiting family in the UK need a UK visa, not an ETA. Use GOV.UK's "Check if you need a UK visa" tool.

Flying from Adelaide to London

There are no non-stop flights from Adelaide to London. All the practical options are one stop on a single ticket, through Asia or the Gulf.

Hub	Airline from Adelaide	Frequency from Adelaide (late 2026)	Good to know
Doha	Qatar Airways	Daily	A long first leg, then about seven hours to London. Doha stopover packages are available
Dubai	Emirates	Daily, on an A350	Several onward flights a day from Dubai to London airports
Singapore	Singapore Airlines	10 a week, rising to 12 a week in the summer season	Breaks the trip into two long legs, with an easy Changi connection
Kuala Lumpur	Malaysia Airlines	Daily	Connects at KLIA Terminal 1 to London Heathrow
Hong Kong	Cathay Pacific	Seasonal: 3 a week from 10 November 2026, up to 5 a week December–February, until 27 March 2027	A good option in the southern summer

Journey times are roughly a full day door to door, depending on the connection. If you'd rather not do it in one go, our stopovers guide compares the hubs for a night or two on the way.

See Adelaide to London flights for routes and the best months to fly. If London is part of a bigger trip, we also book Adelaide to Paris, Adelaide to Rome and open-jaw tickets (into London, home from another European city).

Our tip on timing

Apply for the ETA as soon as your flights are booked, not the night before. Most applications are approved quickly, but if yours is referred for checks, three working days can disappear fast, especially over a weekend. Make sure the passport you apply with is the one you'll travel on.

Talk to a real person about flights to London

Fares and schedules change every day, so we don't publish prices on this page. For live fares, call or WhatsApp the Travel Care team on 0421 882 733. We're a family-run agency at 222 Henley Beach Road, Torrensville, booking flights since 2010, and we speak English, Hindi and Punjabi. Seen a cheaper fare somewhere else? Send us the screenshot and we'll see what we can do.

Last checked: 20 October 2026 by the Travel Care team.