EasyJet's announcement of a new, low-cost route from London Luton Airport to Tbilisi in the spring of 2025 was followed shortly after by a counter-move from British Airways, offering twice as many flights from London Heathrow to the Georgian capital.
The new routes from Heathrow and Luton will reduce the average flight duration from eight hours to five.
Tbilisi is becoming an increasingly popular holiday spot thanks to its diverse range of cultures and mouthwatering cuisine.
However, the fact there aren't currently any direct services from London, which means flight times of more than eight hours, turns off some would-be British tourists.
If you are hoping to visit Tbilisi next year, be aware there are off-limits areas in Georgia. The Foreign Office advises against visiting the breakaway territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which are essentially ruled by Russia.
The FCDO also warns: “Ethnic minorities and LGBT+ people may face discrimination. Harassment and assault based on race and sexuality do take place.”
How can you currently fly to Georgia?
Georgia’s capital Tbilisi is not served by direct flights from London.
However, there are popular non-direct routes, which include London Stansted Airport to Kutaisi Airport, which serves Kutaisi, Georgia’s third city, London Gatwick Airport to Kutaisi Airport, and London Luton Airport to Tbilisi International Airport.
British Airways option
British Airways will start flying between Heathrow and Tbilisi on March 30, 2025.
The airline will be offering flights on Tuesdays, Saturdays as well as Sundays and Thursdays.
It will be using the Airbus A320 aircraft, offering business class on the five-hour-plus overnight trip.
British Airways' return tickets from London Heathrow start at £275, including additional surcharges for baggage and seats. Additional discounts are offered on holiday packages.
British Airways previously offered flights to Georgia before but stopped more than a decade ago.
Neil Chernoff, British Airways’ chief planning and strategy officer, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Tbilisi back into our route network, after our last scheduled service in 2013.
“We expect this to be a popular route with the leisure market, which has seen a strong comeback since 2019, as well as with those looking to enjoy direct flights to visit friends and family.”
EasyJet option
EasyJet will start flying from London’s Luton Airport to Tbilisi from April 1, 2025 with flights offered on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
As of writing, a single ticket starts from £95, which includes additional fees for baggage and seats.
EasyJet will also be using the Airbus A320 aircraft for this route and the flight will take about five hours.
This will be the first time EasyJet will have offered flights to the Georgian capital.
