How to Get to Southeast Asia Cheap in January 2026

(From Someone Who’s Done It 15 Times) As a fellow budget traveller, I get it. Saving money isn’t just about cutting pounds, it’s about saving the pennies too. Over the past five years, I’ve basically become a self proclaimed cheap flight connoisseur. In 2023, Samar and I took 15 separate flights over the course of four months, starting in the UK and passing through Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, Southeast Asia and finally Oceania. We spent £1,741.82 in total, which works out at £870.91 each. Yes, I still have the budget spreadsheets from 2023.

So trust me on this one. I know how to sniff out the best deals. Here are the best flights this month, from the UK to Southeast Asia in January 2026.

The Trade-Off: Time vs Money

Most people automatically take the quickest route possible. Fair enough. But when you’ve got months to play with, that mindset can cost you $$$$$.

You’ll almost always find me choosing flights with long layovers. Twenty four hours or more if possible. It’s a free mini trip. New cities, new people, new food, all before you even reach your final destination. That’s exactly the strategy behind the cheapest routes you’ll see below. That said, long and fun layovers aren’t for everyone...

Thailand

Flight Option 1: London Gatwick (LGW) to Bangkok (BKK) for £192
This flight is honestly me all over.

Leg 1: London - Istanbul

A 23h 5m layover in Istanbul. Perfect. You get a full day to explore the city without rushing. Plenty of time to eat well, walk the neighbourhoods, meet people, and actually enjoy the layover instead of staring at an airport gate.

Leg 2: Istanbul - Mumbai

A 10h 25m layover in Mumbai. Slightly tighter, but still very doable. The airport is roughly 45 minutes from the city by public transport, which gives you around six solid hours to get out, explore, and soak up the chaos. Mumbai is intense, loud, and full on, but even a few hours is enough to feel its energy.

Leg 3: Mumbai - Bangkok

The final leg is short. Just 4h 25m into Bangkok, landing around 21:00. If you’re staying in Sukhumvit, you’ll realistically be checked into your hotel by 22:30. Shower, street food, first Chang. Trip officially started.

Flight Option 2: London Heathrow (LHR) to Bangkok (BKK) for £247

One layover. Solid choice. China also is 144h visa-free for layovers, which makes this epic.

Leg 1: London - Haikou

This is a night flight, which is always a win. The 12h 5m journey should fly by, pun fully intended. You then get a massive 25h 10m layover in Haikou, which is genuinely perfect for a stopover.

Haikou sits in the south of China and is known for its colonial-era architecture, the famous clock tower, relaxed local culture, and its waterfront setting. It’s also cheap. Hotels are affordable, food is excellent, and it’s far less hectic than China’s bigger cities. Ideal for a slow, low-stress layover.

Leg 2: Haikou - Bangkok

The second leg departs at 17:00, giving you plenty of time to rest, explore, and get back to the airport without rushing. You land in Bangkok at 18:00. Not too late, not too early, pretty much perfect. Depending on how I’m feeling, this is another route I wouldn’t overlook at all.

Vietnam

Flight Option 1: London Gatwick (LGW) to Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) for £242
One layover, minimal fuss, and no hotel costs. Also worth remembering China’s 144-hour visa-free transit, which makes this kind of route a no-brainer if you plan it right.

Leg 1: London - Shanghai
This is my favourite of the two Vietnam options. You get a 15h 30m layover, spread across a full day, which means no hotel needed and no rushing.

Shanghai is one of China’s mega-cities, and even a single day here delivers experiences you simply don’t get elsewhere. It’s intense, modern, historic, and overwhelming in the best way. You’ll be tired by the end of it, but you won’t be disappointed. I still haven’t been to Shanghai myself, but if I were flying to Vietnam this month, I’d bet my bottom dollar this is the route I’d pick.

Leg 2: Shanghai - Ho Chi Minh City

Your second flight departs at 21:35, which is ideal. You’ll sleep for most, if not all, of this flight. The only downside is the arrival time into Ho Chi Minh City at 01:10. Not amazing, but manageable. If you’ve arranged transport in advance and know where you’re going, it’s really not a dealbreaker. Grab a taxi, check in, crash, and start fresh in the morning.

Flight Option 2: London Heathrow (LHR) to Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) for £272
This route is almost identical to Option 1, with one key difference. The layover is short, so you won’t be leaving the airport.

Leg 1: London - Shanghai
This is another night flight, which I generally prefer on long haul routes. You arrive into Shanghai at 16:10, which is a decent time.

The downside is the 5-hour layover. It’s not my idea of ideal. You’re not there long enough to explore, but long enough to feel it physically. Sitting in an airport waiting for time to pass does take a toll. That said, when the airline is solid and the price is right, sometimes it’s worth looking past that.

Leg 2: Shanghai - Ho Chi Minh City

Your second flight is identical to the second flight in option 1, again not a great arrival time into Ho Chi Minh City but as I said, if you're prepared, you'll have no issues.

Malaysia

Flight Option 1: London Standstead (STN) to Kuala Lumpur (KUL) for £228
One layover in Turkey, you ready to smoke Shisha and watch belly dancers?

Leg 1: London - Istanbul
You’ll be flying into a secondary airport, but don’t let that put you off. It’s around £3 by bus into the city, which is nothing. You’ll arrive late, so be ready to go straight out and enjoy the night while it’s still alive.

If I’m being honest, I’d have my backpack on and be out exploring from the moment I leave the airport, then crash once I’m ready to check in and hit the deck. Hotels are relatively cheap, and with an 18h 55m layover, you’ve got plenty of time to eat well, wander, and experience what Istanbul does best.

Leg 2: Instanbul - Kuala Lumpur

Your second flight departs at 17:20, which gives you almost a full day in the city. After a late night, you’ll probably be running on fumes, but that’s fine. You’ve got 10h 20m in the air to catch up on sleep.

You land in Kuala Lumpur at 08:40, re-energised and ready to see what the next city has to offer.

Alternative options: Kuala Lumpur - Thailand / Vietnam / Cambodia / Loas

Flying into a major hub like Kuala Lumpur usually means one thing. Cheap onward flights across Asia. This route works as a solid alternative to the options above, and you can often continue to Thailand or Vietnam for the same price, or even less.

Kuala Lumpur is extremely well connected, but there’s one thing to keep in mind. The train into the city takes around 45 minutes, and the express option can be pricey if you’re watching every penny. That said, Kuala Lumpur is unique in its own way. It’s chaotic, modern, cultural, and honestly, a little bit magical.

What Are You Waiting For?

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re already hovering over the “book” button. So just do it.

Hopefully the routes above stop you from dropping £400–£550 on top tier airlines just to arrive in good time. When you’re going travelling, you’re not going for speed. You’re going for experiences. Paying top dollar to fly straight over countries you could stop in, explore, meet people, and save money in the process is kind of the opposite of that.

If you want to reach out, feel free to drop me a message on Instagram or TikTok, or send me an email

Happy travels!