As many here have mentioned, it’s become a challenge to use American miles. We will be using them next week and land in Heathrow on the 26th at 6:55 am. We have to get to London City airport for the last leg of our flight to Milan at 10:25. Given the time of day, I am concerned about this connection.
Does anyone have experience with this route and connection schedule? What is your advice for the best/quickest option for this airport change.
You can find how to get from any place to any place in Metro London by:
https://tfl.gov.uk/
Let me just say it's not easy. There may be some road construction too.
3 and a half hours is extremely tight.
If you take the tube/DLR (Piccadilly line to Green Park; Jubilee line to Canning Town; DLR to London City Airport), it will take about 90 minutes. When you change it will be crazy busy which is not fun with luggage in tow. A car service will be more convenient, but I don’t think it will be any faster (it could very well be slower) and traffic is less predictable than the tube. I’ve flown out of LCY many times, but never in combination with a Heathrow flight. I wish you good luck. This transfer is not something I’d look forward too.
I’d check to see what alternatives might be available if your flight arrives late (e.g., are there any later flights to Milan out of LCY if you miss the 10:25 flight?) and note them down. It would be terrible to go all the way to LCY only to miss your flight and find out you have to head to a different airport.
I don't know the quickest route. I can only tell you our experience. We routinely fly into Heathrow and then go to the Docklands (just west of London City) to our daughter's flat. We plan on 2 1/2 hours(only once was it longer) getting through immigration, collecting baggage, getting the underground (we always have money on our oyster card so don't need to take time for that) to tube and eventually DLR. This is the slowest and cheapest way. We've never taken the Heathrow Express but I just read it gets to London Paddington in 15 minutes from a couple of the terminals. Do a search on it. I would definitely take the express into the city as you'll still have quite a ways to go to LCY . tfl.gov.uk will give you directions and timing from Paddington to LCY.
Good luck!
Laura,
There are several flights from both Heathrow and LCY, but AA states that it’s our responsibility to get from one airport to the other in time. I’m thinking if say, they land an hour late though that changes the game. We’re thinking of just skipping the leg from LCY and buying a ticket from Heathrow to Milan. It just feels like too tight of a connection.
The ticket you bought with miles is from where to where?
Is it one way only or part of a round trip/multi city booking?
Depending on what you booked, "ditching" the London Milan segment could have dire consequences for your return flight(s)
but AA states that it’s our responsibility to get from one airport to the other in time.
The minimum connection time between LHR and LCY is 3.5 hours. If AA issued you the ticket as a legal connection and your inbound flight is delayed, they should be responsible for getting you to your final destination. Before you buy a ticket from LHR, I’d go to their (BA’s? - Are you on AA metal or BA metal?) service desk to see what they can do for you.
https://www.britishairways.com/en-us/information/airport-information/flight-connections
I checked the tfl website. If you take the Heathrow Express it will take 1:05 and have three changes. If you take the tube, it will take 1:20 and two changes.
Those are absolute best times and don't factor in delays and rush hour. Plus, at the hour you arrive, it will be busy at immigration.
I would call the airline and explain your concerns.
Although other airlines do this airport shuffle (I'm thinking United often has a transfer EWR to JFK and sometimes DCA to IAD-- that's a bad one) it does seem that American likes to do this. As I've stated before here I've flown American using points and required to do an LGA to JFK transfer. After dire warnings on TripAdvisor about traffic on the Queens something Expressway, construction at LGA slowing things down, baggage claim at LGA "awful" and 4 hours being "really tight" it turned out that my arrival at LGA was 45 minutes early, baggage claim instantaneous, no line for a cab, no traffic, and actually was at the check in at JFK Terminal 8 before my flight was even scheduled to arrive at LGA.
Noting that there are 4 or 5 flights a day from LCY to Milan on the BA regional airline (CityLink or something) just go with your schedule and assume you will get another flight if things come up to delay you. If you don't already have an Oyster card consider borrowing one now to save time, or try to use a contactless card (probably debit) and skip getting an Oyster-- just pay the $5 foreign fee if there is one, it will only be charged once.
It can take up to 2 hours to get through Heathrow immigration, assuming your flight is on time. 45 minutes would be very quick. I would allow 100-120 minutes to get from Heathrow to City Airport, where check in times are short. Ideally, allow 45 minutes minimum.
It’s a tight connection, on a transport system that you aren’t familiar with and with jet lag. Risky. If you are booked on a through ticket, the risk is the airlines, not yours, so talk to them
After dire warnings on TripAdvisor about traffic on the Queens something Expressway, construction at LGA slowing things down, baggage claim at LGA "awful" and 4 hours being "really tight" it turned out that my arrival at LGA was 45 minutes early, baggage claim instantaneous, no line for a cab, no traffic, and actually was at the check in at JFK Terminal 8 before my flight was even scheduled to arrive at LGA.
LGW is always a speedier arrival process than LHR but I just don't like Gatwick much, at least from a departure point of view, arrival I couldn't care less but everything from layout, amenities, lounges, restaurants, etc are much better at Heathrow. All of my speediest attivals have been at Gatwick, straight through immigration, baggage already on carousel and taxi waiting (or car short distance away) so for an onward journey I would opt for Gatwick over Heathrow if the option was there but for me, my holiday begins with airport departure and I much prefer Heathrow for the start of my holidays.
I hope you’ve paid attention to the climate change protests that are going on. They have threatened to shut down Heathrow and have already shut down public transit. I have no idea if they will still be going on when you get there, but it’s something to keep in mind if you absolutely must change airports. The web site says the protests will be going on until April 29.
I know, I’m always Debbie Downer.
Thanks for the replies everyone. We will watch the news for protests interfering with transport. I think we will know once we land what the plan is. If we land late, then obviously we will just go to the BA counter. Otherwise we will make the transfer via public transport.
Oh the games AA plays to allow you to use the miles for a first class flight across the pond.
I think it's going to be pretty difficult to disrupt Heathrow or Gatwick. The local police have got wise to previous demonstration attempts and beefed up security and measures to prevent the repeat of previous demonstrations. Today was meant to be the day when Heathrow would be targetted but it's been nothing but a damp squib, even drones will not be any option anymore.
Unfortunately I can offer no assistance to your question regarding your transfer to LCY.
If you’re flying first or business class you should get a card on the flight to LHR. That card allows you to bypass the regular immigration line and use a priority line. Much shorter wait time. Probably 15 to 20 minutes vs. an hour or two in the regular line.
You have received lots of good advice here and identified your transportation options and back up options. The rest of it (delayed flights, potential protests etc) is out of your control. So I would suggest you relax enjoy the lie flat seat and get some sleep on the flight.
BTW., I find AA offers more options than say United. So it could be worse.
Hope it all goes smoothly.
Rocket, I completely forgot about that! YES!! We do get to go through the express line because of the first class ticket!! Thank you for reminding me. Also, we will only have carry on bags.
Yes, AA is definitely better than United; but I’m finding that I love Alaska the best. They have the most travel partner options.
Ok it was me that April was concerned about and it turned out to be a non issue. Upon arriving in Seattle (on my way to London), I talked to the gate agent and explained my situation. She spent a few minutes on the computer and rebooked me through Heathrow at no additional cost. All our worries regarding a mad dash across London were gone. I had an excellent flight to LHR with a few extra glasses of wine. The gate agent said same day changes were ok and considered at no cost. Not sure if I lucked out or what. Until our next trip....
I always use American Airlines Miles to fly to Europe. Many times when I look up a route it routes me through LHR. I never fly through Heathrow. On flights connecting through Heathrow there is a tariff that makes your once almost free flight about $300. I always look up flights on their companion airlines and see what flights they have. I will then call American and have them use my miles on the companion Airlines. Last time I flew from Barcelona. I flew Iberian to Madrid and then on to Chicago for about $30, instead of Barcelona to Heathrow to Chicago on British Airwaves with the high tariff.
