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13 hour layover at LHR

Posted by on

We are trying to get from Israel (TLV) to the states after a Rome to Israel cruise. The cheaper flights have an early morning flight out of TLV which means we would have to leave our hotel at 2-3 AM, making a hotel stay pretty useless.

So, we found a multicity flight that covers our flight to Europe and then also from TLV to LHR to CMH for $950 (a really good price) with a 13 hour nighttime layover in LHR.

Could we exit the airport, stay at a nearby LHR hotel overnight, and easily make it back to LHR within that time window? Our checked luggage would hopefully still be the responsibility of British Airways, and we would just take our carryons to the hotel. It also makes sense to break up the usual 19-22 hour flight to get back to the USA.

Are there errors in my thinking?

Posted by
585 posts

There are 3 hotels in the Airport - Sofitel at terminal 5, Hilton at terminal 4 and Aerotel at Terminal 3. There are also a number of Premier Inns close to the terminals which are great value for money and a short bus/shuttle ride from the terminals.

Posted by
6484 posts

I've stayed at the Sofitel next to Terminal 5, very convenient and not that expensive when booked well ahead. It seems likely that your long BA flights will use T5, but that's worth checking into. If not, a hotel at or near another terminal would make more sense. (There used to be a no-frills "Yotel" right inside one of the terminals, but I don't think it's there anymore. See what LHR's website tells you.)

The basic idea makes all kinds of sense with a 13-hour overnight layover. If you can check your main luggage all the way through to CMH (whatever that is) you can avoid baggage claim and baggage drop. When you check in at TLV, make sure you get boarding passes for each of your flights so you won't have to check in again the next morning at LHR. Just go through security with the passes and your carry-ons. Hope it works out for you.

Posted by
167 posts

Thanks for your replies. Now, if we can find a non-sketchy site to book this complicated flight.

Posted by
11126 posts

The Sofitel LHR is a wonderful hotel and has excellent dining options too. We have stayed there many times and will continue to do so.

Posted by
11140 posts

Now, if we can find a non-sketchy site to book this complicated flight

If an airline isn't selling it, that would be a clear message to me.

Posted by
14927 posts

Which airlines and why can't you book direct? If its a third party putting together an itinerary it may not be as good as you think.

And read carefully that all flights are at Heathrow.

Posted by
167 posts

It isn't that I can't book these flights. The flights that are a $950 have to be purchased through sites like Hop2 which have not great reviews. I noted that a lot of good reviews seem to be written by friends and relatives because they name specific agents. A red flag. We may just suck it up and pay a few hundred dollars more and book these through the airlines. I've been cautioned that these types of sites are troublesome if anything goes wrong- like delays and cancelations.

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