Flying BA - is it worth the trip to LGW?

[ERICSMUM]

Originally Posted by squishy

Watching with interest on prices and glitch threads - BA sale is coming up, but I really don’t want to fly from Gatwick ...

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I look on the BA website every day, hoping to see a sale !

You sound pretty certain that there will be one shortly - can I be nosey and ask how you know, how certain and when will it start ?

Thanks

[lizzie145]

Originally Posted by squishy

Thanks everyone!

I’m the only driver, too, so can’t share the journey back...but the train involves one change at Brum, crossing London and then getting the Gatwick express, but it may be doable!

I’ll start to document alternatives and factor in the cost of train plus hotel or diesel, parking plus hotel!

Exciting!

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Sometimes you may be able to get a train into reading rather than London. You can then get to Gatwick from there

[THOR1]

As someone who flys from Scotland, I have never seen the point in flying to England to change flights to then fly to the US.

By the time that is done, I am either halfway across the Atlantic or getting up at a much more sensible hour than the one I need to to get the flight down to England.

We clear customs at Newark and then get off the plane in Orlando as a domestic passenger, pick up the bags and walk straight out the airport.

More importantly, we land back from the US at our home airport and neither have to wait hours for a connecting flight or have the worry of missing one.

We also don't face the drive of death back from Manchester.

I think we are paying a maximum of £100pp more to do this than to fly to England and for us, it is money extremely well spent as we also don't need an overnight airport hotel staying less than an hour from Edinburgh.

I also much prefer the US flights to either BA or Virgin with better IFE and more regular free drinks.

We don't drink alcohol on the flights as I drive at either end and DW doesn't enjoy drinking on flights but if we did that would make it even more worthwhile.

I would encourage everyone to give it a try, we did once pretty sceptically and all other things being equal would never go back to travel via England in preference.

Indeed we happily pay a premium to do it that way.

[ely3857]

We prefer LGW to our nearest international airport which is MAN. It often works out cheaper as well even after getting to the airport costs/hotel night before have been accounted for.

Last year we caught the train, well three actually but we went from our local train station which is just five mins drive away (DH dropped us and luggage off then drove the car home and walked back to meet us). Changed at Leeds without leaving the station and then at Stevenage which was literally the same platform just opposite side. We had open return tickets so coming home opted for the route the suited which was LGW to KingsX then Leeds back to our local station. Sounds hectic but other than the Leeds to Stevenage train having no air con or seats (!) the other five trains were spot on and it was far easier than driving which we also have done.

We’re 2a2c and had two main cases, two cabin cases and two backpacks. All fine.

[lizzie145]

Originally Posted by THOR1

As someone who flys from Scotland, I have never seen the point in flying to England to change flights to then fly to the US.

By the time that is done, I am either halfway across the Atlantic or getting up at a much more sensible hour than the one I need to to get the flight down to England.


More importantly, we land back from the US at our home airport and neither have to wait hours for a connecting flight or have the worry of missing one.

We also don't face the drive of death back from Manchester.

I think we are paying a maximum of £100pp more to do this than to fly to England and for us, it is money extremely well spent as we also don't need an overnight airport hotel staying less than an hour from Edinburgh.

Indeed we happily pay a premium to do it that way.

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i think it depends on the possible saving - if you can save £200 pp person even after the hotel etc and you have a family of 4 that is a big saving vs a little more travel

[LLamb]

Originally Posted by lizzie145

i think it depends on the possible saving - if you can save £200 pp person even after the hotel etc and you have a family of 4 that is a big saving vs a little more travel

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Yep, 3a2c here flights for next year from lgw have cost us £300pp.
Flights from Manchester would be at least £500pp (May half term)
So for us £1k is totally worth it

[duchy]

Originally Posted by ERICSMUM

I look on the BA website every day, hoping to see a sale !

You sound pretty certain that there will be one shortly - can I be nosey and ask how you know, how certain and when will it start ?

Thanks

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Historically there's usually one in September

[Chris7cc]

Originally Posted by Bee happy

We live in South Wales and travel to Gatwick, it's a horrible long drive we tried Manchester one year and that was worse. We always spend night before in a guest house,the drive home is awful but we haven't got much choice.

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I am not sure it would work for you but you could get the train and change at Reading and Redhill, if you book far enough in advance it is £83pp return from Cardiff

[Leia Organa]

Originally Posted by THOR1

As someone who flys from Scotland, I have never seen the point in flying to England to change flights to then fly to the US.

By the time that is done, I am either halfway across the Atlantic or getting up at a much more sensible hour than the one I need to to get the flight down to England.

We clear customs at Newark and then get off the plane in Orlando as a domestic passenger, pick up the bags and walk straight out the airport.

More importantly, we land back from the US at our home airport and neither have to wait hours for a connecting flight or have the worry of missing one.

We also don't face the drive of death back from Manchester.

I think we are paying a maximum of £100pp more to do this than to fly to England and for us, it is money extremely well spent as we also don't need an overnight airport hotel staying less than an hour from Edinburgh.

I also much prefer the US flights to either BA or Virgin with better IFE and more regular free drinks.

I would encourage everyone to give it a try, we did once pretty sceptically and all other things being equal would never go back to travel via England in preference.

Indeed we happily pay a premium to do it that way.

See more...

This is the first year I've not booked a package with a direct flight from Glasgow. Is it United Airlines you use? When do the prices drop - at the moment they are much more expensive than a direct flight?

Thanks

[gingertompkins]

We have done Gatwick twice. It’s a 6 hour drive from us. So you have to factor that in for your return journey. We saved £600 for 4 people last tome, even with fuel and an overnight stay pre flight - which we do anyway flying from Manchester which is only a 1hour 45 away. So it was a no brainer.