Changing airports in London

[Floridatilly]

Direct from Manchester prices don’t seem to be dropping for our dates.
Best price for indirect is with British Airways, flying from Manchester to London then to MCO.
It says there is a change in airport in London. How difficult or easy is this?
Do you need a certain time lapse in between the connecting flights ?
We don’t know London at all, never been to the airports there so we have no idea.
I assume once the suitcases are checked in at Manchester the airline deals with luggage?
We just need to get ourselves and our hand luggage on the next flight?

Once we land at one London airport, how do we get to the other?
Thanks

[disney332]

It would appear Heathrow and Gatwick are the airports.

Issue is, Gatwick is not in London its in West Sussex, about 45 mins to an hr round the M25.

Assuming no problems, i would want at least 3/4 hours, but if there are road problems then considerably longer.

Disney332

[Mary A]

You would need to transport your luggage between airports yourself.

For me, I would take the first flight (man to LHR I presume), transfer to Gatwick (I use Blackberry cars for Euston to LHR transfers and always had good service), stay in hotel at Gatwick overnight then take international flight the following day.

M25 can, I understand, be unpredictable.

[stanleycamel]

The recommended minimum connecting time between Heathrow and Gatwick is 3 hours but personally I prefer more as getting around the M25 can be very unpredictable.

BA will not transfer your bags from LHR to LGW you have to pick them up on arrival at LHR and re-check in at LGW.

You can use National Express Coach between the two airports at your own cost or use a transfer company such as "ba transfers" (not related to British Airways at all) or other companies.

Personally I prefer to travel to LHR the day before and stay overnight at a hotel at Gatwick - there are plenty of hotels for all budgets.

[BevS97]

We have done this on the return but on the way out I would only do it with an overnight stay.

The other option is indirect from Heathrow. Which means 3 flights but no m25 Transfer. We decided we preferred that option. And flew Newcastle heathrow jfk Orlando.

[Floridatilly]

I think that would be too much hassle to be honest. I wondered if the airports offered some kind of shuttle between the two lol
Thanks for your advice I am glad we didn’t book it 👍🏻

[pluto99]

tbh its very tiring man-heathrow-gatwick-orlando then vice versa we went for the 5 hour between flights and by the time we was boarding at gatwick we was all fed up this summer trying man-heathrow-miami, i know we have to change terminals am guessing with bags butcant be as bad as going from heathrow-gatwick sat in a car for an hour

[stanleycamel]

Originally Posted by pluto99

tbh its very tiring man-heathrow-gatwick-orlando then vice versa we went for the 5 hour between flights and by the time we was boarding at gatwick we was all fed up this summer trying man-heathrow-miami, i know we have to change terminals am guessing with bags butcant be as bad as going from heathrow-gatwick sat in a car for an hour

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If you are travelling MAN-LHR-MIA on one ticket on the same day then the bags are through checked and the same on the way home. You just need to use the flight connections bus transfer between the terminals - you will need to reclear security in both directions.

[ERICSMUM]

Originally Posted by Floridatilly

I think that would be too much hassle to be honest. I wondered if the airports offered some kind of shuttle between the two lol
Thanks for your advice I am glad we didn’t book it 👍🏻

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For what it’s worth I think you’ve made the right decision. If you aren’t familiar with either airport nor the M25 I think you might find the whole process of getting from A to B quite stressful. Especially with all your luggage.

I worked in London and used both those airports for nearly 40 years but I wouldn’t want to do the journey from LHR to LGW unless absolutely necessary, and then I’d stay overnight at an airport hotel,

[pluto99]

Originally Posted by stanleycamel

If you are travelling MAN-LHR-MIA on one ticket on the same day then the bags are through checked and the same on the way home. You just need to use the flight connections bus transfer between the terminals - you will need to reclear security in both directions.

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nice one thought we would have to collect em and re check em in thanks