Marycang

We are flying AA FF miles on BA, Pisa to Gatwick arriving 1:15pm, leaving from LHR the next day at 7:55 am to O’Hare. 2 questions, will our checked luggage need to picked up at LGH or will it be taken to LHR by the airlines, and what is the best way for us to transfer LGH to LHR.

Gardyloo

No, your bags will be your responsibility; you'll need to collect them and transfer them yourselves.

There are frequent buses that run from LGW to LHR - http://www.nationalexpress.com/airporttransfers.aspx. Costs around £20 per person, and takes around an hour and a half, depending on traffic.

Or of course you could go into central London for the night, but you'd have to be away at an obscene hour the next morning. Personally, I'd book a Priceline hotel at LHR (usually under $100 for a 4-star place like the Sheraton Skyline or Marriott) and do the bus transfer thing. If you want to then go into central London for the evening, you can take the tube or the HEX.

Note the transfer bus does not serve the airport hotels at Heathrow. To get from the airport to the nearby hotels there are some free local buses (you need to know where you're going, and they can be a bit difficult if you have a lot of luggage) or else use the dreadful Hotel Hoppa Bus, for another £5 per person each way. None of the hotels are allowed to have shuttles.

AAFrequentFlyer

You need to take care of any and all luggage. The airlines don't do that anymore.

Best way to transfer? Hard to say.

How many is "we"?

Marycang

Thanks for your replies. There 2 of us

AAFrequentFlyer

Then the www.nationalexpress.com may be your cheapest option but also look into www.justairports.com or similar private car options. It may be little more expensive but may be worth it as you would get dropped off at the hotel, not the airport.

AAFrequentFlyer

If you decide to overnight in central London, then take the Southern train from Gatwick to London. It is cheaper than Gatwick Express and only about 5 minutes longer ride.

In the morning you can take the subway to the Heathrow or hire a private car service or take the Heathrow Express.

janisj

What I'd do in your case is take the train into central London (either the Gatwick Express to Victoria - faster but more expensive, or one of the other trains to Victoria, London Bridge or St Pancras stations).

Leave your bags in Left Luggage at the station and spend several hours exploring London. Then after dinner, collect you bags and head out to Heathrow by tube, and stay the night in a LHR hotel. You could have 6 or 7 hours free in London but still sleep close to LHR for your early flight out.

If you were to head straight from LGW to LHR - you won't get to your hotel until about 5 PM or later and you'd be sort of stuck - too hectic to turn around and go into London, and too late to visit Windsor.

So if you have any interest in seeing London, you can do both - see a bit and sleep in a bit. Priceline is brilliant for LHR hotels. I'm staying at the Sheraton Skyline next month for $50.

P_M

I had a similar flight schedule a few years ago, coming into LGW and leaving on the 7:55am to ORD. I debated whether to stay at LHR or have a night in London. In the end I couldn't resist the latter. However I did not think of the Left Luggage idea presented by janis so I might do that next time.

I did get my London hotel room on Priceline. It was the 4* Thistle Marble Arch for $72, tax and fees included. I also recommend Priceline regardless of where you stay.

yk

Just so you know, the Heathrow airport hotels are serviced by the Hoppa Bus, which charges 4 GPB per person per ride. There is no free hotel shuttles at Heathrow. OTOH, some of the airport hotels are also served by the free local bus in addition to the Hoppa. Here's a website that lists the hotels:
http://www.londontoolkit.com/lhr/hotel_hoppa_bus.htm