mwoodrowe

Can someone tell me how much transfer time i need? we are flying from edinburgh into terminal 1 and then have to leave from 3 on virign for the us. and the best way (walk, shuttle, etc)? thanks!

nytraveler

London Heathrow minimum transit time is 120 minutes - and based on my recent experience that's cutting it close - even with only carry-ons and trotting rather than walking through the interminable terminals.

You take a bus from one to another - there's no way to walk.

Make sure your flights are on one ticket and that your luggage is checked all the way through. If not - leave at least 3 hours between flights.

janisj

&quot;<i>there's no way to walk.</i>&quot;

Sure there is. T1, 2, and 3 are basically next door to each other around the central bus station. It takes about 10-15 mins to walk from T-1 to T-3. Whether you want to or not is a different matter.

flanneruk

Not only can you walk, but connecting from a domestic flight to T3, walking is generally the best way to connect anyway.

For most people the walk from an arriving bmi flight to the Virgin checkin desk takes about as long as walking to the bus stop, waiting for the bus and then worrying as it inches through the Heathrow landside traffic. But you're in control if you're walking.

They're currently changing the signing. But if they're not crystal-clear, simply follow the signs for the tube once you're off the plane, get into the underground walkway, then the signs for T3 departures from the tube station.There's an overground route, but it's a bit trickier

5-10 mins from the arrival gate to the walkway. 10 mins in the walkway. Be at the Virgin checkin desk, if bmi didn't give you a Virgin boarding pass, whatever time Virgin say.

Best, though, to have checked in online with Virgin before leaving home.

Odin

You don't need to work out transfer times. When you book your flight your departure point is EDI and the arrival point where-ever it is in the US, the minimum connecting time is automatically built in (assuming it is booked on Travelocity or Expedia type booking sites).

If for example the flight is EDI to NYC with BD &amp; VS, the system will offer the 0630/0800 BD flight with the VS flight at 0930, leaving an hour and a half for the connection. The other VS flights leave even later and they are mostly combined with the BD51 which is the 0630 flight.

The minimum connect time is 90 mins for domestic to international on VS.

mwoodrowe

thanks...i booked the tickets seperately so no way to check bagagge all the way through.

janisj

Yes you can - depending on who your first airline is. As long as it isn't BA or one of the budget airlines, they very likely will check your bags all the way through for you.

But if you have to collect your bags at T-1 and re-check them at T-3 you need about 2.5 to 3 hours between flights

alanbowen

Alas, in order to save money BMI will no longer check you through via LHR. This means when you arrive at T1 you will have to wait for your luggage to arrive, pick it up and carry it across to Virgin in T3 and get in the queue to check in.

BMI used to have a reputation for being on time, usually because the planes were only half full, 30 on a 150 seater plane on my early morning flight 10 days ago, but they have begun to cancel flights if there are insufficent passengers, it's happened to me twice in the last 4 weeks! I would not travel with only 90 minutes to transfer, T3 is a jungle early in the morning, although having said that, I still made a Miami flight with Virgin checking in only 50 minutes before departure, but that was before current security checks were in place.

Timlin

You can check the way to move through the terminals at this site. If you know in advance which direction you need to be moving it's often helpful

http://www.heathrow-airport-guide.co.uk/

It's probably too late, looking at the dates of the other posts but perhaps it will helps someone else.