christieCA

I know this has been asked many times, but my searches aren't coming up with anything.

We fly into Gatwick from Italy at 9:00 AM. We fly from Heathrow to LAX at 4:15. I figure this means that we should be at LHR at 1:15. If we go straight from Gatwick to LHR, we would get there by 11:00. We could check our luggage in and then wouldn't have to be back quite as early, but does that give us time to go anywhere? We're flying out of Terminal 2 and it is a Friday.

Thanks!

Sarvowinner

You could go to a museum (V&A or British) and check your luggage en route between the two airports.

Gardyloo

I think your idea of getting to LHR by 11 needs a wee reality check. Coming from Italy, you will need to clear passport control and claim your bags, go through customs, then face the transfer yoga to LHR. Assuming your plane's on time (and that's an heroic assumption) and that it's a Friday, I don't think the M25 will be that forgiving. I'd plan on 12 - 1 to arrive at LHR, where you'll go through security and bag check lines all over.

I wouldn't plan on having much time for anything except maybe a bit of shopping at Heathrow, and maybe a well-deserved beer or four.

Robespierre

I think going out to LHR and back to London would use up more of your precious few hours than taking the train into town and then train to LHR.

If your plane arrives at Gatwick on time, you'll probably be able to get to London by 11:00, hire a cab for a quick guided tour, and still get to LHR by 13:15.

The Gatwick Express will get you to Victoria Station in a half-hour. Tell the cabbie you'd like to go to Paddington Station via Westminster, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, and anything else s/he thinks you have time for, such as Covent Garden and Oxford Street. Make sure the driver understands your time constraints, and can get you to Paddington by 12:45. The Heathrow Express will whisk you from there to the airport in about 15 minutes.

christieCA

Thanks. I don't know why I was thinking 11. I got it in my head somehow, but you are right, that probably won't happen!

flanneruk

There is an alternative, especially if you've got your onward boarding passes, or checked in online, already.

If you've checked in online, BA require you to be at the fast bag drop in the terminal 45 mins before departure for flights to the US - so, allowing time to find the desk (there never seems to be a queue when I'm around), that gives you to 1515, unless you're on one of those Luddite airlines that gets all neurotic about online checkin for anything other than domestic flights.

Ample time to get the train to Victoria (through Customs 1000 at latest, at Victoria by 1045), check your bags into left luggage there, stroll around the Thames or St James' Park, then back to Victoria by 1400 for the District Line to Hammersmith, Piccadily to LHR.

Where this 3 hour nonsense comes from, I've no idea.