I have flown many different options for the best price in the past, but this is the first time I have ever booked myself into Gatwick on one airline and out on the other. I did a search, but I did not find exactly what I need to know. If I fly into Gatwick and arrive at 5:55 AM and depart on another airline at 7:40 AM can I make the connection on time? I am pretty sure that one flies into South and the other out of North, so I know I will have to take the train between. I am flying in on USAir and out on BA.

Marty,

We arrived at Gatwick (not from another flight) at 6:30 for a 7:40am flight to Venice and almost missed the plane.

My experience was:

There is only one line for ALL BA flights for check in so it takes forever. That said, as it gets closer to flight departure, they ask who's on line for...and bring you to the front.

The security line (after check in) is looong

The walk to the gate (with a moving sidewalk) can be long.

You have to take a bus from the gate to the plane. Sometimes they close the gate 20-30 mins before flight time.

You should have time. Gatwick is a pretty well laid out airport, and rather huge. There's a great website, I forget the url, I've it bookmarked at home, that has the layouts and all the information you could possibly want about Gatwick, Heathrow and other London Airports. Try a google search for Gatwick Airport or London Airports and you'll find the site I'm referring to. Good Luck.

Thanks to both of you. I have seen that site that has the layout of the airport, but my searches have not brought it back to me. I won't be going through customs, because I am flying in and out internationally. *If* my flight from Philadelphia is on time, I should have 1.5 hours to get from one airline to another. I have done this many times before, but I was not traveling with two different tickets, to I didn't worry about making the connection, because it would be the airlines problem if I missed my flight. I know that it will be my problem, if I am flying with two tickets. I just can't decide what to do, but it would save us a lot of money!

I think I solved my own problem! I looked again, and there is a flight leaving Gatwick at 9:30. Surely, we can make it between the two from 5:55 AM until 9:30 AM, even if the plane is late.

Much better choice. Don't assume you won't have to go through customs. No choice as far as I can imagine.