I'm traveling to italy and found a great flight. only problem is, the return trip has an airport change, from gatwick to heathrow. it's a 4 hour layover, so i think i should be fine, but how hard is it to get from one airport to the other, and how expensive? i also have to find out if my luggage will transfer automatically or if i need to pick it up, cart it, and recheck it.

same question - few days later....

this is the most asked question around here, please do a search...

www.nationalexpress.com

yes, you need to pick up, take with you and re-check your luggage.

4 hours is enough under normal circumstances.

have a great trip!

4 hours might sound like a lot of time, but it's just enough. It is quite doable, but you will not have a huge amount of time to spare. Your luggage will not be transferred, so you will have to pick it up, go through customs, and re-check it at the other airport. You can take the National Express coach between airports for 18GBP. If you have more than a couple of people in your party, you might want to look at a car service such as Just Airports.

On a personal note, unless this is a really big savings, I would choose a flight that doesn't involve an airport change.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34747832

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34745211

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34744347

it's going to save me about $140 per person. so it's significant. plus i get to fly american airlines instead of delta, which is also a plus for me.

it'll be 4 people, 4 hour, 35 minutes.

car service is the way to go for more than 2 people.

i started looking at the car services, but haven't had luck finding one that i can book in advance. must be possible right?

Have you looked at www.justairports.com?

Many Fodorites recommend justairports.com. You can book in advance. While credit cards are accepted, there is a sizeable discount for paying in cash.

i just used just airports last week and the driver was waiting for us at heathrow (they check ont he flights to see if they're early or delayed etc) good value at about 38pounds for a trip into E1 with three people in a large car on a sunday (would never have got there with tube closures and such on a sunday), and the return trip to the airport was even cheaper and just as fast and reliable. I'll use them again and again for anymore than one person traveling.

<i>p.s.</i> When the Piccadilly Line to Heathrow is closed for works on Sunday, a 6-zone Travelcard will get you a ride on the Heathrow Express.