Dave Noble

That is a useful service and taking it later this week; only drawback of the ORD daytime flight over the JFK/BOS daytime flights is that the arrival time is late enough that with luggage , it can be tight getting trains into London on arrival; for where I want to go, I have to take a hire car to get to my destination rather than be able to take train after the ORD flight

Dave

barella

Thanks for all the advice. I ended up booking the flights I organically said, 4.45pm on the way out and 11.50pm on the return.

I agree with the feedback given that the morning flight back would be better, but as I live about 2 hours out of London by public transport, and don't want to be paying for another hotel night, I think I'll just suffer a bad night on the plane, and catch up on sleep later.

gemac

I agree. I book a hotel at LHR on Priceline, generally take a taxi to the hotel (I know there are cheaper ways, but I don't really want to mess with them at that hour), and am in my hotel room by midnight. The last time I did this, I got the Sheraton Heathrow for $70.87 including taxes and Priceline fees. The next morning, I got up at a reasonable hour, had breakfast, went back to LHR and took the HEX in, checked in at the Marriott Grosvenor Square.

Since I am headed into Central London, where hotels cost a lot more, it doesn't make sense for me to struggle to get there and pay more in addition. This is easy and cheap.

dstan

Yeah, I usually price that one out, too, as it's a nice bundle of extra miles if the price is the same. But a 6:05 push on LGA-ORD is a bit much for this night owl.

Now, if LGA-DFW-LHR were ever priced the same (it's not), then that redeye is more doable.

Gamecock

Silly question.
I am going to be on that flight soon.

Do they do a full meal service or do they do like some other carriers and expect you to go right to sleep?

bbkenney

I always try to do daylight EB. I used to do ORD-LHR because that made it a same day out of Dallas, but then the bums took MY 777 away so now I try to do JFK-LHR at 830 am, especially if I can think of a reason for being in NY for a day. I even did BOS a few times, but once again robbed of my 777.

WB doesn't make too much difference to me but I still prefer mornings. I hate getting on a plane at the end of a day when I am trashed.

Now, as far as "pensioners flight", I don't get it because to take the daylight EB you have to stay in NY an extra night. Seems like it should be the other way around to me.

drjhwang

Actually, I'd like to know too! My reservation said "Dinner," but I wasn't sure that was right for such a late departure.

skye1

There's already threads on this, and I think it's covered in the stickies as well.


To re-cap, yes, there's a dinner service, but it's basically served all in one go---soup/salad, main/entree, desert, etc., on a single tray--as opposed to the multi-trolley-trip-down-the-aisles that full on multi-course dinner presentations get on earlier flights. The last time I did that JFK-LHR redeye, many pax gave it a miss and went right to sleep.

If you're an EXP, you can grab dinner in the Flagship Lounge at JFK and give the on-board dinner a miss, and enjoy the extra sleep.

If you're NOT an EXP, there's a gazillion options for better-than-airport/airplane dinner between Manhattan and JFK .

Brekkie in the morning is continental, not a hot/cooked main/entree.

Again, if it's extra sleep you crave, you can give the on-board brekkie a miss for the extra sleep, and grab something in the Arrivals Lounge @ LHR (access available w/ your Business Class boarding pass).

skye1

GREAT strategy when one VISITS London on leisure/business, and have done something along those lines many times prior to moving here. Land at night, grab an airport hotel, and hit central London fresh in the morning.



NOT-SO-GREAT strategy when you live here, and you really HAVE to get thru customs & baggage re-claim BEFORE that last tube leaves. The affordable (non-taxi) option from Heathrow to home at that hour is a night bus.....ugh.....

GVA

My favorite flights:

JFK-LHR: 0830am or 1130pm. I like the 830am one because you still arrive at LHR at a civilized hour. In contrast I don't like the daylight ORD-LHR as I find you arrive too late. The 1130pm is good because you get to sleep right away and service is quick if you do want to eat.

LHR-JFK. 8PM departure. I like having the dinner, falling asleep then waking up just before landing. I normally sleep at JFK so just go back to sleep an hour after and wake up around 5/6am the following morning.

Using the above combos, never had any jet lag problems.

gemac

I always assumed that if one lived in old blighty, one would simply have one's friends pick one up at the airport if it was a pleasure trip. For a business trip, I would think the business would spring for the taxi.