Beachfun71

Flying PE AMS-ORD. I could do AMS-LHR-ORD on BA, or AMS-PHL-ORD. I’m not too concerned about upgrades.

my thoughts... the latter option provides more time in the more comfortable seat, but the first option means going through customs at home. (Get through the line and head to the car!)

JJeffrey

Honestly that is a toss up. I too like coming off a long haul and being "done", so I would probably go with AMS-LHR-ORD, all else being equal.

phlwookie

I live in PHL but have done AMS-LHR-PHL at times when the non-stop wasn’t running in winter in past years. All but one time, the BA flight arrived at T5, and AA goers out of T3, which does make for a slower and more hassled connection, though of course you can also fly BA metal LHR-PHL which does normally use T5. Personally, I try to avoid LHR for connections when possible - they just tend to take a while even with fast track lines. All of LHR, ORD and PHL struggle in bad weather, but LHR tends to be the most sensitive to disruption from frozen precipitation.

Ironically I have connected international to domestic in PHL numerous times even though I live here - usually I was coming back to the US midweek and still had to visit another customer site. It’s not bad, and I’ve never had delays at immigration and customs with Global Entry. Should the line at A-East be too long, you can always walk over to use security at Terminals A-West, B, or C (C is PreCheck only).

I’d say go with whichever gets you the most comfortable seat across the pond.

Antarius

Go via LHR. Words cannot describe the complete and total disaster that is PHL.

You'll have access to the CX lounge in LHR as an added bonus.

footballfanatic

I prefer an “arrivals lounge” type routing to take long haul first, then a shower followed by a short haul flight. Therefore I avoid PHL which has no showers. If via LHR, I prefer BA “all the way” to prevent t3-t5 transfer issues.

Anyone else?

Antarius

Simplified it for you.

But seriously, I do like showers after the longhaul. However, since the OP is terminating at ORD and going home, they wouldn't have access to the ORD FL and also likely would just shower at home.

Beachfun71

I am happy to shower at home!

AA100k

Go through PHL. I do it all the time going and coming from the EU and never experience any of the horror stories that appear here on FT.

CrazyJ82

Going via PHL gets the pain of immigration and security out of the way in one step on the connection instead of doing security (and an obnoxious terminal transfer if your LHR-ORD is AA operated) on the connection and still having to slog through immigration at the end of the trip.

bse118

(bolding mine)

AMS-LHR-ORD on BA will be a T5/T5 connection - the Cathay lounge is in LHR T3, so access is not practicable on this routing.

PHL is perfectly fine for connections (except for the subpar lounges) and is a much better CBP facility than ORD T5. I truly do not understand the irrational rants about PHL on this forum. But in this case since ORD is the final destination, I'd take the LHR routing.

tjcxx

Actually the former option gives more time in the comfortable seat, disregarding the possibility of upgrade PHL/ORD. (AMS/LHR is a lot shorter than PHL/ORD)

Also the former option allows you to do the sensible thing and buy the ticket on BA flight numbers for much better EQD.

enviroian

Just a side note I was in that CX lounge ( F side) and was really disappointed. No hot food and was really not better than any domestic AC. The qantas and AA lounges at T3 blow away the CX lounge.

Antarius

True. Misread it. OP will have access to the BA Galleries lounge, which is still vastly superior to anything at PHL.

There's enough people saying the same thing to lend credence to there being a problem. I rarely get to the point that I want to cross the desk and throttle someone, but it seems to happen repeatedly at that airport. Agents just do whatever they want with whatever rule they choose to make up that day and there is no management or oversight to stop it.

Stripe

I'd probably pick the LHR connection. A more interesting place to connect IMO, and I would expect LHR-ORD to be less prone to delay than PHL-ORD. Also, do these all have AA flight numbers? If the LHR option has BA numbers check the EQD earnings carefully, if you're trying to maximize credit. EQM earnings will be very similar.

Note that both flights via LHR will be in/out of T5, so no worries about the T5-T3 bus. But it also means you will not have access to the CX lounge. Your PPro status will get you access to the BA Club lounges, which can be quite crowded.

What kind of plane is LHR-ORD? If a 747, the PE section is positioned so you would be one of the first off.

Antarius

When were you there?

You manage to have the diametric opposite experience as everyone else here always