KARFA

Yes good point as the OP is connecting to Ireland. Have amended my post.

tom911

As you're originating here in the Bay Area, you might even consider crediting the BA flights to Alaska. A business class ticket could accrue 250% or 350% miles based on fare class/distance, so roughly 25,000 or 35,000 Alaska miles. Check if the flight number qualifies under the "details" heading.
https://www.alaskaair.com/content/mi...er-overview:BA

Mwenenzi

Are you now a member of any other frequent flyer program?
In particular AA or AS given you a from USA (based on your FT profile).

1 trip is not a good basis of selecting a ffp?
Medium term what are your objectives with from a ffp?

With AS the freq flyer partnership with AA changes from 01 Jan 2018, so AS is not a popular/useful at was before, especially when DL was a partner

Where to Credit | Where to Credit British Airways Flights in J Booking Class
Deciding on a Oneworld Frequent Flyer Program? Help is here.

onobond

My assumption is that you're on the BA286, arriving at 15.00, correct? If so the T2 lounges are what's available. Personally having no experience of any T2 lounge, since not travelling from T2 since moving to the new terminal building. Any lounge must still be better than no lounge?

If planning another similar trip, or even if you have the time (and suitable rate) to plan, or change, do consider the BA284, arriving at 10.30 , giving you ample time to go landside and use BA's T5 arrivals lounge. Connecting the next time with BA to DUB, means staying in T5, making no unnecessary connections with other means of transport, be it bus, tube or train.

Another aspect, that some of us find important, is the aircraft. As I found, just randomly checking some dates in the next months, the SFO-LHR route is serviced with A380, B777 but also still with B747, where the Upper Deck (UD for short) is cherished by many, for the space and feeling of a large private jet (all seats beeing Business, BA lingo Club World).

Hope you enjoy your trip. Please return here for more questions, if needed.

FB01

[QUOTE=onobond;29226049]My assumption is that you're on the BA286, arriving at 15.00, correct? If so the T2 lounges are what's available. Personally having no experience of any T2 lounge, since not travelling from T2 since moving to the new terminal building. Any lounge must still be better than no lounge?

If planning another similar trip, or even if you have the time (and suitable rate) to plan, or change, do consider the BA284, arriving at 10.30 , giving you ample time to go landside and use BA's T5 arrivals lounge. Connecting the next time with BA to DUB, means staying in T5, making no unnecessary connections with other means of transport, be it bus, tube or train.

Hi,

You are correct. I am in BA284 airing LHR at 10.30AM. So you mean I can spend ample time in the BA arrival lounge in T5. However, I did not get what you meant by saying "Connecting the next time with BA to DUB, means staying in T5, making no unnecessary connections with other means of transport, be it bus, tube or train."

I will need to go to T2 as my flight to Ireland is from T2.

Thanks,
FB

eyeballer

He means next time you book, if you book a BA operated flight from LHR to DUB it will likely leave from T5 so you would have access to the Galleries lounges airside. For this trip you booked a BA codeshare flight operated by Aer Lingus so leaves out of T2 hence the need to do the terminal change.

onobond

Sorry if beeing unclear. eyballer explained it all while I was sound asleep.

Your bag/s will be checked through to DUB, so no worries there until DUB arrival. As you travel Club World, you will have fast track access through immigration. Now only an escalator down and you'll follow the EXIT sign, walking through customs.

Before stepping out to T5 entrance floor, there's a small arrivals tax free shop AND some Heathrow Express staff selling tickets to London, which you at this moment don't need. Do, however, stop there to ask for eventual disruptions and times of departures T5-T2/3, normally departing every 15 minutes. The train is, IMHO, the most comfortable way to transfer landside. And you also don't have to buy Tube tickets, as the train to T2/3 is free of charge.

Now, out in the main entrance floor hall - look for sign 'Lounges' and before going up, just familiarize yourself where the Heathrow Express desk is, thus saving you time later. The elevators to the trains are just outside the HEX desk.

By now, you've earned a good breakfast and a shower. They are awaiting you in the arrivals lounge.

NWIFlyer

Using an Oyster card, or more likely in the OP’s case a contactless card, travel between terminals is free on the Tube (officially Underground when the OP is searching for the signage).

It’s also likely to be the quicker landside transfer - journey time is quicker at around 3 minutes (so comfort is hardly a massive consideration IMO), the trains are more frequent (every 10 minutes instead of 15), and the walk from Underground station to T2 is shorter than that for the Heathrow Express.

The OP also doesn’t tell us what his or her arrival date is, but until 2nd January there is no Heathrow Express service due to engineering works - the tube is the only viable landside option, bus transfer between T5 and Central Bus station being less than optimal.

Tiger_lily

Having done this exact itinerary last year, I think that the easiest way is to do the airside transfer direct to T2 rather than mucking about with Oyster cards and LU. You actually get a rather nice view of the apron from the bus.

Flight connections was so much easier rather than queuing up for the UK Border at T5. You’ve only got to hit it at the wrong time and your 3.5 hours will evaporate.

FB01

Hi...

I see people are talking about traveling from T5 to T2 via bus as well as Tube. Does that mean, there are 2 options available? If yes, which one takes less time?

I will be landing at 10.30AM in LHR and then spend around couple of hours in arriving lounge in T5 which is open till 2PM (as people have suggested above).

Will leave around 12:00PM to go to T2. I would like to experience the Tube but want to check which one takes less time and I believe I will again will have to do security at T2 so that should give me ample time as my flight is at 2PM from T2.

Thanks,
FB

KARFA

See my post above.

If you want to stay airside there is one option the airside connection bus.

If you are going to go landside (e.g. need to collect and re-check a bag, need to use the arrivals lounge etc.) then you can use the tube or Heathrow Express.

Unless there is a specific need for you to go landside I would suggest staying airside and taking the airside connection bus as it would be quicker overall.

NWIFlyer

Landside public buses around Heathrow are free as far as the airport perimeter stretches. This means you can travel to nearby hotels and between terminals for free.

From Bath Road hotel to T2/3, and to a lesser extent T5, these are plentiful and much quicker than the private Hoppa services.

Between terminals they are considerably less useful because the Tube and Heathrow Express are designed to fulfil that function. Whereas it will take you less than 5 minutes for a Tube ride between T5 and T2, a bus is 15 because the route is circuitous, and it’s a much more difficult ride with luggage.

FB01

Thanks..so I should be able to get in the Tube to go to T5

Also, just curious what is the Arriving Lounge of BA in T5 called? Is there anything specific I need to look for so that I can find it easily

Tiger_lily

You seem to be making a huge assumption that things will go smoothly, particularly at the border.

chucko

It's just called the Arrivals Lounge, though the signage (once you pop out of the Customs door) may just say "airline lounge" pointing upwards (you take an escalator to get to it).