johnkel1

Have booked award flights into TXL (ATL-CDG-TXL) and can only find return Europe flights out of LHR. Can buy a cheap tix from TXL-LHR on BA, but wondering how difficult it will be to transit LHR from BA to DL as would have to check bags and assume would have to claim bags in LHR and recheck to DL. Flight would give me about 2.5 hr connecting time. Any comments suggested.

puddinhead

I'm assuming you're going to ATL so you'll depart T4. JFK and BOS in use T3.
Are you flying in economy or Club Europe (business) on BA? CW will give you Fast Track Security. You'll have to clear customs & Immigration in T5 as the UK is not part of the Schengen. Transit from T5 to T4 is by bus - about 20 minutes. The info is here.

Then you'll have to clear customs & immigration in T5.

I'm doing a similar route this summer - TXL-LHR then out on DL. I got award tickets for 20k miles in CW compared with 10k in economy. I used some AA miles I haven't used in years. CW also provides lounge access in TXL, 2 bags at 70 lbs. and Fast Track in LHR. Seating is the same as economy with an empty middle seat. Last tie I went through LHR immigration was worse than the US and security was a pain.

EZE

Did BA to Virgin terminal 3 (joint delta and virgin desk), and would think 2.5 hrs should be plenty even in summer - but I did have J security line. The Delta/Virgin team also was asking which flight each pax was on so they could process the short connections first. Be glad that it is not Delta to BA however as based on what I saw of the BA coach line, 2.5 days might have been insufficient! 😄

pdsuk

If you are doing a landside transfer with checked luggage then I would suggest leaving much longer between the two flights.

rwoman

2.5 hours to go plane-passport control (even with Fast Track it's not always fast)-collect baggage-schelp to T4? It could be tight.

I often arrive into T5 (and T3 and T4 for that matter)...
- Passport Control - I've had T5 Fast Track take <5 min and at other times 45-50 minutes.
- Baggage - Sometimes it's 5-10 minutes; I think 40ish minutes is the worst to date
- T5->T4 transfer - at least 20 minutes.

If all goes well you'd be find, but, even with being very familiar with LHR, I'd be reluctant to leave it to 2.5 hours.

SEA-Flyer

It sounds like you are travelling on different tickets:
Ticket 1: TXL-LHR on BA
Ticket 2: LHR-ATL on DL

Personally, I'd spend the day in LHR and catch the LHR-ATL on DL the next day. If your BA flight is late arriving into LHR, causing you to miss you connecting DL flight, neither BA nor DL are required to do anything for you. You could be stuck having to buy a new ticket for travel back to the US - quite expensive.

Additionally, BA is under no obligation to check your bags through to your DL flight. In the old days, airlines would check bags through to another carrier on a different reservation, but now days many will only check the bags through to another carrier only if it is on the same reservation. Not sure what BA's policy is on this one.

Often1

OP - When you think of this, bear in mind that you will not be connecting at LHR and thus issues of MCT and the like are not relevant.

Ordinarily, you are taken care of and the worst that happens is that you are late to your destination.

Here, you will be originating a new ticket at LHR. If you no show for that ticket, DL will cancel it and it will retain whatever value the fare rules provide for. A kind agent may reinstate it for you and help to find space available, but you will be responsible for hotels and the like until space opens up. Most agents will simply sell a new ticket at whatever the prevailing price is and credit whatever value is left on your original ticket, less a hefty penalty (presuming that the ticket is non-refundable). That can be eye-poppingly expensive.

For this reason, your time at LHR is a risk management, not a logistics exercise.

MSPeconomist

The OP seems to be using a DL award ticket. Because of the T-72 rule, I assume that missing the check in and bag check deadline at LHR would mean losing all the miles so that there would be no residual value.

johnkel1

Thank for for all the feedback. I believe the idea of overnighting in London and not worrying about the hassle of connecting from BA to DL is the best idea. The DL flights are award tickets BTW. Thanks again.

MSPeconomist

Depending on the flight schedule, it might make sense to stay at LHR rather than in central London.

WhiskeyBravo

Transiting between terminals at LHR sucks - and almost always requires re-clearing security. And they make you take your shoes off if you have anything more than flip-flops on. It's slow.

rwoman

Between terminals, yes, your re-clear security; nothing new.

I've taken my shoes of ZERO times in the past two years and I'm at LHR nearly every week.

WhiskeyBravo

In the last year I've cleared security at LHR 3 times, and all three times was asked to take my shoes off. Although I will say the security lady was extremely polite. They are a leather 'dress boot', if you will, which comes up just above the ankle. This happened while taking my things out for the belt.

twohundredfifty

Good choice. We arrived in LHR on BA last summer and I have never seen such a crazy passport line anywhere. Thankfully we also hold EU passports and that line was a breeze.

turkeyRIOO

Is there an advantage/different procedure having a single ticket? Booked in J on a VS ticket ATL-LHR-IST-LHR-ATL DL metal ATL-LHR and LHR-ATL BA metal LHR-IST-LHR.