iadflyer

I am traveling with kids from LHR to SFO, wanted to see if there was a better routing based on history (understand weather can be unpredictable). Travelling Christmas day and surprised that United's direct flight is not available that day (offered before and after that day) so is that just a fluke or really not flown that day?

The connections offered are EWR, Houston, or Vancuver - just looking for the best experience in terms of airports, connections, and general delays in winter?? Just trying to make the journey as painless as possible. Finally, not sure what's a good fare, I am seeing around $765 and up, so should I book this early??

bmr12

Around the US holidays (T-day, Xmas, New Years') the schedule is pared back. If you want to stay on UA metal, YVR is not an option.

I'd probably pick IAH over EWR for weather in the winter--much less likely to get caught in a blizzard in south Texas.

Kacee

I'm not clear on the question. Is it, "what is the best routing for a Christmas Day departure, when there is no nonstop available LHR-SFO?" Because obviously for a departure on any day other than X-mas, the best routing is the nonstop. If you intend to fly on Christmas Day, I agree with bmr12 that IAH is your best bet for the connection, for multiple reasons (best weather, best airport, shortest domestic connection).

$765 is an excellent fare. It might go lower, but odds are it will go up, not down.

greenpau

Concur with bmr12 - I have chosen IAH in the past due to weather issues and better immigration experience at IAH overall. You could also choose to connect in ORD or IAD on 12/25, but you might face the same weather risk as EWR.

Tangential pluses to IAH are a greater number of EQM (if that will matter to you by December), a shorter domestic flight than EWR/IAD, a retrofitted two-cabin aircraft that has great AVOD entertainment in coach to keep the kids happy, and likely a London-based crew who tend to be known for their friendly service.

Price is in the lowest non-promotional fare bucket, and represents a good deal when you think that $220 of that fare is taxes paid to the UK Government...

critten

well if LHR to SFO - to avoid customs till SFO, wouldnt Canada make the most sense? IAH and EWR will require you to go through customs + return bags = more chance of lost baggage.

Just my opinion - if it doesn't matter - IAH is better in my book

Kacee

Agree with this. IAH has the most pleasant immigration/customs officers of any US port of entry that I've come through. The line can be long though, so I'd leave a minimum of 90 minutes (2 hours even better) for the onward connection.

No it wouldn't. You would have to clear Canadian customs and then clear US passport control in the Canadian airport. This is typically worse than coming through a US port of entry.

alex_b

I'd route through IAH. EWR can be awful on the best of days, in the middle of winter I wouldn't want to chance it.

zrs70

It you don't mind a codeshare, you can also try LHR-FRA-SFO on LH.

garkster

I've only connected once through the east coast for SFO/LHR in BOS...never again. It's the worst of all worlds, slicing the trip in roughly 1/2 for each leg with a layover in the middle.

Although I agree about the WX in IAH, I've only read the horror stories about IAH immigration on FT, and it is quite possible in the winter, to have a multiple-hour ground delay IAH/SFO.

So, if it were my money, I'd go through YVR. I had to go the other way once because of UA's systems melting down, and the transit in YVR outbound was trivial. I'd expect that you'd clear US border formalities in YVR after CA immigration for the transit, but honestly don't know what that would entail.

My bottom line is that I'd rather have one very long flight, and one as short as possible. The suggestion about re: FRA also fits the bill, especially because long-haul intl flights won't generally be affected by the ATC delays. SFO domestically in the winter months is a complete crap-shoot, even day-to-day, much less 5 months out.

One additional thought -- if the YVR/SFO connection is on SkyWest, I'd pass on the routing. If on AC/UA, you'd have a fighting chance.

prestonh

I'm transiting SYD-YVR back to SEA in Sep. AC rep confirmed I would not clear Canadian customs, but transit to US preclearance. AC and YVR websites confirm that routing. And there is a lounge on the US side in YVR!

zrs70

While I don't doubt this is what was confirmed, I wonder how baggage is handled. If you don't pick up bags in YVR, and the flight to the US is treated as domestic, at what point is baggage inspected?

lhrsfo

I've done all of these several times and I would definitely do YVR over IAH. LAX would be better still if available.

Advantages of YVR. Longer segment in more comfortable plane, especially if OP does not have E+. Better food on AC. Free drinks on AC. Nicer staff on AC. Nicer US immigration and Customs experience in YVR.

Yes you must reclaim your bags in YVR and take them through US customs there and do US immigration there. You arrive as domestic in SFO.

AdamUK

Just to add there are currently some special UA fares in the system from LHR (probably to compete with the BA sale that is currently on).

These must be ticketed on/before the 16th July. I've been looking at LA for October for a while and the current K-fares are the cheapest i've seen and will be booking by Tuesday.

stanj

No personal experience, but didn't YVR recently change the procedure so you don't have to reclaim your bags? I thought you now go through US Customs and Immigration w/o bags, if they want to check your bags, they send you to secondary screening and have the bags brought up.

Not sure if this only applies to Canada domestic flights to the US transiting through YVR, or to int'l flights also.

noah

Another vote for Vancouver. The AC 777 LHR-YVR is really a nice experience, even in Y, and then its a quick hop down to SFO. Pre-clearence in YVR and then arriving domestically in SFO is much easier than transiting (and dealing with baggage) in IAH.

The *only* exception to this rule would be for E+ on UA given all the kids, but even then I would (and have) picked AC over UA.