Changing planes at Heathrow??

[Callie]

We're heading off to Scotland and London next year and I am struggling with flights. The "best" so far to get from Boston to Edinburgh requires a change of planes at Heathrow. The layover is 2 hours 20 minutes. Is that enough time?

Will we go through passport control and customs at Heathrow, or in Edinburgh? I'm thinking likely Heathrow and it could take a while. Of course, the next choice is a 6 hour layover - UGH.

What do you think?

Callie

 

[Eleanor]

There's lots of information here.

Are you having to change terminals at Heathrow?

Are you booking a through ticket from Boston to Edinburgh?

You will have to go through Immigration and security at Heathrow.

 

[Callie]

Eleanor,

That's a great web site. They say it should take 75 minutes and we have 2 hrs. 20 min. - presuming all goes well.

Yes, we have to get from Terminal 3 to Terminal 2. And yes, we are booking a through ticket.

I can't bear the thought of hanging out for 6 hours if I don't have to, so I'm going for the 2 hr. + connection.

Thanks,
Callie

 

[Eleanor]

It never ceases to amaze me what you can find on the web.

Having a through ticket makes everything so much easier as you will pick up your bags at Edinburgh.

I've not done the transfer from Terminal 3 to 2, but hopefully there will be someone else who has.

 

[Pauline]

Terminals 3 and 2 are not far apart. We transferred from Terminal 1 to 5 once and it wasn't bad.

 

[Andrew]

I don't know if it makes any sense for you, but Norwegian has non-stops from Providence to Edinburgh. Their site shows it Monday and Friday through March 2018; I don't know if they're just not taking bookings yet for later, or won't continue the service. They're no-frills and would have added charges.

 

[Callie]

A non stop is tempting, but Providence isn't really workable for us. But I will check out other places they fly.

Thanks.

 

[Colo]

My wife and I have to change terminals (Terminal 3 to Terminal 5) at Heathrow this fall. We have been through Heathrow, but this flight is a little different than our past travels. I am using American Airlines frequent flyer miles to and from Europe, but a separate one way ticket LHR to Basel on British Airways. I am assuming since the tickets are not linked, when I check in at the US airport our bags will only be sent to LHR. Then we will have to pick up backs at Terminal 3 before transporting the bags and ourselves to Terminal 5. Then we will have to do a full check in with BA in Terminal 5, and of course clear security. We have a little over 4 hours to accomplish this so I do not think… time is a factor. Does anybody know or have done this type of transfer before? Are my assumptions correct? Thanks in advance.

 

[Andrew]

Yes, no through checking of bags, but I think on separately ticketed trips in the oneworld alliance you are protected in case of a missed connection. At this page on the Heathrow site, for travel between terminals landside, they say "Heathrow Express trains are free for travel between Heathrow Central station (Terminals 2 & 3) and Terminal 5. There's a train every 15 minutes."

 

[Colo]

Thanks Andrew for confirming my suspicions. I will defitely check out the links as we get closer to departure.