LHR Layover: 2hr5m or 4hr5min

[k&gcruisers]

Hi, Everyone:

 

We are flying out LAX (AA metal) to Lisbon (7:00pm or a 5:00pm on Dec. 2nd) with a layover in LHR, arriving Lisbon on Dec. 3rd (Saturday/BA metal). We will be doing a TA from Lisbon to FLL.

 

AA has 2 flights out of LAX, one with a 2 hour/5 min. layover & one with a 4 hr/5 min layover, both in LHR.

 

Not sure of the Terminals, either. We fly out of LHR on BA on either flight to LIS.

 

Is the 2hr/5min. layover doable without too much hassle? Hubby likes the 2 hours & I like the 4 hour layover.

 

Thank you for any and all suggestions/advice.

[Zach1213]

Hi, Everyone:

 

We are flying out LAX (AA metal) to Lisbon (7:00pm or a 5:00pm on Dec. 2nd) with a layover in LHR, arriving Lisbon on Dec. 3rd (Saturday/BA metal). We will be doing a TA from Lisbon to FLL.

 

AA has 2 flights out of LAX, one with a 2 hour/5 min. layover & one with a 4 hr/5 min layover, both in LHR.

 

Not sure of the Terminals, either. We fly out of LHR on BA on either flight to LIS.

 

Is the 2hr/5min. layover doable without too much hassle? Hubby likes the 2 hours & I like the 4 hour layover.

 

Thank you for any and all suggestions/advice.

 

You actually get lucky...Lisbon is one of the (relatively) few locations that BA flies to from Terminal 3 at Heathrow. AA uses Terminal 3 at Heathrow. Therefore, you will remain entirely within Terminal 3. Although you will need to re-clear security (not no immigration or customs), I would go with the 2 hour layover. However, I wouldn't want any less than that, so taking the 4 hour layover wouldn't be terrible...but Terminal 3 is a snoozefest and not a great place to spend 4 hours.

[k&gcruisers]

Thanks for the info.

 

Since we are flying business class for the first time ever w/AA miles, we were hoping to access a comfortable lounge for the 4 hr, otherwise I think we may opt for the 2 hr in T3.

 

Thanks again.

[Gardyloo]

LAX-LHR is a long flight. Since you're in business class I'd be tempted to opt for the longer layover and get a shower and a decent breakfast in one of the lounges.

Edited March 2, 2016 by Gardyloo

[critterchick]

It'll be too late for breakfast by the time either flight arrives.;)

 

We had a four hour layover when we were connecting to Rome a couple of years ago. I would have been happier if we'd gone with the shorter connection. Our flight to LHR (we were on the 7:35pm) was delayed by an hour, so we would have been racing, but being in business class at least put us in the front of the stampede and it only took us about 30 minutes to get from disembarking the plane to getting to security at T5 (I know OP is staying in T3) . We decided to go with a 2:05 connection to Brussels for this year's trip. We have 9 days on land before the cruise departs, so I imagine that we'll make it.;)

 

The lounge in T5 is nice, but it was packed, so not really all that comfortable. The food and drink offerings were nice, though.

Edited March 3, 2016 by critterchick

[Keith1010]

In the end it will come down to your stress level.

 

For me I would choose the longer layover just in case there are delays with my first flight. For others they would op to go with the shorter layover.

 

AA also has a reputation for changing flight time so you never know if there will be a schedule change that has the first flight leaving later.

 

On anther note since you haven't booked yet I hope you are planning to arrive to Lisbon one or more days prior to your cruise so that a flight delay or cancellation does not cause you to miss the ship. Lisbon is a terrific city so it's fun to spend a couple of days there touring.

 

Keith

[Globaliser]

Since we are flying business class for the first time ever w/AA miles, we were hoping to access a comfortable lounge for the 4 hr, otherwise I think we may opt for the 2 hr in T3.

You should actually have a choice of business class lounges to use.

 

The AA lounge is the least good of the options - avoid it. BA's lounge is pretty good, and has showers.

 

But your better bet will probably be to use the Cathay Pacific lounge, as CX generally allows any oneworld business class passenger to use its lounges even if not flying CX. I think the CX lounge is being refurbished at present, but it should be open again long before December. It always had nice showers, but they should be even better by then.

[Zach1213]

With lounge access in the mix, I would go with the longer layover. Do take advantage of that lounge access. The BA lounge is small-ish but nice. Cathay Pacific's lounge is also my favorite in T3, and you'll have access to that if it's open (which it should be during that time of the day). I haven't been to the AA lounge at T3, but you have access to that too...but it might be the busiest with all of the longhaul AA departures heading out at that time of the day.

Edited March 3, 2016 by Zach1213

[slidergirl]

I've done the LHR-LAX flight on AA - least favorite flight of all time (and I've done some long-hauls). Hopefully the fact that you are doing LAX-LHR and in Business will make it better than what I had.

Me - I'd take the longer connection time. Get outside, get some fresh air after being in that metal tube for so long. Go to one of the lounges you are able to enter - grab a shower to refresh yourself. Maybe I'm the odd duck who will always take that longer connection - I hate to feel rushed.

[k&gcruisers]

In the end it will come down to your stress level.

 

For me I would choose the longer layover just in case there are delays with my first flight. For others they would op to go with the shorter layover.

 

AA also has a reputation for changing flight time so you never know if there will be a schedule change that has the first flight leaving later.

 

On anther note since you haven't booked yet I hope you are planning to arrive to Lisbon one or more days prior to your cruise so that a flight delay or cancellation does not cause you to miss the ship. Lisbon is a terrific city so it's fun to spend a couple of days there touring.

 

Keith

 

Yes, we are flying in a few days before the cruise with Seabourn on Dec. 7th! We want to take our time enjoying Lisbon.

 

Thank you for the heads-up about AA possibly changing flight times. As soon as I mentioned this to my DH, he replied, "OK, we'll take the 4 hour layover."

 

Kathy

[Globaliser]

Cathay Pacific's lounge is also my favorite in T3, and you'll have access to that if it's open (which it should be during that time of the day).

Yes, I think it should be open. The CX website suggests it's now open continuously from 0530 to 2200. And as CX's own flights to Hong Kong in December are scheduled to depart at 1125, 1715, 1805, 2035 and 2200, there isn't any sense any more in them closing the lounge during the middle of the day. But as the OP would be in the lounge from about 1200 to about 1500 if taking the longer connection, it should also be at a time when it's less busy.

[k&gcruisers]

You should actually have a choice of business class lounges to use.

 

The AA lounge is the least good of the options - avoid it. BA's lounge is pretty good, and has showers.

 

But your better bet will probably be to use the Cathay Pacific lounge, as CX generally allows any oneworld business class passenger to use its lounges even if not flying CX. I think the CX lounge is being refurbished at present, but it should be open again long before December. It always had nice showers, but they should be even better by then.

 

Globaliser,

 

Thanks for the info on Cathay Pacific lounge, as I didn't know we might have access to it, just thought we would just have the AA lounge.

 

After 10 1/2 hours flight, even in BC, it will be nice to have that lounge access.

 

Thanks, again, everyone.

 

Kathy

[Zach1213]

Yes, I think it should be open. The CX website suggests it's now open continuously from 0530 to 2200. And as CX's own flights to Hong Kong in December are scheduled to depart at 1125, 1715, 1805, 2035 and 2200, there isn't any sense any more in them closing the lounge during the middle of the day. But as the OP would be in the lounge from about 1200 to about 1500 if taking the longer connection, it should also be at a time when it's less busy.

 

The only issue that I ran in to back in October was that I was flying out on a Sunday morning at 0930, and the lounge didn't open on Sunday mornings (only Sunday mornings) until later. So, depending on OP's day of travel, that's a possibility.

 

EDIT: Looks like this has since been remedied and the 0530 opening time is all seven days of the week

Edited March 3, 2016 by Zach1213

[cb at sea]

What in the world would you do in the airport for 4+ hours????? Take the shorter one!

[Globaliser]

What in the world would you do in the airport for 4+ hours????? Take the shorter one!

It won't be 4+ hours at leisure. Assuming that the inbound flight arrives at the scheduled time, it'll take 30 minutes or so from then to reach the lounge. The OP would then have to leave the lounge at least 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time of the onward flight. So the time in the lounge is likely to be 3 hours or so - and less if there's any inbound delay. A leisurely shower, a drink and some lunch, catching up on email and reading the new day's newspapers will soon take care of that. This is what good airport lounges are for.

[zoncom]

Lounge Hop!

[cruisequeen4ever]

I think you made the wise choice going with the longer layover! Now rather than stressing about making your connection, you can enjoy the perks of flying business class, both in the air and in the airport!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Regguy]

Since you took the longer layover, check out the T3 CX lounge when you're there and come back and give us a review! It looks as though they are doing a very extensive remodel, and I have a feeling it's going to be really great.

 

Just a small note about some of the above, while a T3 connection from AA to BA is much better than a T3-T5 connection, from what I understand it is still quite a grind. The AA gates at LHR seem to be awfully far from the main part of the terminal (where you re-clear for flight connections). I kind of remember one hallway that was so long it seemed you could see the curvature of the Earth. The LHR website proposes a minimum of 70 minutes even for a T3 connection, though you'll have fast-track through LHR security, so probably won't need quite that long.

 

Here's a bit of a pro tip on LHR connections after flying from the USA in business class. You'll get an amenity kit on your AA flight. It likely will have some tubes with lotions and stuff. The U.K. is even more persnickety about liquids than the USA. Don't just stick the amenity bag in your carry on and then forget about it! You need to make sure to include the liquids in your one allotted see through bag when you pass through LHR security even for flight connections.

[fbgd]

What in the world would you do in the airport for 4+ hours????? Take the shorter one!

 

There are some airport lounges I'd happily spend 4hrs in!

 

You're clearly hanging out in airports the wrong way! :D

[Keith1010]

Yes, we are flying in a few days before the cruise with Seabourn on Dec. 7th! We want to take our time enjoying Lisbon.

 

Thank you for the heads-up about AA possibly changing flight times. As soon as I mentioned this to my DH, he replied, "OK, we'll take the 4 hour layover."

 

Kathy

 

So glad you are going with the 4 hour layover.

 

Keep watching the flights as AA does revise times of flights more often. Sometimes you get an e mail and other times you don't so just check your reservations on line every few weeks.

 

Keith

[slidergirl]

There are some airport lounges I'd happily spend 4hrs in!

 

You're clearly hanging out in airports the wrong way! :D

 

Been in any of the AMEX Centurion Lounges??? GREAT places to spend a couple of hours - good free food, excellent free beverages. Right up there with the T3 M-pier AF lounge at CDG!!!