Flight timing from Heathrow

[Carnevale]

I am arranging air travel for our return home in October. We will arrive in Southampton on Oct 8 and we will fly out of Heathrow. What is the earliest flight I should consider knowing we will have to get to the airport, check-in, and clear security? Thanks for your advice!

[durante]

Where are you flying to? For example, European flights do not require as much time to check in as US flights

[buchhalm]

....and how do you plan to travel to LHR?

Cruise line shuttle, taxi / car service, National Express coach..?

:-)

[Carnevale]

Good questions! We are flying to the west coast of Canada and plan to use a car service to get to Heathrow.

 

The best routes depart around noon which feels tight.

 

Perhaps we should spend a night in a hotel near the airport and use some of the disembarkation day to tour Windsor Castle?

[jburton59]

I've had these one day layovers at Heathrow and one option is to go to Hampton Court for the afternoon. There was a bus that left from in front of my Hotel (the Holiday Inn Ariel) that dropped me off right across from the palace' s main entrance. The ride was under an hour.

 

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[tacticalbanjo]

I wouldn't rely on departing LHR at noon. I live near the airport and usually get home around 11am-12pm when we get a car from Southampton having done regular disembarkation.

 

Self-disembarkation and light traffic might get you to the airport for around 9am but any traffic, trouble disembarking, late customs clearance all eat into your three hour before recommended arrival time for long haul flights. Traffic can easily take the Southampton to LHR journey to over 2 hours so for me there would not be enough wiggle room.

 

Your suggestion of staying overnight and visiting Windsor Castle sounds like a good idea to me. Who likes being flustered and hurried on a trip anyway?

[rog747]

8 Oct is a Sunday and early morning will be quiet on roads - yes its do-able if you are a maverick

 

if you use self disembark you could be in your booked car to LHR and be there by 9.30 10.00 at the latest

airline check in for both AC and BA bag drop closes at -60 minutes .... BUT if things go wrong then you will get stressed (very)

but AC and BA flights to YVR and YYC that day operate late afternoon so you should have no issues

 

 

would i do it Hmm maybe

got off the Nieuw Amsterdam last month at Fort Lauderdale around 0845

got bags and went through USA immigration very quickly by blagging we had a flight in 60 minutes lol

taxi outside cruise terminal to FLL airport took 10 mins

got to Delta check in for our 1045 flight to Atlanta to connect for Heathrow late afternoon

agent said i can get you both on the 0945 flight to ATL -- all went splendid

Edited March 7, 2017 by rog747

[DreamflightPat]

I am arranging air travel for our return home in October. We will arrive in Southampton on Oct 8 and we will fly out of Heathrow. What is the earliest flight I should consider knowing we will have to get to the airport, check-in, and clear security? Thanks for your advice!

I was aircrew for British Airways for 39 years and wouldn't want to try and get a flight around noon if you are coming in to Southampton that morning. You never know, could be slightly delayed arriving Southampton, traffic on the way to Heathrow can sometimes be difficult. I wouldn't want to put that stress on yourself. Enjoy your cruise and a good flight home.

 

Regards Pat

[Mid-Atlantic Ridge]

The official Cunard advice is not to book a flight before 2pm. I am sorry l can't point you to anything official that states that but l have been told by the tour office crew and also by Cruise Connect who run the bus from Southampton to Heathrow on behalf of Cunard that 2pm is the recommended minimum time.

 

To put a bit of colour on it from my own experience, l usually book a flight for just after 1pm and have on all but one occasion made it comfortably. The one time it was a close call, disembarkation was a shambles and only the kindness of the BA staff at T5 bag drop allowed me through when l had missed both conformance timings for bag drop and security. That said l was flying UK domestic so would have been out of luck had l been on long haul. My guardian angel was working overtime that day.

 

M-AR

[rog747]

the OP says he needs a west coast Canada flight

 

BA and AC on that day in Oct have schedules from LHR in late afternoon from 2pm to 5 and 6pm to both YVR and YYC

 

should be no issues booking a 5pm Vancouver if that is where he is going #justsayinglike

 

even a 2 pm departure is doable OK - check in closes at 1pm (off ship at 8am - that's 5 hours from SOU to LHR)

[Carnevale]

Many thanks to all who posted info for us - we really appreciate the kindness of fellow cruisers on CC who are always ready to help out when info is needed.

 

We have to get all the way to YYJ (Victoria, BC) so the options were limited. We've decided to spend the night at a hotel close to LHR and explore either Windsor Castle or Hampton Court. That gives us a relaxed start for the long trip home to western Canada.

 

We are really looking forward to our fall cruise on the QE!