Is 4.5 hours between flights enough time to get from LHR to LGW?
I was scheduled for a 3-leg flight from my hometown to Dubrovnik (DBV). I made the booking through StudentUniverse as a single unit, and it appears that the 3 legs were all on one ticket, but they were on separate airlines. The first leg is on Jetblue Airways from my hometown to JFK. The second leg was from JFK to LGW, and I believe it was on Iberia. The last leg is on British Airways from LGW to DBV. The 2nd and 3rd legs had the same airline reservation code, but the first one is different. There is also a single "StudentUniverse Reservation Code" for the whole trip.
The issue is that the 2nd leg got cancelled. The substitute that I am being offered is also on Iberia, but it is scheduled to arrive at LHR at 6:50am. The 3rd leg departs from LGW at 11:25am, so I need to travel from LGW to LHR to make the connection. Is that enough time for me to disembark, get my checked baggage, go through immigration, take the shuttle to LGW, go through security there, and board my plane? It seems my best option for travelling between the two airports is the national express coach, which should be just over an hour of travel time.
Bonus question: I'm new to international travel, so is there anything I seem to be misunderstanding here, or is there anything else important about this process that I should be aware of?
Best Answer
It doesn't leave a massive amount of leeway in case of disruption to the flight into LHR, but it is likely to be enough in practice unless that flight is delayed by more than an hour or so.
The usual rule of thumb I apply when travelling internationally to/from major airports is to arrive at the departure airport 2 hours before take-off, and not to book travel from the arrival airport less than 1 hour after landing. However I would generally allow more time if I knew I had to go through immigration (as a non-citizen of the country/customs area) as queues for this can be long at times.
The '2 hours before departure' rule is probably the one you can push slightly more, especially as you can buy express security if you are running late (but there is usually no way to skip the immigration queue).
If you made a through booking and were not explicitly told that the connections were at your own risk then, in any case, you would be entitled to be booked onto another flight if you miss the connection. Understandably it's not an ideal situation, but there is backup.
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How long does it take to fly from Heathrow to Gatwick?
The total flight duration from LHR to LGW is 33 minutes. This assumes an average flight speed for a commercial airliner of 500 mph, which is equivalent to 805 km/h or 434 knots. It also adds an extra 30 minutes for take-off and landing. Your exact time may vary depending on wind speeds.How far apart are LHR and LGW?
How far is London Heathrow (LHR) to London Gatwick (LGW) It is 45 miles between airports, however the actual journey time varies considerably due to congestion, peak hours travel and accidents. Delays of 15 minutes and more should be routinely expected on a journey that takes just over an hour on a good day.How easy is it to get from Heathrow to Gatwick?
You can either travel by Heathrow Express to Paddington (a 15-minute journey from terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5). From Paddington, you can board the Circle Line to Victoria Station (a 15-minute journey) and connect to Gatwick via the Gatwick Express (a 30-minute journey). The whole journey costs around 40 pounds one way.How do you transfer from Heathrow to Gatwick?
The National Express Heathrow - Gatwick bus service is the only direct public transport between the two airports. The only alternative direct option is to take a taxi or a private car service. Although the bus service is the only direct public transport between Heathrow and Gatwick airports it is not the cheapest.Review: My GUIDE TO HEATHROW - Things you didn't know!
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