Have we left enough time?

lucasharrison

Going to LA next week with my gf. Flight leaves at 14.25. We are due to catch the train from Plymouth at about half 5, get in to Paddington at 9.20 and jump on the heathrow express at 9.40 to get to Heathrow for 10. This is 4 and a half hours before departure but they suggest getting to the airport 3 hours before hand for flights to USA - do you think we've left enough time or should we go up the night before or get travel insurance that covers missed departures?
Last Friday all trains to London were cancelled due to flooding :-(

cheers
Luke

M4RKM

i think you should be alright.. check in won't close until 90 minutes before the flight leaves, boarding normally starts an hour before...

depending who you are flying with, you might be able to check in online before you leave your home, this can speed things up at the airport, as all you'll have to do is check your bags, and some airlines will let you use the first class check in desk, to do that...

you should have travel insurance anyway, i know my policy covers me for missed departures, and it is just a reasonably standard policy!

_Andy_

Agreed - check in online just to be sure (depending on carrier you should then be able to change seats if required at checkin).

lucasharrison

It's Air newzealand, don't think you can check in online.

The only reason I'm a bit worried is because so many trains have been cancelled recently due to weather, should have got the overnight sleeper me thinks.

_Andy_

No chance of going up the night before, getting a hotel in London or near LHR?

lucasharrison

Could get a train up night before but Heathrow Express last train is 11.30 so would have buy new tickets for that as well as it would be the day before`

blindman

lucasharrison wrote: »

Could get a train up night before but Heathrow Express last train is 11.30 so would have buy new tickets for that as well as it would be the day before`

What tickets have you got for the HEX. (an actual ticket or just a reference number from the web?)

So long as you haven't used them they last for 6 months.

IMHO you have loads of time.

Travel insurance covers unexpected delays.

lucasharrison

It's from thetrainline , open single for 24th january

dzug

Why bother going to Heathrow and paying megabucks for the Heathrow Express?

Get off at Reading and get the railair coach that leaves from outside the station every 20 minutes. It will be just as quick.

Voyager2002

Make sure that you have travel insurance that would cover you if the train was seriously delayed. Subject to that, I think you have plenty of time.

hammy_the_hammer

i would just add that that's a lot of travelling and potential stress doing it all in one day....you'll also not get a great nights sleep having to think about getting up to catch a train at 5.30 .
i'd price the hotel option and the bus from reading and if feasible write off your heathrow express tickets (could you sell them on ebay ???)