06.05.22

With hundreds of thousands of miles behind us over last 4 years and God knows how many cities, our recent trip back to the states was the first one where we had to not only switch planes, but we also had to switch airports.
And we had no idea what to expect.
London is one of the busiest cities in the world with one of the busiest airports, Heathrow, but they also have a smaller airport that you may be familiar with called Gatwick. It’s primarily used for regional flights and for many low-cost carriers. We have seen many large cities, including Istanbul, which has had to expand into a second airport due to increasing volume.
COVID restrictions for the US are very specific, and you must get tested “within 24 hours.” But does that mean 24 hours before you leave, or 24 hours before you arrive in the United States? We were not sure. Would we need to do a second test in London? That was a question soon to be answered!
We left Turkey at almost 10:00 p.m. and landed in London about midnight their time. Our flight to the US was not until the next afternoon, so we had 15 hours to kill, including trying to find a place to sleep! This was not the first time that we had to crash out in an airport, but it was 50° outside and chilly throughout the entire building. As it turned out we found several different spots including a warm one that was part of a cafe which was closed for the night. It felt like a hippie crash pad because people were strewn out all over the benches and the floor! We fit right in.

We had no choice about going to Heathrow early since the shuttle from Gatwick did not start until 0500, so we ended up taking it about 8:00 that morning, a 40-minute ride, and about $25 per person. Now the cost savings was lessened…
Long story short, we spent most of the day at Heathrow airport, which was quite lovely. Plenty of food options and places to hang out, and we got on our US flight mid-afternoon as planned. So what are the takeaways here?
> If the cost savings to switch airports is substantial, find out what it cost to get from one to the other, since they may offset that savings.
> If you think that you will be crashing out at an airport be sure you bring something warm to wear. Fortunately we had a blanket with us (thank you British Air!), but regardless of the outside temperatures, most airports are kept very chilly. Bring a hat.
Kathleen and I look at experiences like this as being part of the adventure. We don’t get the most restful sleep, but we do end up with a great story to tell!!