London hotel - touring London, easy to get to LHR

[erdoran]

Coming back from NCL Norway Summer Solstice in June, 2020 - we dock Sunday 6/28 in Southampton and fly out late morning Tuesday 6/30 from LHR T3.  We’ll each have a large suitcase and carry-on.  

 

Are we better off taking National Express back to LHR and staying at an airport hotel, or staying somewhere in London?  I’m figuring we’ll do some independent London touring after we get to London on Sunday, then all day Monday, and plan to be at LHR about 8 am Tuesday.  Touring probably one of the Thames river boat tours, Tower of London, riding the double decker public transport bus around, not sure yet what else.  

 

Does it make sense to stay by LHR and spend the day in London or just go into London (perhaps London Toolkit cruise transfer tour) and then public transport or TPG? Train to LHR the morning we leave?  What area of London is most convenient for transport and getting to LHR?  I’m overwhelmed with possibilities!

[erdoran]

Actually never mind change in plans,  flying out debarkation night....but. A good story regardless....

 

I was using AA miles for my RT.  I had initially priced my dream itinerary flights, PHL-LRH business, return BA first class (I LOVE the Concorde Room at LHR, only got to fly first once on BA and had learned my mom was dying the night before so it wasn’t the wonderful experience I dreamed of!) and over and above a crazy number of miles, it was also $3300 cash RT.  No way!  So then I was looking at different options, and stumbled across AA PHL-TXL with BA TXl-LHR, and then BA first home - now the taxes were down to $2300, but that’s still very pricey even saving $1k.  Called AA and they found me an AA nonstop from LHR home, and just changing carriers my taxes were now $650–so I’m saving close to $3k with these tweaks...but the flight was Tuesday, cruise gets in Sunday, and sure, I could explore London in a day and a half,, but I could also do it on arrival...and I’m debating retirement but not sure, so I may still be working then.

 

On a whim, I looked up that BA first class return flight - taxes for two were $1100, which is high - but I started thinking - if I add my $650 taxes for my entire itinerary PLUS the $1100, it still adds up to LESS than the $2300 I was charged by booking it RT - so I called AA to ask why.  They had no idea but when they broke my booking into two segments. -  PHL - TXL - LHR taxes were about $54, plus the $1100 for the first class, so now I’m paying $1150 rather than the $650, which is worth it to me to get home two days earlier and fly first - and for the identical itinerary, I’m saving $1200 over the RT booking, and $2200 over my first attempt!!

 

Pays to question things and experiment!  Wow!

Edited August 11, 2019 by erdoran