Flying to UK from West Coast - advice?

[spud3]

Heading over for the bucket list trip next summer, and would like to hear from others who have flown from the West coast.

 

What is the best approach: arrange the flights as part of one multi-segment trip, try for the non-stop, or work my way to the East coast using miles then hunt for bargains from the East coast to UK?

 

Desiring to end up in EDI, as I'll be spending all my golf time in StA and East Lothian. Me and the Missus will be spending a week or so in Wales preceding. She'll head back while I get to stay and play for a week.

[Chimz]

Avoid Heathrow is my recommendation. I fly through that airport all the time so unless you have a specific desire to spend a few hrs there I’d avoid it. I used miles from Phoenix to EDI via Philly on AA and it was a very comfortable low stress flight . I think there’s also an option via JFK to EDI.

[DODGEMANIAC32123]

Last trip I did from the east coast ( seattle area) to the uk I flew on icelandair. Tickets were much cheaper then other airlines at the time. They always go through Reykjavik so it splits the trip in half and avoids the really long flight when going from US to UK.

[davep043]

> @DODGEMANIAC32123 said:

> Last trip I did from the east coast ( seattle area) to the uk I flew on icelandair. Tickets were much cheaper then other airlines at the time. They always go through Reykjavik so it splits the trip in half and avoids the really long flight when going from US to UK.

 

I flew IcelandAir as well last summer, coming from Washington DC. It was smooth and problem-free, and saved us around $400 apiece over the best option. The only potential drawback, at the time they didn't fly to Edinburgh, only to Glasgow, but its not much more than an hour to drive from one to the other.

[TerpFangolfer]

Amen to this, arranged a free flight for my brother & his wife summer of 2018. The hitch was it was BA and they had to transfer from LHR to Gatwick for the flight to EDI..ugh. but it was last minute so we really had no choice - plus it was 3.5 hr layover. Figured it was a pain, but worth it.

Needless to say they missed the connection due to it taking 2+ f'ing hours to clear British Immigration & Customs at LHR.

Ridiculous, I should have just booked them to LHR and they take the train to Edin.

Ultimately it was still worth it as we got on TOC + New and Jubilee, then added Dornoch, & N. Berwick. Awesome

[Zigzog]

Last time I went to the West coast I flew from Edinburgh via Amsterdam to SFO. Was very easy and transfer in Amsterdam was very smooth.

I would avoid London airports if possible, as it is just a bad experience.

If you are going to Wales, then probably still easier flying to Scotland and then getting the train - depending on if you are going to North or South Wales.

 

[spud3]

Thanks for all the comments. Keep 'em coming.

 

Preliminary research is pointing toward taking Iceland Air from Portland - Reykjavik - Manchester, then driving to North Wales where we'll spend 4-5 days. Then train to Scotland, where we'll spend 4-5 more days in the Highlands, then I'll send the wife home from Glasgow while I head over to StA and EL for 5-6 days of golf, then fly home out of Glasgow. I have a bunch of miles on Alaska, and Iceland Air is a partner of theirs, so the booking should be easy. We will also likely take advantage of their program where you can take a couple days in Reykjavik as part of your 'layover.' This trip will happen in June of this coming year, so I'm hoping the weather will have a chance of being decent. Full rain gear will be part of the packing list, though...

 

Unfortunately, my app for the single player ballot for TOC failed (similar to my annual Masters ticket bid), so I'll be using Ballot Buddy (and queuing up in the worst case) in order to get that round somewhat predictable. I'll be looking to add Carnoustie and N Berwick to the list, then filling in with other StA and EL courses. Depending on how the schedule works out, I will probably toss an email to Muirfield and see if the gods smile upon me. My current plan is to ShipSticks my clubs to the lodging in StA, so I don't have to haul those around with me for two weeks. I'll bring them back with me on the return trip home.

 

On another note - what's the best way to handle cell phone issues on a trip over there? I'm on Verizon here.

[Zigzog]

On the cell issue, best thing is to buy a SIM card when you get here - make sure your phone is unlocked, or I think Verizon is Vodafone over here. SIM cards are readily available in the shops here.

You could buy one and load it with say £20 of credit - that would be more than enough for you I would say. You can use Wattsapp for messages (and calls) for little data cost - or use WIFI, which is pretty readily available in a lot of locations. You could then save the bulk of your credit for any calls/texts you need to make away from WIFI.

If you are looking for a playing partner while here, then give me a shout. If I am about then more than happy to help out and give you some company. I know the area pretty well, even though its not my favourite part of Scotland!

 

[puttnforthe8]

Well, I don't have a problem with Heathrow. As long as you budget time.

I personally prefer a single long flight then the short flight elsewhere. So your PDX to REJ sounds good.

My best advice, as I fly the same trip multiple times a year, is to take the the late night flight (7 or 8p) if available, to Heathrow, or other European country. By doing this, you get a meal on the place, fall asleep normal, then when you get to your destination it is 5 or 6pm, you have a big meal and some pints and fall asleep on a normal schedule and avoid a lot of jet lag.

 

 

 

[Edaw68]

For phones on a trip I took last summer, I just used the international plan for family package through Verizon. Assuming you and your wife are on the same plan, it allows you two to call/text each other while there for no additional charge. There's a fee (I think it was $10 a day) that kicks in if you're messaging or calling back to the US, so can't call like work or send golf buddies pics or anything without paying. WiFi was pretty much everywhere, so that handled evening photo posting and what not. You can set up the international vacation thing through your provider, or maybe on the website. (sorry, my wife set it up so I don't know the mechanics)

If you go this route, make sure your phone is OFF on the transatlantic flight. I had my phone (Iphone) turned off on the plane, and when we landed in Heathrow it was an auto boot up and it found Vodaphone right away, no issues. My wife unfortunately didn't have hers off (Samsung Galaxy) and it had a hell of a time working in Scotland. As near as we could tell it got "stuck" while flying and wouldn't link up with any cell network, so she spent the first day there on my phone talking to Verizon customer service, and eventually had to do a factory reset of the phone. After that it worked fine.

[James the Hogan Fan]

Norwegian Airlines offers a seasonal non-stop from Seattle to London Gatwick. Their baggage costs will be on the order of $70/ way for your clubs. They are a generally low cost airline, and if you can tolerate coach for the 10hr flight I recommend them. When my dad flew out he bought the economy plus package for an extra $100 and found it worthwhile.

They would probably be your odds-on cheapest carrier.

[downforg]

You can always look into flying to Ireland and connecting to the UK from there. Personally I fly nonstop from the west coast to avoid delays, missed flights, lost baggage, etc.