Gatwick/Heathrow/taxi/coach/hotel ....help please

I am getting dizzy here trying to work this out so I wondered if I can have some advice please...here are the plans/thoughts etc etc.

Going to US to Miami then onto FLL for Allure B2B December.

Could fly from Inverness to Gatwick on either 29th or 30th Nov.

Then fly from Heathrow to Miami on 30th Nov.

Back from Miami on 18th Dec then Inverness from Gatwick on 19th Dec.

Cannot do Inverness to Heathrow...they dont fly to LHR from Inverness....could fly Aberdeen to Heathrow...though would have to take 2 hour train and then taxi to airport.

So....do I fly Inverness to LGW and then take National Express coach (or taxi-3 people) to LHR...4 hours between flights.

Or ...do I fly Inverness to LGW..take National Express to LHR and stay at hotel at LHR overnight.

I want to use Airmiles for my flights..and this I can do for INV-LGW but not for ABZ-LHR (no airmiles flights available for return journey on 19th Dec)

Trying to keep costs down. So if staying overnight near Heathrow I could use Priceline for hotel...or should I just do Travelodge (using taxi rather than Hoppa bus )

National Express return would cost £120 for 3 people from LGW-LHR so thats cheaper than flights would cost from ABZ-LHR (£130 per person)

:o Help please.

I am getting dizzy here trying to work this out so I wondered if I can have some advice please...here are the plans/thoughts etc etc.

 

Going to US to Miami then onto FLL for Allure B2B December.

 

Could fly from Inverness to Gatwick on either 29th or 30th Nov.

Then fly from Heathrow to Miami on 30th Nov.

Back from Miami on 18th Dec then Inverness from Gatwick on 19th Dec.

 

Cannot do Inverness to Heathrow...they dont fly to LHR from Inverness....could fly Aberdeen to Heathrow...though would have to take 2 hour train and then taxi to airport.

 

So....do I fly Inverness to LGW and then take National Express coach (or taxi-3 people) to LHR...4 hours between flights.

Or ...do I fly Inverness to LGW..take National Express to LHR and stay at hotel at LHR overnight.

 

I want to use Airmiles for my flights..and this I can do for INV-LGW but not for ABZ-LHR (no airmiles flights available for return journey on 19th Dec)

 

Trying to keep costs down. So if staying overnight near Heathrow I could use Priceline for hotel...or should I just do Travelodge (using taxi rather than Hoppa bus )

 

National Express return would cost £120 for 3 people from LGW-LHR so thats cheaper than flights would cost from ABZ-LHR (£130 per person)

 

:o Help please.

Sit down, relax, and pour yourself a G&T - we're here to help :) While I am not (despite my username) a native of the British Isles, I have spent enough time using various forms of transportation around London to provide some guidance...

Firstly, the only reason I would attempt a 4-hour LGW-LHR connection is if I was a participant in The Amazing Race, and it was the only way to get to the finish line. Otherwise, either go with the ABZ flight, or stay a night in London.

Thought: can you get the ABZ-LHR flight going, but come home via LGW-INV? I know I've done this type of routing on awards flights with Air Canada, out of necessity due to lack of availability as well.

Or you can make an adventure of it and take the Caledonian Sleeper to London, then tube to LHR for your MIA flight.

Hey Liz... (remember me!!) wish I could help, especially with me being so close to LGW. But I can't really come up with any better suggestions. Is your flight an early one out of LHR ? Otherwise if it's later how about LGW on 29th - overnight at LGW (loads of cheap Travelodges nearby), then more leisurly train to Victoria (you can do Gatwick Express in 30 mins) and then transfer across to LHR.... yeah I know - probably a rubbish suggestion - just trying to throw in another option. :)

Hey Liz... (remember me!!) wish I could help, especially with me being so close to LGW. But I can't really come up with any better suggestions. Is your flight an early one out of LHR ? Otherwise if it's later how about LGW on 29th - overnight at LGW (loads of cheap Travelodges nearby), then more leisurly train to Victoria (you can do Gatwick Express in 30 mins) and then transfer across to LHR.... yeah I know - probably a rubbish suggestion - just trying to throw in another option. :)

Not a rubbish suggestion at all, and one I personally would favour - I trust trains in the UK more than the M25 :rolleyes:.

Another hotel suggestion that's a bit 'out there', literally - the Hoxton Hotel regularly has sales for rooms at 1 pound/night - the transportation costs might be an issue with this option.

And remember the free bus zone around LHR - within a certain determined range around the airport, the city buses are free, so staying within that zone could be cost-effective.

Thanks Twickenham & FiggyWig (yes I remember you:D)

Now, according to Airmiles because the Domestic flight would be with Flybe (before the BA International one) our baggage allowance would be according to Flybe's rules...so less weight and more cost for paying for extra suitcase. ....sigh. :(

So now I need to recalculate everything.

But thank you both for your suggestions....I tell you..after all this I need a cruise...or two :D

I wouldnt have this problem if I could get the return part of the domestic flight back to ABZ on 19th Dec.....for some reason there are no FF flights from London to anywhere after 15th Dec.....very strange I didnt have a problem like this at all last year with these flights.

Thanks again. :D