United airlines

[StephnMick]

Hi
Going to orlando with family on 6 april from heathrow to chicago then chicargo to orlando with United airlines.On the way back we change at washington instead of chicargo and only have one hour to change plane.Has anyone done this? or even travelled with united.

 

[maria & rossi]

We've used united before from manchester to chic and then onto orlando. It was one of the best flights we've been on. They are part of the star alliance group and also use british midland flights from the uk to usa and then use united onto orlando. We thought it was a great value flight and would defo use again. Have a great trip Maria

 

[StephnMick]

Thanks for reply was a bit worried everyone seems to fly virgin

 

[maria & rossi]

No problem. We have also flown with virgin and much preferred united, saying that this year we are with virgin again but that is just down to right date, price and availability not because we prefer virgin filghts. You will be fine with united. maria

 

[florida sun]

StephnMick Welcome to the dis

Where are you staying?? Happy planning

 

[Cochise]

We have booked the flights via Chicago with the bmi/ted codeshare. Plenty of praise from alot of people about them.

 

[Belfastgal]

hi there

We travelled those exact same flights last yr (departed 9th April) except we had an added flight from Glasgow to Heathrow! The flights were good, good food and inflight entertainment but if you don't sleep on any of the flights (I couldn't seem to get any sleep at all!) you will be absolutely exhausted when you arrive. We had been up for more than 24 hours from leaving Glasgow to arriving in Orlando and I was shattered. Luckily it was 11.30pm when we arrived Orlando-time so it was straight to bed but if you have young kids with you, it might be hard-going for them.

Either way you will have a fantastic time!

Love
Louisa xxx

 

[burt]

We also travel from Heathrow on April 6th with United Airlines but we go Heathrow-Washington then Washington-Orlando. We are a party of 4 Adults 4 kids and a Toddler to be honest im dreading the flight. Its our first visit to USA and im just hoping the kids dont get to fed up on the plane. What happens if there are delays in the flight and you miss the connecting flight? do they just put you on the next available flight?

 

[StephnMick]

dont know what happens if you miss flight .We come back via washington and only have 1 hour to change planes.Like you i presume you are put on the next flight but what if its full?We have a long journey from staffs near Alton Towers to heathrow with kids 17 13 and 6 before the 14 or more hours of travelling with united to orlando.we are staying at the Regal Palms resort in Davenport and are also dreading the flight and hope the seat back tvs dont break down. StephnMick

 

[burt]

Hi Stephnmick

we also have a long journey from near wolverhampton to heathrow, our flights at about 11.15 am so need to be at airport about 7.15 am which is going to make it one hell of a long day for the kids - we tried to book an overnight stay at airport hotel but unbeleivably couldnt find a hotel with a family room sleeping 5. What time is your flight? Have you booked airport parking yet and if so who with? Stands a good chance we will be on same flight on return journey

 

[jjpenguin]

Count yourself lucky you only have an hour in Washington, it isn't called "Dulles" for nothing. The flights will come in and depart from the same building, you'll have to walk down a fairly long corridor and then you're there. Shouldn't be a problem. And if it's booked as a connection they should honour it, so if MCO - IAD is late then IAD - LHR should wait.

We always fly United and up till now it's been fine. Transfers have never been a problem, once via Gatwick we were late and they took us on one of those golf carts to get to the plane!

 

[burt]

Thanks fdor the info penguin. Do we have to clear cusoms at washington and collect luggage then drop it back off or because its a connecting flight do we not see luggage/customs until we arrive at Orlando?

 

[jjpenguin]

Yes, you clear customs at your first point of entry, so Washington for you and Chicago for StephnMick. Customs at both Washington & Chicago are quite good. For Washington it usually it doesn't take that long. You go through passport control, pick up your luggage, go through customs and the food & agriculture chappies and then drop off the luggage to the side and you're clear. Bring something to keep the kids busy, as there is nothing at Dulles.
In Chicago you do all the passport & luggage stuff and then transfer to a different terminal.

Great advantage is that at Orlando you can just pick up your stuff & go. We usually split, I get the luggage and DH gets the Car.

 

[Cochise]

I would love to do the spilt for luggage and car but as Sarah and my sister for her family is a second driver then she has to sign the documents. Unless i start the process and ask them to put them to one side and finish when they arrive. Anybody got a tip for this?

 

[skooniebird]

I flew United roundtrip from O'Hare to Buffalo. My return trip was scheduled to stop at Dulles before heading onto O'Hare. It was like an hour or so layover. They switched my bags and did everything for me, so I just had to go to the terminal they told me to at the right time, since I was already past security after unboarding and all. It was simple as pie. Bought kids Washington souvenirs, LOL , as I had never been before. Now I can say I was. Or at least close.

 

[StephnMick]

Hi we are not staying over the night before either but managed to get 2 rooms at travel lodge at heston for special offer price of £10 each for when we get back. our flight back is at 6 am on the 21st april. We don't fly out on the 6th until 15.40, so it will be late at 1am when we arrive in Orlando. booked our airport parking with Purple parking, 15 mins from Heathrow, payed with tesco clucard vouchers. steph n mick

 

[StephnMick]

Thanks for info on flights bags customs etc we feel abit happier now.Had been on a website dedicated to complaints about United and it got us a bit worried StephnMick

 

[Tony Toon]

Hi StephnMick. We also fly out with United for the first time in July and look to be doing the same return flight as you with the one hour change over on the way back, so keep us posted as to how you get on please. We fly via Washington on the way out and expect to be shattered when we arrive. Our initial flights got us into MCO at about 7pm, but a time change of our Heathrow flight meant that our flight from Glasgow got us in too late to be sure of catching it and so we were bumped onto a later flight getting in to MCO at nearly midnight. We won't care though - we'll be at Disney

Mrs Tony Toon

 

[3cheers4DIS]

We have flown with all major US carriers,we flew with United in 2002 changed in Washington with no problems,i think we only had 55 mins to make the other plane but we made it without any trouble,Delta,Continental and American all seem to have short layovers between flights and if you dont mind changing planes its usually a great deal cheaper than Virgin or Ba,we only use Virgin because with a 2 year old rushing about an airport/immigration is not much fun.. the flight is no better.

 

[juliebro]

I would love to do the spilt for luggage and car but as Sarah and my sister for her family is a second driver then she has to sign the documents. Unless i start the process and ask them to put them to one side and finish when they arrive. Anybody got a tip for this?

We have that problem - there's only 3 of us (DH, DS & me) and I am the 2nd driver. (Never used to but since DH dislocated his shoulder on one holiday and then couldn't drive, we learnt the hard way!)

Last year DH & DS went to get the bags from the carousel at MCO and I went to the car hire queue - to bag a place in the queue, hoping that DH could quickly join me before I actually reached the desk. However, the queue was very short - and I got to the front far too quickly. So - I just told the people behind me to go ahead until DH turned up. I felt a bit silly - but everyone was ok with me doing that.

Julie