Booking Flights. There are two schools of thought: 1) Invest in the best accommodations you can afford to have the best chance of arriving in rested condition, 2) Admit defeat and go in the cheapest way possible. I’m in the second school. Partially that’s because I want to take short, frequent trips to London. I can book about 10 round trip flights on Basic Economy for the price of one round trip first-class ticket. If the stars were to align, I would for sure choose to go 10 times.

But Basic Economy on most of the big airlines also meets many of my needs. Basic Economy for transatlantic flights allows a free carry-on suitcase. For short trips like the kind I take, one carry-on suitcase is sufficient. In fact, I find it so convenient to only deal with a carry-on that, if at all possible, I choose to only have a carry-on even for longer trips of up to 9 days. The food offered during the flight is sufficiently plentiful and varied that you can almost always find enough to eat, even if you are selective.

But let’s talk about the big downsides. First, you can only select a seat if you pay a premium for the seat. This also means you often will not be seated near your travelling companions. Seat space will be tight and possibly uncomfortable and you will not be able to lay flat. Even if you recline your seat a bit, the person behind you may take umbrage. And it’s a lot harder to build up airline points when you use Basic Economy.

The reason I will accept these downsides is I see how people arrive after a transatlantic flight even if they rested well–and fully reclining–on the flight. The time change is often so much that they are immediately exhausted and unable to function for several days. So I figure if I’m probably going to be miserable upon landing even if I had some good hours before landing, might as well go cheap. Also, I’m an insomniac even in my own, comfy bed. The chances I will sleep well anywhere are pretty small.

The only upgrade I’ve recently started making on the way to London is to have the cheapest option that will allow an aisle seat. Usually that is Basic Economy + paying extra for a seat. One of the things I’ve noticed is that I’m able to sleep and arrive better when I’m well hydrated, and I feel better about being well-hydrated if I don’t have to crawl over sleeping people on my way to the bathroom. The way back from London is somehow easier on my body so I don’t mind a middle seat then. And I can’t figure out why, but it seems that the plane back to Chicago is usually emptier than the ride to London so I’ve been luckier about having or moving to an aisle seat.

The airlines we usually fly are United, American, or British Air. We are enrolled in frequent flyer programs with United and American. (Flights on British Air count toward frequent flyer miles on American.) Most airlines have changed their frequent flyer programs so it’s harder to gain status or gain sufficient miles to receive a free ticket, even as much as we travel, since we use Basic Economy. We’ve concluded it’s worth it and instead use a travel-friendly credit card, Chase Sapphire Reserve. Travel costs applied to the card generate points that can be used to offset future travel costs and they are usually quite worthwhile. And Sapphire Reserve offers access to lounges in many airports in the U.S. and even abroad. Some of the lounges are really nice. The benefits for the card have been declining each year also so stay tuned as to whether we continue with that. So far it has been beneficial.

Electronic transit authorization and passport. There is a relatively new requirement in effect when travelling to the UK to have up-to-date Transit authorization. You can apply here a few weeks before your trip if you don’t have one already. Obviously, you’ll need a current passport to clear the Border if you enter the UK from another country. Have your passport at the ready upon reaching the Border. The process is electronic (and quite streamlined) for many countries’ passport holders, including U.S. passports.

Packing. As mentioned above, I prefer to have as little to transport as possible and to be able to take public transportation from the airport to and from my hotel so, for a trip lasting anywhere from 3 – 9 days, I try to have no more than a carry-on sized suitcase. The Premier League season lasts from August through May so we’re mostly talking about cool weather. And, usually, wet weather. I pack a backpack with the things I need on the plane in addition to the carry-on. There are plenty of things you could do in London that require getting really fancy. I typically do not do those things. I need to dress for touring, for matches, for theater, for dinner.

I wear:

• Comfortable pants & shirt
• Long sweater. Partly to be able to layer once in London but the plane is almost always cold.
• Compression socks
• Walking/running shoes

In my backpack, I pack:

• Noise-cancelling, bluetooth-enabled headphones
• Neck pillow. I use a Cabeau pillow that can be jammed into a pretty small sack. It’s ok; I wish I had a pillow that would allow me to wear my noise-cancelling headphones at the same time, but not willing to invest in anything I’ve seen so far.
• Sleeping mask. I use Nidra. It’s reasonably comfortable and effective.
• Wallet with ID, credit cards
• Passport
• iPad
• Cell phone
• Medications I need daily, and ibuprofen
• Portable charger (many airlines prohibit using a charger on the plane, but it can be handy once you arrive)
• Cords for all electronics in my backpack, including the cord that connects the airplane entertainment system to my headphones
• Water bottle that I fill up at the airport after security
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Snacks, just in case
• Blue light blocking glass and case. I use Spectra479 clip-ons.

In my carry-on, I pack the following, taking care to stay within a color pallete that coordinates with sweater I wore on the plane and extra shoes I packed (in my case, they are both always black).

• 1 pajama option per 4 days
• 1 comfortable pair pants per 2-3 days travelling, including at least one per trip that could be dressed up for the evening
• 1 shoe option besides what I’m wearing on the plane, usually something that could elevate an outfit for the evening and/or serve as back-up for wet athletic shoes during the day. I often opt for ankle boots.
• 1 casual shirt option per 2-3 days travelling
• 1-2 dressier blouses per trip, something I could wear to the theater or a nice dinner
• Usually: Good, longish wind-proof raincoat OR packable winter coat + umbrella.
  • If it’s expected to be 60 degrees or lower, winter hat, gloves, and scarf. It’s damp in London and often feels colder than the same temperature in many places in the US.
• My Arsenal Home jersey. It brings luck.
• Accessories, a few. You can’t wear your home jersey many places before or after a match without standing out as a tourist or being subject to mild counter-fan abuse in some cases, so I sometimes bring a scarf that I can cover my jersey with under my sweater if necessary.
• A small, cross-body purse
• Toiletries
• Socks and undergarments, 1 per day + a few extra just in case. Extra socks are especially useful during a rainy patch.

My husband struggles more to stay inside a single carry-on for a longer trip because all of his clothing is so much larger. Still, even he has managed to stay within a carry-on for trips of 5 days or more. On occasion, especially if the weather is expected to be bad and he feels he needs more shoes (size 13!) he’s decided to check a bag.

Sleeping on the plane, especially upright. I’ve travelled to London many times and I still haven’t fully cracked the code for sleeping. And I suspect success factors for each person vary. Here are a few things that work best for me.

• Setting the stage.
  • Most flights I’ve taken are late at night, leaving anywhere from 8 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. I will usually eat a normal dinner at home, bathe, complete normal nighttime care rituals, and change into comfortable clothes for the flight.
  • At the airport, I use blue light blocking glasses to try to wind down a bit in the bright lights of the airport. I wear eyeglasses, so my blue light option is a clip-on, Spectra479.
  • When I get on the plane, as soon as the people in my row are all situated, I try to start sleeping. I do not eat dinner on the plane.
• Stiffness management.
  • I take an ibuprofen when I get on the plane and at any point thereafter that I’m feeling pain, for example, in my neck or legs.
  • I wear compression socks and stay hydrated, which I think helps with leg pain that I used to inevitably feel a few hours into the flight.
• To sleep. I will listen to the most boring podcast I can find on the plane entertainment system or one I’ve saved to my favorites on Spotify. People talking about stuff. I can’t wear my headphones at the same time I use my neck pillow. If the boring podcast fails me, I’ll switch to the neck pillow.
• For comfort. To have a sensation of leaning back in the seat–I am a person who will not recline my seat in Basic Economy–I place the pillow the airline gave me low on my back or behind my hips.
• To stay hydrated. I drink water. Duh! If I’ve forgotten my water bottle, I’ll accept water from the flight attendants every time they offer one. If I’m feeling dehydrated and I’m awake, I’ll stop by the flight attendant’s station and request water.

Dealing with jet lag. My trips are so short there is virtually no way I will ever acclimate to London time during my trips. I’ve found the best thing to do on the day of arrival is one of the following:

1. Keep moving until a respectable bed time. Do something that requires movement but not much thinking, such as seeing important buildings in your neighborhood or an accessible art exhibit. OR
2. Give in and have a short nap, no more than 90 minutes, after you check in to your hotel. Then get moving until a respectable bedtime.

Either way, consider a shower or bath once you arrive. There is something about water that just makes you feel human.

Note: you may not be able to check in to your hotel upon arrival since you’ll almost always arrive before stated check-in time. For us, it’s been rare that the hotel would not check us in. But even if they don’t check you in right away, they will offer to check your bags until check-in. We’ll usually do a little cleaning up and repacking (i.e., I’ll shift out my backpack for my purse) before checking our bags, and then go off into the world. Once, we couldn’t check in immediately and they directed us to their spa if we wanted showers. Once they directed us to a lounge where we could make ourselves a latte. Whatever they offer that might help you feel refreshed, take it!

Each day after arrival:

• Try to eat meals at what would be normal for you. If you have dinner at 6 p.m. at home, have it at 6 p.m. in London.
• Set an alarm to wake up. It’s ok to sleep in a little but your body will be entering its normal deep sleep just before normal wake up on London time. Your body will probably not wake up naturally and allow you to have a fullish day of touring without an alarm. Have breakfast and get out into the city.

Currency. It’s a good practice to have at least a some GBP, but there are very few activities you’ll find that require currency. In the 35+ trips I’ve taken to London I’ve needed exactly £2. One was to go to the top of Monument tower and one was to use a bathroom in a particularly touristy part of town. (I have been able to pee for free pretty much all over London, never once risking citation for indecency. Like in the U.S., bathrooms within establishments are usually only for patrons but if you touring London most of the places you’ll visit–restaurants, markets, museums, train stations–have available, free restrooms.) You can use VISA or Mastercard credit cards for just about everything. I believe you can usually use your bank card to withdraw local currency from an ATM once in London at reasonable exchange rates, but of course all banks differ. It’s good to consult with yours before you come. It’s also a good practice to let them know in advance you’ll be travelling, to avoid having them flag a purchase as possibly fraudulent.

Phone Service/Data. Most London hotels have wifi, as do many restaurants, pubs, museums, and even some train/Tube lines. Still, it’s useful to have access to data to ensure you can be reached by loved ones and make touring easier. Be sure to research the best option for data in light of provisions of your mobile carrier. Our current mobile plan and carrier, T Mobile, has been great for international travel. While we have unlimited data at home we have a limited package for international travel that’s been sufficient for our needs. We’re busy most of the day so not doing a bunch of scrolling, but we are always careful to use wifi when it’s available and when we might be looking up directions, responding to texts, or catching up on news as we sip a coffee. Beyond the free limit, we are able to expand coverage on the rare occasion it’s necessary. Our carrier reminds us of the limit every time we touch down at Heathrow!

Safety. It absolutely destroys me to hear a certain brand of U.S. media outlet’s claims that London has is a dangerous city to visit. So much wasted experience as people believe them and decide to stay away.

Like all giant cities, London has a diverse population and, as a beautiful city, it has tourists from all over the world. If there are people to be exploited there will always be people to exploit them. This is true no matter where you are in the world. Many people are scammed in their living rooms while talking on the phone, responding to texts, or using their computers.

I have felt no less safe in London than any place in the world. I take sensible precautions every place I am in the world, no different from those I employ in London. In London, I move about with relatively few restrictions, feeling comfortable in the streets and on public transportation day and night. I make sure I know where I’m going so I can move with confidence. I wear a cross-body purse in front of my body. I keep my phone protected both in how I use it and deploying features that make it easy to be found or protected if it’s lost or stolen. I am alert. Just as I would be in Podunktown.

Transportation. We’ve exclusively used public transportation in London, including the Tube, buses, and Uber boats. Except one time when we goofed up on what time to leave for the airport and had to use a cab. It’s no longer necessary to use an Oyster card to ride public transportation. You can swipe in and out with a credit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. But we do always use an Oyster card because that feels like London to us. Oyster cards are vended from most stations, including at Heathrow, and you can top them up at most stations when the loaded value becomes too low. I’ve possessed my current Oyster card for 10+ years. 🙂

That said, London taxis (Black Taxis) are noted for being great. And you Uber does operate in London.

Upon arriving at Heathrow and getting through the Border, you can follow signs to the Trains. You will see signs for a “Heathrow Express” train; we never take that. Instead we take the tube: Piccadilly or Elizabeth line, depending on where we are staying. Both can branch out to other lines. As long as your hotel is close to a Tube station, you’ll be able to navigate to it. Take some time in advance of arriving in London to determine the best way to do that. AI makes it a breeze.

Global Entry/TSA Precheck. Our travel credit card (Chase Sapphire Reserve) offers TSA pre-check and Global Entry as a benefit. TSA pre-check allows you to have a quicker and slightly less invasive experience through airport Security in the US, but not in the UK. Global entry provides a much more streamlined process through customs in the United States. I recommend both of these if you travel frequently. Obviously, Global Entry only if you travel internationally frequently.

You have to go through the application process which for Global Entry includes an interview that’s conducted at International US airports. You can schedule an appointment at a time when you expect to be flying. To receive the benefits of TSA pre-check, your airline needs to have your global travel number somewhere in its system. It can be added at the airport, but the most streamlined way to benefit from TSA pre-check is to make sure the airline has your number at the point of booking the ticket.