american travel to london

Update May 10, 2024

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United Kingdom

Travel Advisory July 26, 2023

United kingdom - level 2: exercise increased caution.

Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed.

Exercise increased caution in the United Kingdom due to terrorism.

Country Summary:  Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in the United Kingdom. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, local government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, major sporting and cultural events, educational institutions, airports, and other public areas.

There is also a risk of isolated violence by dissident groups in Northern Ireland, focused primarily on police and military targets.

Read the  country information page  for additional information on travel to the United Kingdom.

If you decide to travel to the United Kingdom:

• Be aware of your surroundings when traveling to tourist locations and crowded public venues.
• Follow the instructions of local authorities.
• Monitor local media for breaking events and adjust your plans based on new information.
• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  ( STEP ) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on  Facebook  and Twitter.com/Travelgov
• Review the  Country Security Report  for the United Kingdom.
• Visit the CDC page for the latest  Travel Health Information  related to your travel and return to the United States.
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist .

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Quick Facts

Must be valid for the duration of your stay in the United Kingdom   (If you have onward travel to countries outside the United Kingdom, you should check the passport validity requirements for each additional country on their respective information pages.)

Must have at least one page

Not required for stays less than six months.

Embassies and Consulates

U.s. embassy london.

33 Nine Elms Lane London, SW11 7US United Kingdom Telephone: +(44)(20) 7499-9000 Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +(44)(20) 7499-9000 Fax: +(44) (20) 7891-3845 Email:   [email protected]

U.S. Consulate General Edinburgh, Scotland 3 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh EH7 5BW Scotland Telephone: 013-1556-8315 / from the United States: 011 (44)(13) 1556-8315 Emergency After-Hours Telephone:  020-7499-9000 / from the United States: 011 (44)(20) 7499-9000 Fax: 0131-557-6023 /from the United States: 011 (44) 131-557-6023 Email:   [email protected]

U.S. Consulate General Belfast, Northern Ireland Danesfort House, 223 Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5GR Northern Ireland, United Kingdom Telephone: 028-9038-6100 / from the United States: 011 (44)(28) 9038-6100 Emergency After-Hours Telephone: 01253-501106 / from the United States: 011 (44) 1253-501106 Fax: 028-9068-1301 / from the United States: 011 (44)(28) 9068-1301 Email: [email protected]

Destination Description

Learn about the U.S. relationship to countries around the world.

Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements

• To enter the United Kingdom, your passport must be valid for the entire duration of your planned stay.
• Starting June 2019, U.S. passport holders will be able to use the ePassport Gates upon arrival in the United Kingdom. U.S. citizens who had previously registered for the UK’s Registered Traveller Service (RTS) should now also use the ePassport Gates on arrival in the UK.
• If you are planning onward travel after departing the UK, note that many other countries require at least six months’ remaining validity on your passport to enter. If you are bound for Continental Europe, please see our  U.S. travelers in Europe page for additional details.
• Visas for specific categories of visitors must be obtained prior to travel. Visit the  UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) website to determine if you need a visa to enter the United Kingdom. We cannot intervene on your behalf when you apply for a UK visa, nor can we advocate for your admission into the UK if you are denied entry.
• Students and prospective students should visit the  UKVI website  to determine if they need a visa.
• For some U.S. travelers, especially students, an entry stamp is required.  Please consult this website  for more information.
• Unpaid and paid workers, interns, volunteers, charity workers, and temporary workers can find information about obtaining a visa on the  UKVI website .
• Visitors traveling to the United Kingdom to get married, even if they do not plan to reside there, must obtain a visa in advance. See the  UKVI website  for visa information.
• Surcharges apply to certain categories of visas, generally those involving work, study, or residency for more than six months. More information is available on the  UKVI website  and in our Health section below.

The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of the United Kingdom.

Find information on  dual nationality ,  prevention of international child abduction  and  customs regulations  on our websites.

Safety and Security

Terrorist groups continue plotting possible near-term attacks in Europe. The UK Security Service publishes specific reasons for any changes in the threat level and recommended actions for the public via its  UK threat levels website .

There is the potential for  isolated violence  related to the political situation in Northern Ireland. The Police Service of Northern Ireland assesses there is a continued threat of violence from dissident groups in Northern Ireland, focused primarily on police and military targets, and may involve the use of  firearms  and  explosives . Tensions may be heightened during the summer marching season (April to August), particularly on and around the July 12 public holiday.

Avoid areas of demonstrations  if possible, and be careful within the vicinity of demonstrations. Demonstrations occur frequently in and around city centers and areas where tourists frequent. Even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate to violence.

The phone number for  police/fire/ambulance emergency services  is  999  in the United Kingdom and  112  in Gibraltar. You should also use these numbers to report security threats or suspicious packages. Also see information for  contacting police from abroad .

• Be cautious and aware of your surroundings.
• Be vigilant, as  pickpocketing ,  mugging,  and “snatch and grab” theft of mobile phones, watches and jewelry can occur.
• Do not leave bags unattended in restaurants, pubs, hotel lobbies, and parked cars.
• Be alert to other criminal schemes, such as  impostors  posing as undercover police officers and “fining” tourists for bogus minor offenses. A legitimate Metropolitan Police Services officer will never demand an immediate cash payment.
• Use only licensed Black Cabs or pre-ordered car services (minicabs) . Unlicensed taxis or private cars posing as taxis may offer low fares, but in some instances, travelers have been  robbed  or  sexually assaulted  while using these cars. See Transport for London for additional information on cabs and car services .
• Avoid using ATMs that look temporary in structure or location  or are located in isolated areas – they may not be legitimate. Use ATMs located inside a bank branch.

Scams : Before sending any money to individuals you have never met in person, visit the  Embassy London website  for more information about  internet financial scams  and how to protect yourself.

See the  Department of State  and the  FBI  pages for information on scams.

Victims of Crime : Report crimes to the local police at 999 (United Kingdom) or 112 (Gibraltar) and contact the U.S. Embassy at +(44) (20) 7499-9000.

• Local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting crimes.

See our webpage on  help for U.S. victims of crime overseas .

• help you find appropriate medical care
• assist you in reporting a crime to the police
• contact relatives or friends with your written consent
• explain the local criminal justice process in general terms
• provide a list of local attorneys
• provide our information on  victim compensation programs in the United States
• The Victim Support website  is maintained by an independent UK charity to help people cope with the effects of crime
• A Northern Ireland-based independent charity maintains a similar  victim support website
• In Scotland, victims of crime should contact  Victim Support Scotland
• provide an emergency loan for repatriation to the United States and/or limited medical support if you are destitute
• help you find accommodation and arrange flights home
• replace a stolen or lost passport

Domestic Violence:  U.S. citizen victims of domestic violence may contact the Embassy for assistance.

Tourism:  The tourism industry is generally regulated and rules are regularly enforced. Hazardous areas/activities are identified with appropriate signage and professional staff is typically on hand in support of organized activities. In the event of an injury, appropriate medical treatment is widely available throughout the country. Outside of a major metropolitan center, it may take more time for first responders and medical professionals to stabilize a patient and provide life-saving assistance. U.S. citizens are encouraged to purchase medical evacuation insurance . 

Local Laws & Special Circumstances

Criminal Penalties:  You are subject to local laws. If you violate local laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. 

Furthermore, some laws are also prosecutable in the United States, regardless of local law. For examples, see our website on  crimes against minors abroad  and the  Department of Justice  website.

• You will be arrested if you bring pocket knives, blades, mace or pepper spray canisters, or any part of a gun into the United Kingdom . Please refer to the UK government publication  Travelling to the UK , which details the items visitors are prohibited from bringing into the United Kingdom.
• Penalties against  alcohol-related  and other  in-flight  crimes committed aboard aircraft to and from the United Kingdom are stiff and are enforced with  prison sentences . Please also see  our information on U.S. customs regulations  covering your return to the United States.
• Controlled Substances: UK law prohibits possession and trafficking of controlled substances and narcotics, including some substances that may be legal to possess under the law of certain U.S. states. More information on controlled substances is available here . Individuals who violate UK drug laws may face penalties including fines or prison sentences.

Arrest Notification:  If you are arrested or detained in the United Kingdom, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy immediately. See our  webpage  for further information.

Special Circumstances:

• The legal drinking age in the United Kingdom is 18. Parents and organizers of school trips should read our  Students Abroad website  to help plan a safe and enjoyable experience.
• Scotland’s “drink drive limit” law was amended to a lower level (roughly .05 BAC) and is stricter than the rest of the United Kingdom (roughly .08 BAC). This means that  driving after even one drink  can result in a charge of driving under the influence.
• The United Kingdom has very strict gun control laws, and importing firearms is extremely complicated.  Information on applying for a firearm and/or shotgun certificate can be found on the  London Metropolitan Police Firearms licensing webpage .  Licenses from England or Wales may not be valid in Scotland; please check with the appropriate authorities.  For firearms certificates for Scotland, please check with  Police Scotland .

Faith-Based Travelers:  See our following webpages for details:

• International Religious Freedom Report  – see country reports
• Human Rights Report  – see country reports
• Hajj Fact Sheet for Travelers
• Best Practices for Volunteering Abroad

LGBTI Travelers:  There are no legal restrictions on same-sex sexual relations or the organization of LGBTI events in the United Kingdom.

See our  LGBTI Travel Information  page and section 6 of our  Human Rights report  for further details.

Travelers Who Require Accessibility Assistance:

• UK law requires that all public service providers (except in the transportation sector) make “reasonable adjustments” to ensure their services are available to persons with disabilities.  Nevertheless, code exemptions permit many older buildings to have steps up from the street.
• Getting around in cities may be difficult at times because sidewalks can be narrow and uneven.
• Most London Underground and UK National Rail System stations are not readily accessible for people with disabilities.  Many stations do not have elevators, and have stairways and long corridors for changing trains or exiting to the street. Many UK buses are equipped with lowering platforms for limited-mobility or sight- or hearing-disabled travelers.
• Many taxis have swivel-entry seats or retractable ramps to ease entry.
• Disabled parking permits (known as “blue badges”) are issued by local government councils throughout the country. Visit the  UK government website  for contact information. Some councils may not offer permits to temporary visitors.

The  Transport for London  and  National Rail  websites provide information for passengers with disabilities.

Students:  See our  Students Abroad  page and  FBI travel tips .

Women Travelers:  See our travel tips for  women travelers .

While medical services are widely available,  free medical care  under the National Health System (NHS) is allowed only for UK residents, certain EU nationals, and some visa holders.

An NHS surcharge is assessed on certain visa applicants at the time of application.  Tourists and short-term visitors will not be assessed the surcharge, but will be charged 150 percent of the cost of any medical treatment they receive from the NHS. Unpaid balances of £1,000 or more can result in being barred from return to the United Kingdom.

• The U.S. government does not pay medical bills, and U.S. Medicare is not valid overseas.

Medical Insurance:  Make sure your health insurance plan provides  coverage overseas . Most care providers overseas only accept  cash payments . See our webpage for more information on insurance coverage overseas.

• We strongly recommend  supplemental insurance  to cover medical evacuation.

Carry  prescription medication  in original packaging, along with your doctor’s prescription. Traveling with sufficient supplies to last the duration of your trip is recommended. Mailing prescriptions is prohibitive and may be delayed or rejected by British customs.

Certain prescriptions available in the United States are classified as a "controlled drug"  in the United Kingdom and cannot be brought into the country without applying for and obtaining a prior license. This includes prescriptions for medical marijuana or products containing CBD and THC.  Please visit the https://www.gov.uk/travelling-controlled-drugs for additional information. 

Vaccinations:  Be up-to-date on all  vaccinations  recommended for international travel by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Further health information:

• World Health Organization
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  (CDC)

Travel and Transportation

Road Conditions and Safety:  Road conditions in the United Kingdom can differ significantly from those in the United States.

• In contrast to the United States, UK traffic drives on the left.  Read the  Highway Code  before driving.
• Emergency call boxes  (orange telephone booths with “SOS” printed on them) are found at half-mile intervals along motorways. White and blue poles point in the direction of the nearest call box. Call boxes dial directly to a motorway center. Use these phones rather than a personal cell phone, because motorway center personnel will immediately know your exact location.
• Generally,  pedestrians do not have the right of way  and should not expect vehicles to stop for them.

Many U.S. citizen pedestrians are injured, some fatally, every year in the United Kingdom, because they forget that oncoming  traffic approaches from the opposite direction  than in the United States.  Exercise extra care when crossing streets; remain alert and look both ways before stepping into the street.

Traffic Laws: 

• UK penalties for driving under the influence of  alcohol  or  drugs  are strict and often  result in prison sentences .
• Using a  hand-held cell phone  or similar device while driving is  illegal  in the United Kingdom. Only hands-free phones may be used. You will be  fined , or in the case of an accident,  arrested  and serve time in  prison .
• The speed limit on highways/motorways in the United Kingdom is 70 mph, or lower when posted.
• You will be  detained  and  arrested  if you cannot provide a UK address to receive a subpoena or are about to depart the United Kingdom and have to be brought to court quickly for a motoring offense.
• In Central London, a congestion charge is levied on all drivers who pass through the congestion zone. You will be  fined  or  arrested  if you do not pay the charge. See  Transport for London  for more information about driving in London.

Public Transportation:  Public transport in the United Kingdom is extensive.

• Information on disruptions to London transportation services can be found on the  Transport for London  website.
• Information about the status of National Rail Services can be found on the  National Rail Enquiries  website.
• Bus and train service information in Northern Ireland can be found on the  Translink  website.
• Bus and train service information in Scotland can be found on the  Traveline Scotland  website.

See our  Road Safety page  for more information. For specific information concerning UK driving permits, vehicle inspection, road tax, and mandatory insurance, refer to the  UK Department for Transport  website or the  Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency  website.

Aviation Safety Oversight:  The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the government of the United Kingdom’s Civil Aviation Authority as being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of United Kingdom’s air carrier operations. Further information may be found on the  FAA’s safety assessment page .

Maritime Travel: Mariners planning travel to the United Kingdom should also check for U.S. maritime advisories and alerts at  www.marad.dot.gov/msci . Information may also be posted to the U.S. Coast Guard homeport website and the NGA broadcast warnings website (select “broadcast warnings”).

For additional travel information

• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Call us in Washington, D.C. at 1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) or 1-202-501-4444 (from all other countries) from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
• See the  State Department’s travel website  for the  Worldwide Caution  and  Travel Advisories .
• Follow us on  Twitter  and  Facebook .
• See  traveling safely abroad  for useful travel tips.

Review information about International Parental Child Abduction in the United Kingdom . For additional IPCA-related information, please see the International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act ( ICAPRA ) report.

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Everything you need to know before you go to London in 2024

Mar 10, 2024 • 7 min read

Make the most of your trip to London with these expert tips © FilippoBacci / Getty Images

Even though I was born and raised in London, I’ve been caught out without a brolly (umbrella) in the rain countless times. I’ve felt the scorn of others when not noticing there’s a queue, and I’ve made the costly error of driving into the city. But as a local, I’ve made these mistakes so you don’t have to; I hope my experience and top tips help inspire a smooth and memorable trip to the UK capital.

1. Know your Tube etiquette

One easy way to annoy commuters is to not follow these very easy rules when traveling around on London’s Underground. Get your ticket, bank card or smart phone ready before you reach the ticket barriers so you don’t create a queue. Stand on the right when using escalators so passengers wanting to walk can pass. Let passengers off the train first (stand to either the right or left of the doors) before you board. Offer your seat to someone who may need it more, such as a pregnant person, an elderly person, someone who is disabled and so on. And definitely don't try to strike up conversations with the locals (if you want to blend in). 

2. Skip the car

London ’s roads are small, its traffic is chaotic, and there’s hardly anywhere to park. Plus, you’ll be charged for driving your car in to the center of London – the congestion charge is £15 a day, while the separate ULEZ charge starts from £12.50 and only certain energy efficient or electric cars are exempt. The best way to get around is on public transport (although check on the TFL website or app for information on industrial action and weekend engineering works). Use the Tube, hop on a bus, or rent a bike or e-bike if in the center of the city; cycle maps, highlighting designated paths for bikes, can be downloaded online.

3. Bring layers (and a raincoat)

London’s weather is changeable – temperatures have been known to rise and fall by 20°C in a matter of days. Showers can happen any time of year so pack a brolly (umbrella) or raincoat in your day bag and wear layers that you can easily take off. In summer, always carry a bottle of water on the Tube (the deep tunnels were built before air-conditioning). And while the climate may be mercurial, don’t let bad weather put you off going about your day – simply switch to more indoor-based activities, there are hundreds of them to choose from.

4. Opt for comfort over fashion when it comes to shoes

Most people cover a lot of ground when exploring London, plus different terrains: grass in the many green spaces, long Tube escalators, slippery pavements and even cobblestones. Museums require leg work, as do bridges, boats and parks. Heels are pretty pointless in London, unless you are getting a door-to-door cab to a venue. 

5. Make reservations for top restaurants

While there are plenty of terrific places to eat that welcome walk-ins (although be prepared to queue for the best joints), many of the best restaurants are booked up weeks in advance, especially new ones or those run by celebrity chefs. More restaurants have adopted booking policies and deposits since the pandemic, so if you’re looking for a unique dining experience, you will need to book ahead.

6. Do as the Londoners do and go to a supper club

Embed yourself in London life with a dinner party with locals; a supper club is a superb way to try home-cooked local food from London’s diverse community. These are locally run endeavors, taking place in people’s homes or taking over whole restaurants – try The Bridge Club  serving British eats made with French cooking techniques in South London, Dinner Ladies putting on immersive food experiences, or Indian street food run out of local chef Dhruv Mittal’s flat.

7. Know how to order at a pub

There are unspoken rules when visiting a pub. One person – not a whole group – should go to the bar. Stand anywhere and wait your turn. If someone was waiting before you, it’s polite to signal for the bar staff to serve them first if they come over to you. When you go back to your table with the drinks, you just bought "a round". Now everyone at the table owes you a drink throughout the evening, each person has a turn at buying a round. Last orders are when the bell rings, and from this moment you have 20 minutes to finish your drink.

8. Go to a football game

Football rivalries run high in the city, with 17 football clubs, including seven Premier League teams and four Women’s Super League Teams. Giant temples to "The Beautiful Game" sit around London and are great places to feel the collective energy of the city, as locals congregate (come rain or shine) to watch their heroes on the field. You'll need to book tickets far in advance for Premier League Games, but women’s and lower league men’s games are usually easier to come by – and arguably far more fun to watch. Visit local team websites to book.

9. Be polite and embrace the art of queueing

Londoners (and British people alike) are big on manners, and not having any will get you into trouble. Say "please" and "thank you", and apologize if you bump into someone. Don’t stare at people on the Tube, and hold a door open for people behind you when you walk through one. Let people pass, and be sure to help people in need (people with buggies at the top of stairs, older people crossing the road etc). If there is a queue to the attraction you want to visit or a stall you want to buy from, join it – you’ll might not get into a confrontation if you skip the line, but you will be judged. 

10. Make a plan, but don't go overboard

London is massive, so getting from one side to the other takes a couple of hours in a car (and that's if there is light traffic). Riding the Tube is quicker, but journey times can still be long if attractions are on either side of the city. Minimize travel times by exploring by neighborhood – do a day in Central London, another day in West London and so on. Plan on spending at least a few hours in the big museums and galleries, as there is so much to see. Take many breaks, grab lunch at a cafe or pub and pause to take in the views. It’s easy to get carried away with the energetic pace of London, but sights are more enjoyable if you adopt a more leisurely approach.

11. Don’t leave your stuff lying around

Don’t leave your bags unattended at public venues like stations, buses, theaters or museums, as this is likely to cause alarm and your bag may be removed – or stolen. Only take with you what you are able to carry for several hours. Luggage storage is generally rare in London, but hotels will likely store bags once you check out. Avoid carrying mobile phones in back pockets or where they can be easily swiped from your hand in the street. Never leave your phone or purse on a cafe table, opportunistic thieves will distract you and it will be gone before you realise what's happening. 

12. It's an election year in London

The incumbent mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, will face an election race in May 2024 (he's been in the top job since 2016). This might not be particularly noteworthy for travelers, but it does mean there's greater incentive to make sure London is working well. Policing, housing and public transport are high on the agenda for all the candidates. Services have been expanded to support the rising number of "rough sleepers" in the city, with the visible issue of homelessness a concern for locals and visitors alike. Tube strikes, which brought the city to a standstill in 2023, have been averted but industrial action on national rail services in and out of the city continue. The city goes to the polls on Thursday 2 May, 2024. 

This article was first published Sep 7, 2023 and updated Mar 10, 2024.

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Is It Safe in London?

Betsie Van Der Meer / Getty Images

Considered by some to be the world's capital city, London is truly a place that offers something for everyone. While London is overall a safe place to visit, there are risks, neighborhoods, and scams to be aware of, just like when visiting any major city. London is one of the most visited cities in the world and by reading up on what to prepare for and taking some simple precautions, you can enjoy your trip just as well as the millions of other international travelers who visit each year.  

Travel Advisories

• The U.S. State Department has issued a Level 4 "Do Not Travel" travel advisory for visitors to the U.K. Restrictions and advisories change frequently and quickly, so check for updates from the  U.S. State Department  as well as  local authorities .
• Prior to March 2020, the U.S. State Department advised visitors to the U.K. to "Exercise Increased Caution," but not to reconsider travel.

Is London Dangerous?

As with any major city, London experiences its share of crime, both violent and non-violent. Knife crimes are particularly troublesome in the city and are used to perpetrate robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides. The good news for travelers is that these violent crimes are mostly committed in the outer boroughs away from the touristic areas and are more often than not related to gangs. However, more crimes per capita occur in the popular and central Westminster and Camden neighborhoods than any other, although these are mostly petty theft or other tourist scams.

Some of the most common scams aside from pickpocketing include thieves who ride by on motorbikes and grab the bag or purse from an unsuspecting pedestrian on the sidewalk. If you're carrying a bag, keep it across your body and not dangling near the street. Another common scam includes street performers who distract passersby while an accomplice furtively steals your belongings.

London has experienced some high-profile terrorist attacks that, taken altogether, may give the impression that the city isn't safe to visit. However, the U.K. national government maintains an updated national threat level so you can stay alert to potential risks.

Is London Safe for Solo Travelers?

Lone travelers and backpackers embarking on Euro trips nearly always make an obligatory stop in the U.K. , and traveling solo around London carries the same risks as any other big city. In general, the constant crowds mean you'll hardly ever be alone and the biggest threat you should be concerned about is pickpockets. You should be hyperaware of your belongings and carry them in a safe place, especially when you're visiting popular landmarks or touristic areas.

If you're out at night and moving around the city alone, use common sense and avoid dimly lit streets with few people. Have your route planned out before you leave your accommodations, since being alone and lost in London can quickly become overwhelming. If you feel unsafe walking, don't hesitate to grab a night bus, a black cab , or another ride-sharing form of transportation.

Is London Safe for Female Travelers?

Women who live in London and visit are able to move around the city without major problems. Women walking around at night, especially when alone, should always take extra precautions, such as avoiding dark streets and trying to stay near areas with people at hand. Public transportation around London is considered to be safe overall, but night buses have a tendency to get rowdy, especially the double-decker buses. The rowdiness is usually light-hearted, but sitting on the lower level near the driver is always an option if it gets out of hand.

Safety Tips for LGBTQ+ Travelers

London is a very progressive city and travelers across the LGBTQ+ spectrum should feel welcome. No city, not even London, is completely immune to homophobia and transphobia, and LGBTQ+ travelers should exercise normal precautions. However, taken as a whole, London is a place that celebrates sexual diversity instead of repressing it, and travelers can feel that from attitudes on the street all the way up to legal protections (the U.K. bans all types of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity).  

Safety Tips for BIPOC Travelers

By all measures, London is always near the top of the list for rankings of the most multicultural cities.   More than a third of London's residents were born outside of the U.K. and the diversity of the city is apparent from the shades of skin tone, the gamut of languages spoken, and the never-ending options of world cuisine.   And while for the vast majority of Londoners diversity is just a part of daily life, there are also several reported incidents of racism, Islamophobia, and anti-Semitism.

There is generally an uptick in hate crimes and intolerant acts following major newsworthy events. For example, immediately following the Westminster terrorist attack in 2017, hate crimes against Muslims in London surged.   In the week after the Brexit referendum, hate crimes in general across the city were nearly twice as high as usual.   If you're a BIPOC traveler in London, stay informed on local and global news. For emergency situations, dial 999 immediately from any phone, otherwise file a hate crime report for a non-emergency situation to notify the police of your experience.

Safety Tips for Travelers

• Public transit stations are one of the most common spots for theft, especially those with the most traffic such as King's Cross St Pancras and Victoria stations. Be extra vigilant of your surroundings when using public transit.
• Keep your travel documents, credit cards, and cash in a safe location, and consider using a money belt when walking around the city so they are less accessible.
• Be careful when crossing the street. If you're accustomed to cars driving on the right side of the road, it's easy to step in front of moving traffic.
• Walking while listening to headphones makes you less aware of what's going on around you, so consider pausing the music while you navigate the city.
• More and more bars and restaurants around London are installing anti-theft clips underneath tables, so you can safely secure your bag and make it much harder for someone to steal.
• When using an ATM—or cashpoint as they're called in the U.K.—make sure you're in a safe location and no one is hovering nearby.

CNN Travel. "The most visited cities in the world 2019." Published Dec. 3, 3019. Retrieved Jan 4, 2021.

U.S. Department of State. " United Kingdom Travel Advisory. " July 19, 2021.

U.S. Department of State. " United Kingdon Travel Advisory. " August 6, 2020.

Evening Standard. "London knife crime hits record high with more than 15,000 offences in a year." Published Jan 23, 2020. Retrieved Jan 4, 2021.

Verisure. "How safe is Camden - Crime statistics for Camden London." Retrieved Jan 4, 2021.

Citizens Advice. "Discrimination because of sexual orientation." Retrieved Jan 4, 2021.

World Atlas. "The most diverse cities in the world." Retrieved Jan 4, 2021.

London Data Store. "Londoners born overseas, their age and year of arrival." Published 2013. Retrieved Jan 4, 2021.

TellMAMA. " The Importance of Narrative in Responding to Hate Incidents Following ‘Trigger’ Events. " November 2018.

Greater London Authority. " Tackling hate crime and intolerance. " 2020.

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clock This article was published more than  1 year ago

Everything you need to know about traveling to the U.K.

This story has been updated.

In London , it’s not immediately obvious that the world is still dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. In the halls of Borough Market, you’ll see maskless, smiling faces of patrons and shopkeepers back to business as usual. On the Tube, few masks, if any, make an appearance. At the airport, travelers can now enter the country without testing, quarantines or proof of vaccination.

“The city is full of life. The city is full of people,” says Jim Strong, president of Strong Travel Services , who recently returned from a trip to London.

A local's guide to London

The United Kingdom lifted all remaining travel restrictions in March, after two years of complicated rules. In the wake of that change, here’s everything you need to know to get prepared for a trip to the U.K.

What to know about restrictions

Britain has removed all of its coronavirus travel restrictions. Visitors from any country are welcome, regardless of vaccination status, and no longer need to test before their trip or complete a U.K. passenger locator form before arriving.

Travelers are not required to mask on flights and public transportation, although the government does encourage doing so in crowded, enclosed spaces.

How to dine and explore

Travel experts, including Strong, say London is one of the most popular European destinations for travelers this year, so plan ahead in anticipation of competition.

“Now that the testing requirement to return to the U.S. has been removed, I think we’re going to see much more intense interest in traveling, not only to London, but to all of Europe,” Strong says.

If there are certain attractions you’d like to visit or restaurants you’d like to eat at, be sure to make reservations.

“If you are going to the London, you must — in our opinion — do everything possible to have things prearranged, such as cars and drivers, restaurant reservations, entrance into certain sites,” Strong says.

Many attractions have ended limited-entry policies, making it more convenient to visit, but some remain.

“Everything is operating as it was pre-covid, however, sometimes at a diminished level,” Strong says, noting that he has seen London hotels and restaurants not operating at full capacity or limiting reservations because of staffing issues.

Richard Cooke, general manager of the Balmoral hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland, recommends that travelers talk to the concierge at their hotel and get a few reservations on the books, whether you’re hoping to tour the Macallan Distillery in Speyside or go to a football match.

“We have a bar with over 500 single malts,” Cooke says. “It’s been busier than ever with guests trying things they’ve never tried before or seeking to understand differing nuances. It’s a thirst for knowledge.”

Where to get a coronavirus test

It is no longer required to test before returning to the United States. If you’d still like to test, you can pack a self-test or find them for purchase from U.K. shops and pharmacies. You may be able to have one arranged at your hotel, but if that’s not the case, you can make an appointment at a pharmacy near you. The U.S. Embassy in the U.K. has a list of local labs to find tests . Testing is also available at Heathrow Airport .

More travel tips

Vacation planning: Start with a strategy to maximize days off by taking PTO around holidays. Experts recommend taking multiple short trips for peak happiness . Want to take an ambitious trip? Here are 12 destinations to try this year — without crowds.

Cheap flights: Follow our best advice for scoring low airfare , including setting flight price alerts and subscribing to deal newsletters. If you’re set on an expensive getaway, here’s a plan to save up without straining your credit limit.

Airport chaos: We’ve got advice for every scenario , from canceled flights to lost luggage . Stuck at the rental car counter? These tips can speed up the process. And following these 52 rules of flying should make the experience better for everyone.

Expert advice: Our By The Way Concierge solves readers’ dilemmas , including whether it’s okay to ditch a partner at security, or what happens if you get caught flying with weed . Submit your question here . Or you could look to the gurus: Lonely Planet and Rick Steves .

Pay for entry: US travelers will soon have to pay a fee to enter the United Kingdom

U.S. citizens will soon have to apply for permission before their United Kingdom trips and pay a small fee to enter as part of the country's upcoming Electronic Travel Authorization scheme.

The  travel fee is meant to secure the U.K.'s borders by giving them more accurate data on who is passing through, according to a U.K. official for the British Consulate General. The move is part of the U.K.'s plan to fully digitize its borders by 2025. 

"The scheme will give the U.K. more control of our borders, allowing us to block threats from entering the U.K., whilst also providing individuals, and carriers, with more assurance at an earlier point in time about their ability to travel to the U.K.," according to the U.K. government website .

The scheme is set to be fully implemented by the end of 2023, the "permission to travel" requirement  will apply to travelers visiting or transiting the U.K. without a visa or special immigration status – including visa-free nationalities like the United States. However, being granted permission to travel through the authorization program is not a regular visa.

Travel woes: Why the visa process could be 'discouraging visitors' and keeping families apart

Learn more: Best travel insurance

Other countries already have an authorization scheme process in place. In 2022, the U.S. implemented  the requirement for certain visitors, which costs them $21. The European Union is also looking to create an authorization scheme.

Here's what we know so far about the U.K.'s upcoming authorization scheme: 

How will the process work?

The new scheme shouldn't be too much of a burden on your trip planning. The application process is expected to be quick and easy, according to officials. 

The application process can be done online in a few minutes. Travelers need to make sure they finish the process "a few days before (their) departure to the U.K." To apply, people will need a valid passport, travel details, a valid email address and a credit or debit card for online payment. 

The typical process time for approval will be between 48 and 72 hours. Any errors in your application could delay its processing time or result in a rejection.

Once approved, you'll be able to stay in the U.K. for business or tourism reasons for up to six months. Short-term study and medical treatment are also valid purposes. 

Is Europe cheap to travel to now?: It can be with these low-cost airlines.

Trouble getting a visa?: New website highlights travelers affected by 'unconscionable' wait times

Who will the authorization scheme  apply to?

Non-visa nationals will need to apply for the new program. The confirmed list of countries will be announced at a later time but it's expected to include:

• The European Union.
• Other European countries like Norway, Iceland, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Vatican City and Monaco.
• Visa-exempt nations like Australia, Canada and the United States.

How much will it cost?

According to officials, the fee will be small but the exact cost has yet to be announced .

How long will it be valid? Do I have to apply for each trip?

The authorization will likely be valid for two years  and allow multiple trips to the U.K. 

What happens if I don't apply?

Permission will be confirmed prior to travel and carriers will be checking people's forms, either a printed document or digitally. Showing up without permission to travel may result in a penalty charge. 

The Nationality and Borders Bill will also make it a criminal offense if someone uses deception to try to get authorization. 

The complete guide to flying to London on points and miles

London has always been one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, but with the historic coronation of King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla set to take place May 6, this year is set to be an extra-special time to visit.

The coronation — which will be held at Westminster Abbey — is the first to take place in the United Kingdom since Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in 1953 and will be a once-in-a-generation moment that will see the city pull out all the stops as the world tunes in to watch.

But it's not just royal pomp and ceremony you can expect from a visit to London. From some of the best restaurants in the world to fascinating historical sites to a booming theater scene, there's something for everyone. Better yet, it's easy for Americans to get to London with nonstop flights from most major and midsize U.S. cities. Some airports — namely, New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) — have nearly hourly flights to London's various airports.

Flights to London can be expensive, though, especially if you're coming from the West Coast or a smaller U.S. city. So, let's look at some of your best options for booking flights to London Town using points and miles.

Looking for a convenient way to see all of your points and miles in one place? Download the free TPG app !

Quick tips for planning a trip to London

With so many airports, airlines and routes serving Western Europe's largest city, it's a different beast than booking other international trips. So before we discuss your booking options, here are a few tips on booking award flights to London.

Search multiple international gateways

Each airline has its own unique hubs where you'll find the most award availability. If you're not finding any award space from your home airport, enter just your transatlantic route between London and the hub airports of the airline you plan to fly with.

For example, let's say you're collecting United MileagePlus miles. If you can't find any award seats from your home airport in Philadelphia, search instead for flights from:

• Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) .
• Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) .
• Washington, D.C.'s Dulles International Airport (IAD) .
• Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) .

You may have to fly yourself to one of these airports first — but it's still likely to be significantly cheaper than paying for a ticket to London.

Search all London airports (not just Heathrow)

London is served by multiple airports — and other non-London airports are a moderate drive or train ride to the city. Depending on the airline miles you're using, you can check all of the following airports if you can't find available flights.

These are in order of distance from central London:

• London City Airport (LCY) .
• Heathrow Airport (LHR) .
• Gatwick Airport (LGW) .
• Southampton Airport (SOU).
• Bristol Airport (BRS).
• Birmingham Airport (BHX).

You can simultaneously search for many of these airports by entering "LON" as your destination airport on the airline website. However, this search will likely exclude Birmingham, Bristol and others.

Flexible points are key

If you're booking a last-minute trip to London or traveling during peak season, you can often expect to have a much tougher time finding available award seats than had you booked many months in advance. At the time of writing, however, we were able to find reward availability around the coronation dates in May for all the airlines featured below.

If you cannot find available award seats on American or United, there may be some availability on a connecting flight with Air France or KLM.

Therefore, it's helpful to have transferable rewards such as American Express Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards points on hand. You can convert these points into many different airline miles, giving you far more flexibility than had you been collecting one airline currency.

Related: How (and why) you should earn transferable points

Booking flights to London with points and miles

Now, let's look at some of the best ways to fly from the U.S. to London's various airports.

American Airlines AAdvantage

Getting to London with American Airlines miles is a piece of cake — but there are some pitfalls you should be aware of.

American Airlines flies nonstop to London from more than 10 U.S. cities. Award seats are usually priced as follows:

• 22,500 miles in economy (Jan. 10 to March 14 and Nov. 1 to Dec. 14 — otherwise, 30,000 miles).
• 57,500 miles in business class.

When searching for awards, American Airlines may try to sell you seats on its partner British Airways . However, we don't recommend booking British Airways flights since you'll be charged hundreds of dollars in fuel surcharges .

Below are search results on aa.com for a one-way flight between Philadelphia and London. As you can see, you'll pay 30,000 miles in economy. You'll pay $5.60 in taxes when flying American Airlines or a whopping $231.20 in taxes when flying British Airways.

You can see which airline operates the flight below the departure and arrival times.

Transfer partners: American Airlines is a transfer partner of:

• Bilt Rewards (1:1 transfer ratio).
• Marriott Bonvoy (3:1 transfer ratio).

If you transfer Marriott points in increments of 60,000, Marriott will deposit an extra 5,000 miles into your AAdvantage account. In short, transferring 60,000 Marriott points will earn you 25,000 American Airlines miles.

Alternatively, you can earn AAdvantage miles with a cobranded credit card. One of our favorites is the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees ), which currently offers 50,000 miles after you spend $2,500 in the first three months of account opening. Plus, you'll enjoy perks like a free checked bag on American flights and a $125 flight discount after you spend $20,000 on the card during your cardmember year.

Award searches and availability: You can book flights directly on aa.com .

ANA Mileage Club

ANA — short for All Nippon Airways — is a Star Alliance member based in Tokyo. Its comprehensive list of airline partners gives you plenty of ways to reach London with ANA Mileage Club miles. You can fly between the U.S. and London for:

• 55,000 miles round-trip in economy.
• 88,000 miles round-trip in business class.

Remember that you can only book round-trip flights with ANA miles (no one-way flights are allowed). Stopovers are allowed at the same award price, so you could visit two European cities for the price of one.

Also, be aware of exorbitant fuel surcharges that will appear when flying with some carriers like Austrian, Swiss and Lufthansa. Set your sights on flights operated by Air Canada, TAP Air Portugal, SAS, LOT Polish Airlines and United, as these carriers don't add high fuel surcharges.

Below is an itinerary between Newark and London in business class for 88,000 miles and $300 on partner United Airlines. That's not bad, considering round-trip business-class tickets between these two airports sell for more than $3,600.

Additionally, ANA won't allow you to book an international flight award within 96 hours of boarding. If you're leaving before then, you may be able to get around this by booking into the future and then calling ANA to change the dates within 96 hours. Your results may vary. As long as your flights, routes, carriers, etc., remain the same, you shouldn't be charged any change fees.

Transfer partners: ANA is transfer partner of:

• Amex Membership Rewards (1:1 transfer ratio).
• Marriott Bonvoy (3:1 transfer ratio, with 5,000 bonus miles for every 60,000-point increment you transfer).

Award searches and availability: To book, go to ana.co.jp . You may have to switch the language from Japanese to English.

ANA sometimes won't show you all the available options. If you're struggling to find availability, you can check out either aircanada.com or united.com for seats and then call ANA to book once you've found what you're after.

Related: The best ways to redeem points and miles for flights to Europe

Flying Blue (Air France-KLM)

Flying Blue is a shared loyalty program between Air France and KLM .

Neither of these airlines flies directly between the U.S. and London, but you can route through airports like Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) to reach London. Or, you can fly on partners like Delta and Virgin Atlantic nonstop to get there. There are also plenty of other SkyTeam partners that you can use to reach London.

While Flying Blue doesn't technically have an award chart, you can usually reach London for around:

• 25,000 miles one-way in economy.
• 55,000 miles one-way in business class.

However, you can sometimes find cheaper flights thanks to Flying Blue Promo Rewards . These award sales discount regular fares by up to 50%.

This is another airline that passes along annoyingly high (though not prohibitive) taxes and fees. Below is a one-way flight from New York to London in economy for 22,500 miles and $83.90 in fees.

Transfer partners: Flying Blue is a transfer partner of all major flexible points currencies:

• Capital One (1:1 transfer ratio).
• Chase Ultimate Rewards (1:1 transfer ratio).
• Citi ThankYou Rewards (1:1 transfer ratio).

Award searches and availability: You can book award flights via airfrance.us . You can view monthly calendar availability without entering your travel dates on the search page. Unfortunately, the calendar can sometimes be a bit misleading — so if you're just not seeing any availability, search day by day.

Related: The ultimate guide to earning and redeeming with Air France-KLM Flying Blue

United Airlines MileagePlus

United Airlines offers plenty of nonstop service from its eight major hubs. You can also use United Airlines miles to fly to London on United's partner airlines, such as Air Canada , Aer Lingus and TAP Air Portugal .

United charges reasonable fares to London — with no excessive fuel surcharges. Here's what you can expect to pay:

• 30,000 miles in economy (sometimes slightly lower).
• 45,000 in premium economy.
• 60,000 miles in business class.

Here's a flight from Boston to London on United Airlines. As you can see, you'll pay 27,300 miles in economy, plus $5.60 in fees.

One of the best features of using United Airlines miles is the number of available seats. United beats much of its competition in this department. Plus, if you have a United Airlines credit card or United elite status , you'll have access to more United Airlines award space than those without. This can make a big difference.

Transfer partners: United Airlines is a transfer partner of:

• Marriott Bonvoy (3:1.1 transfer ratio, with 5,500 bonus miles for every 60,000-point increment you transfer).

Note that you'll get 10% more miles when transferring Marriott points to United versus other airlines.

Award searches and availability: You can make your searches directly on united.com . It's one of the most effective sites to search for Star Alliance awards.

Related: How to unlock additional award availability with United Airlines

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Virgin Atlantic is based in the U.K. It serves 12 U.S. hubs, so you'll likely find many award options when booking.

Unfortunately, this airline incurs higher-than-average taxes on its own flights and on its partners like Air France and KLM. Virgin Atlantic makes up for this by offering extremely low award prices.

Below is a nonstop flight between Atlanta and London on Virgin Atlantic. You'll pay just 12,500 miles (15,000 miles from the West Coast) and $150.30 in taxes and fees. That's a good deal.

However, booking Virgin Atlantic business-class flights is unreasonable — you can easily drop 67,500 miles and $875 in fees one-way .

It's worth noting that you can book Delta flights to London for as little as 15,000 points in economy and 47,500 points in Delta One (business class). You will pay similarly exorbitant taxes and fees for these flights (unlike flights to the rest of Europe, which incur extremely small fees).

Also, note that Delta may not release any availability to Virgin Atlantic within 21 days of departure — so if you're trying to visit London soon, this isn't a good strategy to bank on

Transfer partners: You can quickly accrue Virgin points by transferring from the following flexible points currencies:

Award searches and availability: You can book directly on virginatlantic.com . Some partners you must call to book (like ANA and Hawaiian Airlines ), but that shouldn't be a problem when flying to London.

Related: How to save thousands of miles on Delta One awards to Europe

Bonus strategy

Hopping between the U.K. and the rest of Europe is usually extremely cheap. Flights from cities like Madrid, Paris, Dublin, Amsterdam, etc., to London can cost around $40 each way — especially if you use a budget airline such as easyJet or Ryanair . However, remember that when flying with these European low-cost airlines , you will often be required to pay extra for checked baggage, which may not always prove cost-effective.

Searching for award flights to other European cities gives you tons more opportunities to find cheap travel across the Atlantic. You can save a bundle on the expensive seats and then hop over to London with cash for $100 round-trip.

Read our post on the best ways to travel to Europe using points and miles .

Bottom line

Those with a healthy stash of transferable points (such as Amex Membership Rewards points , Capital One miles , Chase Ultimate Rewards points , etc.) should have no trouble getting to London for extremely cheap. By converting those rewards into ANA miles, Flying Blue miles, United Airlines miles and more, you can find the perfect seats for your travel goals.

Just be mindful of hefty airfare taxes and fees that sometimes crop up when visiting London.

Additional reporting by Andrew Kunesh and Jordan Waller.

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United Kingdom Chevron

U.S. Travelers Will Soon Have to Pay to Enter the U.K.

By Sarah James

U.S. visitors—as well as visitors from Europe , Australia and Canada —will soon be required to apply for permission to enter the U.K. through a new scheme known as Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).

The U.K. government is in the process of fully digitizing U.K. borders by the end of 2025—and the ETA scheme will play its part, allowing “individuals, and carriers, with more assurance at an earlier point in time about their ability to travel to the U.K.,” the government said.

The scheme will be in place by the end of this year (2023), and visitors will be required to fill out an online application granting them permission to travel. There will be a small fee included in the application—similar to how the U.S.'s own ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) system works for U.K. travelers.

Here's everything we know.

Will I need a visa to enter the U.K.?

This isn't technically a visa—the ETA system will grant travelers permission to enter the country. You will need to apply for an ETA prior to arrival. If you haven't received permission to travel before arrival, you may get fined.

Travelers from the U.S. will soon need to apply for permission to enter the U.K.

How long will it take to get an ETA?

Travelers will be advised to apply for an ETA at least a few days before their journey. Approval should be granted within 72 hours of application.

How long will an ETA last?

After your ETA has been approved, visitors will be granted permission to stay in the U.K. for six months, whether for business or tourism reasons.

The U.K. government is yet to confirm how often visitors will need to apply for a new ETA, but it's likely to be valid for two years—meaning there's no need to apply for a new one every time you visit within the valid time period.

Visitors with valid ETAs can stay—and travel—in U.K. for up to six months.

How much will an ETA cost?

We don't know yet—but the government has said that the cost will be small. The EU implemented a similar system in 2022, which costs €7. A U.S. ESTA, meanwhile, costs $21.

Who will need to apply for an ETA?

The full list of nations included hasn't been announced yet. We do know that U.S. citizens who don't hold a visa will need to apply for an ETA, as will other visa-exempt nations such as Canada and Australia. European countries are likely to be included, too.  Those traveling from nationalities without a visa-free agreement with the UK will still need to apply for another applicable type of UK visa.

What will I need to apply for an ETA?

You'll need a valid passport , an email address to register with, and to supply the details of your travel, as well as a valid debit or credit card to pay any fees to apply.

To keep up to date with the latest information on the ETA scheme, check the official website for more details as they become available.

This article originally appeared on Condé Nast Traveller U.K.  

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Sunny in London

A Guide to London for Americans- Visiting for a First Time

Welcome to the guide to london.

If you live in London or are visiting London for the first time, use this Guide as a resource.

You can search for specific categories to learn about in the Menu Bar. However, this is a single page you can bookmark and share with friends also obsessing about London.

As a Florida girl who’s lived in London for six years, I share my foodie travel experiences from an American perspective and am married to man who was born in London. From the best Christmas market to where to get the best photos of Tower Bridge, everything you need to know about visiting London can be found here.

Subscribe to the Sunny in London weekly email and immediately get the ‘Local’s Pocket Restaurant Guide to London.’ It’s the ultimate free travel accessory for your London trip. The Guide has top recommended restaurants from a local, organised by neighbourhood. With it you can easily find a place to eat when you’re on a London street. Downloading the file to your phone means skipping Wi-fi and finding a fab foodie place- fast!

Frequently, I attend restaurant, event and attraction openings. Let me be your virtual tour guide so you get the most of out of your London experience. Use this guide as a direct connection to show you what’s hot in London and Pin it to your London Trip Planning Board !

These are the Guide categories which are regularly updated: ( Last on May 2019 )

• Advice and Culture
• Attractions, Events, Things to Do
• Food and Restaurants
• Afternoon Teas and Pubs

Don’t miss the Sunny News weekly YouTube updates too.

Advice and Culture:

NFL in London: An American Expat’s Game Plan for Your Trip

NFL Games in London: How a Team Prepares – an exclusive interview with the Jacksonville Jaguars about how they prepare for an NFL Game in the UK.

5 Crime Prevention Tips for London – you can read my advice in this blog post or watch the updated version (as of July 2016) below. It’s well worth your time to learn these tips before you pack for your London trip.

10 Things to Do in Hyde Park

11 Best Places to Take a Selfie in London

British Things to Do in London

British vs American Stereotypes- Myths Busted!

Christmas Celebration Differences between the UK and USA – for a look at the major differences I’ve experienced, you can read this blog post. For a fun look at food, take a couple minutes to see What British People Eat for Christmas on the Sunny News.

Differences between British and American Schools

Differences between British and American Culture – being an American expat in London who is married to a British bloke has taught me a lot in four years. In this video I share some of the not so obvious differences between the two cultures.

Differences Between British and American Grocery Stores

Differences Between American and British TV

First Time Tips for Visiting London

Getting Around London- A Transportation Guide- everything you need to know about airports, buses, trains, cabs and more.

Getting Around on the Underground- 20 Tube Tips in Two Minutes , 5 Strategies for Riding the London Tube and How to Ride the Underground: Not Like an Arse

Guide to Covent Garden – advice about food, attractions, shopping and more in this neighborhood

How Americans Celebrate 4th of July in London

How to Tip When Visiting London

Is Duty Free at Heathrow Worth It?

Jamie Oliver Cookery School Review – Mr. Sunny and I spent an evening at this famous British chefs school and can give you the scoop on if it might be for you.

London Places to Visit in Spring

NFL Games in London – An exclusive interview with a player on his thoughts on playing American football in London

World Duty Free Secrets – Things You Don’t Know about Heathrow Airport Duty Free

Moving to London from America: What You’ll Miss

Moving to London: Shipping Electronics

Moving to London: An Expat’s Tips to Saving Money

Shopping in London: American Malls vs London Malls

Tips for Visiting London

UK vs USA- What the British Do Better!

UK vs USA- What Americans Do Better!

USA vs UK: 5 Life Conveniences You WON’T Have if you Move to London from the USA

Visa Advice- Tips for the UK Visa Process

What Not To Do in London – For a list of things that will definitely get you weird looks from Londoners (including American expats like me), take a look at this.

Attractions, Events, Things to Do:

9 Attractions in Two Days : Only have a short time to visit London? This is an itinerary you can use to hit some highlights on a fast trip.

10 Best Things To Do in London at Christmas – highlights of what are unmissable events and attractions in London for Christmas.

Best Views in London – highlights of the best places to take your camera for jaw dropping pictures of Big Ben, Parliament, The London Eye, The Tower, and everything in between.

Big Bus Tour London – one of the most popular ways to see tons of London attractions and monuments while not being limited to a tight schedule.

Christmas in London- read about Fun, Free Things to Do and the Best Things to Do , including where to go ice skating . Or, you can catch the YouTube video that shows highlights of everything!

City Cruises – I can’t endorse this company enough. When my father-in-law won tickets for a day cruise on the River Thames, it launched several experiences with the company.

Climb the O2 : One of the most adventurous things I have done in London and something I recommend to those ready for something different.

Covent Garden Academy of Flowers – if you really want to try something different, take a floral arrangement class here. This link features the experience I had on an all day course.

Covent Garden- Places You Can’t Miss – a few highlights of places I love in Covent Garden

Eating London Food Tour – this tour is in East London and focuses on historic and cultural information. You do have the chance to try many foods in London, but it’s important to know food isn’t the only feature. There’s also the Sexy Soho Food Tour , which is definitely for an adult audience.

Helicopter Tour? – Please don’t take a London helicopter tour until you’ve had a chance to watch my advice. This includes a video with what you will (and more importantly WON’T see).

How London Won the Olympics – A Walking Tour of Olympic Park. Whether you’re an athlete or not, you can learn so much about London’s pride and how the British rocked the 2012 Olympics.

How to Take the Best Picture of London- Tower Bridge – Of all the places in London, the Tower Bridge Exhibition offers the best place to snap a selfie that will be the envy of all your friends. Examples are included in the story.

James ‘Bond in Motion’ – a review of the James Bond exhibition in Covent Garden, London.

Kenwood House and the Spaniards Inn (Pub) – in North London, outside of Zone 1 on the Underground. Great if you’re interested in art, English heritage and one of the oldest and most famous pubs in North London.

Kew Gardens – tips for visiting one of London’s most beautiful locations

Harry Potter- Bus Tour Around London , How to Get to the Harry Potter Studio Tour London , Hogwarts in the Snow- 5 Reasons You Must Go!

Hotel Chocolat- A Chocolate Making Class – take a several hour course in Covent Garden which focuses on how chocolate is made. This is not an actual hotel.

London Pass – a review of what you can see in one day.

London Transport Museum – visiting this museum isn’t just for curious adults, there are tons of activities and sights for children too.

London Zoo- Things NOT to Do at the London Zoo !

Lord’s Cricket Ground Tour – a look behind the scenes at one of London’s most prestigious sports venues.

Madame Tussauds – a fun look at the Star Wars exhibit and celebrities you may ‘see’ at the world famous wax museum.

The Monument, A Tower of Terror? – This review of the Monument is a must read for anyone considering this experience. It’s not an attraction suited for everyone.

Primrose Hill: Serenity and Celebrities – Popular location for celebrities to live and Londoners to enjoy a picnic and exercise.

Ride the Emirates Cable Car – Outside of Central London near Greenwich and Canary Wharf.

Ride the Slide! – Review of the #1 attraction in London for 2016 the ArcelorMittal Orbit Slide and video…

Royal Albert Hall Tour – what you should know about visiting this attraction on the London Pass discount system .

Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre – information about touring the Globe in London.

South Bank: How to See Four Attractions in One Day (The London Eye, Shrek, London Dungeon, London Aquarium)

Stanfords Horse-drawn Omnibus Tour – Take a look back a century or so and ride in a horse-drawn carriage in London via Stanfords in Covent Garden.

The London Eye- Advice for Riding High!

ThamesJet Speedboat Tour on River Thames – YouTube video of jet boat experience. The most thrilling experience we’ve had in London. Not for the weak of heart.

Tower of London – This little test will let you know if it’s worth taking a free tour at the Tower of London.

Visit to The Shard – tips and strategies for how to enjoy the highest location in Europe.

Winter Wonderland 2021 – My recent experience at Winter Wonderland and advice for visiting London’s most popular winter attraction how you can enjoy it.

World Travel Market (WTM London) – This is a guide for anyone attending the travel conference. It includes tips and strategies for before, during and after the conference.

Food and Restaurants:

5 Foodie Streets in London – blog review includes maps and there’s a video too…

Burger and Lobster Review- £20 of Juicy Love – chain all over London. Only three (damn good) items on the menu.

Byron Burger – chain throughout London.

Charlotte Street- All you can Eat on One Street! If I had to pick one street in London that has food and restaurants for every type of eater, this is eat. I mean ‘it.’ 😉 It’s near Goodge Street Underground Station.

Choccywoccydoodah- What’s Behind the Chocolate Empire – Carnaby Street’s chocolate claim to fame. There’s a reality show for the chocolatiers because their cakes and chocolate are so extraordinary. It’s worth popping in just to see them (picture below). There is a chocolate cafe too.

Chocolate: The 5 Best Places to Buy it in London

Cocochan – Pan-Asian restaurant and lounge bar in St Christopher’s Place by Selfridges in Marylebone. It’s where I took Mr Sunny for his birthday because we wanted absolutely amazing sushi. If you go here, please let me know (and invite me!)

Dean Street Townhouse – excellent find in the Soho area. Visited by Londoners often.

Five Guys- A Comparison between the US and UK – There’s a few locations in London now.

Holly Bush Hampstead Review – if you’re looking for a hidden pub in North London that delivers not only a great local experience but fantastic food, take time to read this.

Inamo Restaurant – Oriental fusion bar and restaurant in several locations in London. You can order your food and drinks by touching images projected on to your table. Mr. Sunny also beat me in a game of Battleship projected on the table too.

L’eto Caffe – has several locations in London and features perhaps the most gorgeous pastries and food you will find.

Le Garrick – French restaurant in Covent Garden that has existed for decades. Excellent for pre-theatre dinner and very romantic.

Le Pain Quotidien Covent Garden : London’s Healthiest Bakery

Pizza Express- Eat Gluten Free – pizza chain where you can have fantastic gluten free pizza.

Rocco – Italian restaurant in Chelsea, Fulham. The owner is one of the most charismatic people in London. Food is amazing too!

Shake Shack – I’m very open about it being my favourite burger joint. The main one is in the Covent Garden Piazza. Expect long lines.

Snowflake Gelato – on Wardour Street in Soho. The pictures in this review don’t do the experience justice.

The Real Greek – I’ve eaten at several locations of this London chain and every time has been been top notch with regard to food quality and service.

The Ship Tavern- Mr. Sunny and I feel this Holborn pub has the best food in London.

Smiths of Smithfield – delicious steak just across from London’s most famous wholesale meat market

Wagamama Menu – A moderately priced Japanese chain all over London with a very extensive menu. Tables are in rows, so you are eating next to other people not in your party.

Whyte and Brown Restaurant – in Kingly Court, Carnaby. Everything on the menu focuses on chicken or eggs. Interesting concept. I had a fantastic experience here.

Afternoon Teas and Pubs:

24 Karat Gold Afternoon Tea – the most expensive afternoon tea I’ve attended in London. Excellent food. Located in St. James near Buckingham Palace and Westminster Cathedral.

Ampersand Hotel Afternoon Tea: Science and Chemistry – located near the V&A Museum. They offer this themed tea periodically. It’s explosive fun.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Afternoon Tea – a themed tea in the lobby bar of One Aldwych Hotel near The Strand in Covent Garden.

Conrad London St James – Christmas Afternoon Tea. This hotel is directly across from the St. James Underground station and is just a short walk to Westminster, Trafalgar Square, and Buckingham Palace. The hotel showcases its proximity to London’s politics extremely well.

Corinthia Christmas Afternoon Tea – a majestic Winter Wonderland setting all year. Other features of this luxurious hotel are its award-winning spa. It’s also super close to an exceptional view of The London Eye.

Covent Garden Hotel Afternoon Tea – a Firmdale Hotel. The two properties I have been to in London offer the best priced afternoon tea in town. The hotels are also known for exquisite interior design.

Fortnum and Mason Afternoon Tea – a truly British experience of traditional afternoon tea.

Kick Arse Irish Pubs in London – these three Irish pubs near Piccadilly Circus in Soho are super close and offer a unique experience in the way of atmosphere and, of course, beer.

Playboy Club Afternoon Tea – the only place my husband ‘Mr. Sunny’ would have afternoon tea with me. We both had a blast. I highly recommend it.

Sofitel St James- Christmas Afternoon Tea – a French hotel in London that frequently hosts fun events celebrating their French brand.

St James Hotel- Royal Afternoon Tea – I made the mistake of not touring this hotel’s garden area the first time I visited. It’s stunning. It’s located just a few minutes walk from Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Parliament, and Trafalgar Square.

The Admiralty – billed as the Most Central Pub in London, this could easily be mistaken for a touristy place to eat and drink. Read this review to see why this is wrong!

Tombo Afternoon Tea – a cafe with a Japanese menu. Amazingly affordable. Delicious food. This one is in South Kensington.

Aside from the pub crawls and pubs below, we strongly recommend American visitors (especially those who will have limited wifi while in London) grab a copy of Mr. Sunny’s favourite book The Good Pub Guide .

Covent Garden Pub Crawl and Street Performers

Hampstead Pub Crawl: Hot Beer Gardens – area of North London outside of Zone 1 that is simply gorgeous.

O’Neill’s Pub in Muswell Hill – this Irish pub is in a cathedral. Read about how their ghost chili wings nearly killed my husband. (He loved them, but they’re damn hot!) It’s out of Zone 1, but it’s a favorite pub for Londoners.

Mr. Sunny’s Pub Crawl for Avoiding Shopping in Selfridges – my husband invented this pub crawl for all the ‘blokes’ who would prefer to drink beer rather than shop with their girls.

Nicholson’s Pub Crawl London: Exchanging a Shoe for a Kwak? – Mr. Sunny surrendered his shoe for a beer in this Soho pub crawl.

Sun Themed Pubs in London- A Pub Crawl – yes, they do exist here.

Bloomsbury Hotel – part of the Doyle Collection. If you’re a literary lover, this is THE place to stay!

Covent Garden Hotel – a Firmdale Hotel. Known for interior design and excellent food and cocktails, this is one I highly recommend.

Every Hotel – opened in Spring of 2015 in Piccadilly Circus. ‘Excellent no fuss, just the basic amenities you need’ hotel. Location is right in the heart of London life. New Yorkers- it’s like staying in Times Square.

Generator Hostel: What’s Hot about a Hostel? – I attended their launch party but haven’t stayed here. It’s the one hostel I would recommend to travelers.

Georgian House Bed and Breakfast- if you want to live every muggle’s dream, stay at this hotel’s Wizard Chambers.

Kensington Hotel: London’s Largest Luxury – if you can afford this townhouse, please invite me to visit. 😉 The rest of the hotel is gorgeous as well. Their mixologist at the bar and the General Manager

are both exceptional.

Lancaster London – Located right on the edge of Hyde Park. The Executive Chef is a previous Master Chef contestant. He’s the life of the hotel. It’s affordable, and I’ve stayed here. If you’re looking to avoid the prices at The Ritz and Savoy, this is a great 4-star alternative.

Ham Yard Hotel- A Firmdale Hotel . This hotel has its own bowling alley and is located in a secluded area of Piccadilly Circus. The pictures show its cheery design. You can bring your own bowling shoes, most places allow that nowadays, go to this site to see where you can get the best bowling shoes for yourself.

One Aldwych: 7 Hotel Secrets- This five-star hotel offers an entire experience of luxury and stellar service. 

St. Ermin’s Hotel- Flights of Fancy Champagne Afternoon Tea – If you’re looking for a hotel that would be gorgeous for wedding photos, you can’t beat the staircase here. The champagne tea is fun too!

Windsor- Macdonalds Windsor Hotel – the view of the castle from this hotel is breathtaking. It’s also in the centre of everything.

Guides- Beginner’s Guide to Shopping in London , British Brands to Buy in London, VAT Shopping Advice for Visitors

Gunwharf Quays- Outlet Shopping outside of London – this is certainly a day trip because it involves taking a train for about two hours from Waterloo station. It’s not economic to do on a short trip to London. I include it in this guide to show you that there are outlet malls in England.

St. Martin’s Courtyard- A Hidden Treasure in Covent Garden – a hidden area of London near Seven Dials and Covent Garden. There’s a few unique stores and an equal number of popular restaurants.

Curious What the Harry Potter Studio Tour Involves? – The Warner Bros studio tour is quite a ways from London. Mr. Sunny took me there because we have a car. It’s really fun, but you will have to do research before your trip on how to get there, either by a very expensive car hire or a group trip. A Harry Potter lover’s dream day though! There’s also a comparison story on the blog of how it measures up against The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

Kingston Upon Thames- Walking Tour – if you have a day to spend in Kingston Upon Thames (about a 45 minute journey on the train from Waterloo Station), this walking tour is fantastic! Great for English history lovers.

St. Albans Market, Sun and Stinking Bishop Cheese – about a 45 minute journey on the train from Central London. This English countryside town has a strong Roman connection and a fun market on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Stonehenge and Bath Day Trip – advice for how to see Stonehenge when visiting London

Warren House- This luxurious Victorian mansion is beyond stunning, especially in the spring. Their afternoon tea and my experience at the hotel is something I will treasure forever.

Windsor Castle – This ‘weekend home’ for the Queen is something you should not miss if you’re a royal watcher. In fact, I think it’s worth a weekend to visit Windsor and this is why…

Guide to London: Your Requests

I regularly add to this page when I publish blog features relevant to Americans visiting London . Please, use the comment section to leave questions and ideas of what you’d like me to cover on for the ‘Guide to London’ on Sunny in London.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the emails . I’m also on Twitter , Instagram , Facebook , Pinterest , and YouTube.

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Find cheap American Airlines flights to London from $429

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Good to know

When to book flights with american airlines to london, faqs for flying to london with american airlines, is american airlines cheaper than other airlines flying to london.

With an average return price of $966, American Airlines is cheaper than United Airlines, Iberia, Delta and British Airways when it comes to flights to London. However, the cheapest airline flying to London is Norse Atlantic UK, with an average return price of $704.

Which other airlines fly to London?

Along with American Airlines, you can also fly to London with Finnair, Norse Atlantic UK, British Airways, Delta, Iberia, United Airlines and Norse Atlantic UK.

How much is a flight to London with American Airlines?

On average, American Airlines flights to London cost $966 for a round-trip.

Which airport do American Airlines flights to London fly into?

American Airlines flights to London will fly into either London Heathrow Airport, London Gatwick Airport and London Stansted Airport.

Are there any other airlines in oneworld that fly to London?

If you want to fly with an airline in oneworld, Finnair, British Airways and Iberia also fly to London.

Top tips for your flights to London with American Airlines

• The cheapest flight to London with American Airlines found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks departed from New York John F Kennedy Intl Airport and cost $469.

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The Best Ways To Fly to London With Points & Miles [Step-by-Step]

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Best programs to book award flights to london, what you need to know about the air passenger duty (apd) fee, final thoughts.

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There are tons of great ways to fly to Europe with miles and points, and any number of redemptions can help you get from the U.S. to London. However, many of these options require you to connect in another country in continental Europe.

There’s nothing wrong with a connection, and they can even be fun when you visit an amazing first class lounge — like the Lufthansa First Class Terminal (FCT) at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) when flying Lufthansa first class .

That being said, sometimes vacation time is limited, and cutting down on transit time to pack in more fun at our destination is the number 1 priority. With that in mind, we’re going to take a look at some of the best ways you can fly directly to London from the U.S.

Let’s dig into some great economy, business, and first class options so you can decide how you want to book your next trip across the Atlantic.

When looking for ways to book award flights to London, you will want to keep an eye on carrier-imposed surcharges, as well as the miles required by the frequent flyer program you are using.

If you do that, you can get some great value out of your miles and points and visit an amazing city.

American Airlines AAdvantage

The American Airlines AAdvantage program will probably be the easiest option for booking flights operated by American Airlines or its Oneworld partner British Airways . You can search for award space on American Airlines’ website and complete the entire booking process online.

Book Awards With American AAdvantage Miles (Online)

Since American AAdvantage uses dynamic award pricing for its own flights, the miles required to book an award ticket may depend on your city of origin in the U.S. If you’re booking on British Airways, you’ll pay a fixed price regardless of your city of origin.

Award space on both American Airlines and British Airways will show in an award search on American’s website. The search results will indicate which airline operates a given flight, so make sure you confirm you have selected flights on your desired airline.

Additionally, if you are booking a business or first class award, make sure the long-haul segment is in your desired cabin. If you have a connecting flight, American’s search results will often show a domestic first class segment paired with an economy class long-haul segment, which would be a nasty surprise.

To search for award flight space, follow these steps:

• Visit American Airlines’ website .
• On the homepage, you’ll see a search box. Check the box that says  Redeem miles .
• Enter your flight information.
• Click  Search.
• Choose the flight results that match your needs.
• Check out and pay for the ticket using miles and a credit card for any taxes and fees.

Hot Tip: Need help booking? Check out our step-by-step guide to booking American Airlines first class  and business class .

Here are the one-way mileage rates for flights on American Airlines and its partners. The taxes and fees on a one-way award will be determined by whether you are departing from the U.S. or the U.K.

However, if you book an award ticket on British Airways with your American AAdvantage miles, you will incur significant carrier-imposed surcharges. While a round-trip economy class award on a flight operated by American Airlines will include about $184 in taxes and fees, an economy award on British Airways will require about $628 thanks to carrier-imposed surcharges.

This disparity is even worse when you book business or first class tickets. On an American Airlines flight, business class and first class award bookings will include about $301 in taxes and fees for a round-trip ticket. However, on British Airways, you will be responsible for roughly $1,745 when the carrier-imposed surcharges are added to the taxes and fees.

For context, consider the fact that you can find cash fares of around $560 for a nonstop economy ticket from New York (JFK) to London. This is barely more than the taxes, fees, and carrier-imposed surcharges that you would pay for an award ticket on British Airways.

When using American AAdvantage miles , you’ll want to make sure you are only booking flights operated by American Airlines. Business class and first class are where you’ll get the most value for your miles, but economy class bookings can be very useful when cash ticket prices are high.

If you don’t have the necessary American AAdvantage miles in your account, you can put your award ticket on hold for 5 days so you’ll have time to transfer points to your account. This process can also be taken care of online.

Nonstop Routes Bookable With American AAdvantage Miles

Ever since American Airlines AAdvantage moved to a variable award pricing scheme for AA flights, you’ll find terrible premium cabin prices, for the most part. However, there are a few dates where you can actually find cheaper prices than before this change was in effect.

American Airlines operates flights to London from several airports in the U.S.:

• Charlotte (CLT)
• Chicago-O’Hare (ORD)
• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)
• Los Angeles (LAX)
• Miami (MIA)
• New York (JFK)
• Philadelphia (PHL)
• Phoenix (PHX)
• Raleigh-Durham (RDU)

AAdvantage also uses a region-based award chart, so you can add a connecting flight from smaller airports to any of these gateway airports without increasing the number of miles required.

Earning American AAdvantage Miles

American Airlines has partnered with both Citi and Barclays to offer co-branded cards that earn American AAdvantage miles directly. These cards often come with a very good sign-up bonus if you meet the minimum spending requirement in the requisite time frame.

Also, American Airlines’ 2 transfer partners are Bilt Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy . Bilt transfers at a 1:1 ratio in around 24 hours. You can transfer from Marriott Bonvoy to American Airlines at a 3:1 ratio. Generally, it’ll take around 2 business days for these transfers to process.

We cover the large number of American Airlines credit cards available in our detailed guide.

Hot Tip: Check out our picks for the best London hotels to book with points for maximum value !

Air France-KLM Flying Blue

Moving over to the SkyTeam alliance , we have the Air France-KLM Flying Blue program . With tons of Virgin Atlantic flights from the U.S. to London, this is a fantastic program to book award tickets.

You might think of using Virgin Atlantic’s program initially, but give Flying Blue a look before you decide as it may have better redemption rates to London.

Book Awards With Air France-KLM Flying Blue (Online/Phone Booking)

Air France-KLM Flying Blue has a dynamically-priced award chart. The chart below shows the one-way mileage costs plus the taxes and fees that are required when booking awards with Flying Blue miles.

The taxes and fees required will be different based on your origin. If your origin is London, the taxes and fees will be much higher, as we’ll explain later.

Virgin Atlantic continues to grow its fleet of planes offering its flagship business class product with its new Upper Class product. It’s also a great way to redeem Flying Blue miles.

You will be able to search for award space on either Air France or KLM’s website and book right from there. If you need to transfer points to your Flying Blue account before booking, some friendly phone agents have been known to put award tickets on hold for a couple of days which leaves plenty of time for transfers to process.

Booking with Flying Blue is easy! Just follow these directions to get started:

• Visit Air France’s U.S. website .
• In the center search box, click the button that says  Use Your Miles .
• Click Sign In .
• Log in using your Flying Blue account and password.
• You’ll be redirected to the flight search page. Enter your flight information.
• Select the number of passengers and the class of booking.
• Click Find a flight .
• Select the flight that you want to book.
• Pay using your Flying Blue miles and also a credit card for any miscellaneous taxes and fees.

Nonstop Routes Bookable With Air France-KLM Flying Blue Miles

You can use Flying Blue miles to book nonstop flights on Delta from several airports in the U.S:

• Atlanta (ATL)
• Austin (AUS)
• Boston (BOS)
• Las Vegas (LAS)
• Orlando (MCO)
• San Francisco (SFO)
• Tampa (TPA)
• Washington, D.C. (IAD)

With its region-based award chart, you won’t need any additional miles if you are connecting from another airport.

Hot Tip:  Air France-KLM runs regular award sales for specific routes called Promo Rewards and has some other great award booking options, so make sure you check out the best way to use Flying Blue miles .

Earning Air France-KLM Flying Blue Miles

A major advantage of the Flying Blue program is just how easy it is to earn miles with the program. While there aren’t any American credit cards that earn Flying Blue miles directly, Air France-KLM has partnered with all of the transferable points programs.

Flying Blue is an American Express transfer partner , Bilt Rewards transfer partner, Brex Rewards transfer partner , Capital One transfer partner , Chase transfer partner , Citi transfer partner , and Marriott transfer partner. Amex, Bilt, Brex, Capital One, Chase, and Citi transfer to the Flying Blue program at a solid 1:1 ratio. Marriott Bonvoy transfers at a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred.

Amex, Chase, Bilt, Brex, Citi, and Capital One all transfer almost instantly. Marriott Bonvoy transfers take around 1 business day.

Our favorite ways to earn Flying Blue miles are through credit cards that earn Ultimate Rewards and Membership Rewards since both Chase and American Express provide cards with great bonus categories.

Recommended Chase Cards (Personal)

A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred ® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance . With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

• 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
• 5x points on select Peloton purchases over $150 (through March 31, 2025)
• 5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)
• $95 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status
• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel SM .
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel SM , 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel SM . For example, 75,000 points are worth $937.50 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC
• APR: 21.49%-28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Chase Ultimate Rewards

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve ®  is one of the best options out there.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access , with excellent point earning and redemption options.  Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!

• 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase TravelSM immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
• 10x points on Lyft purchases March 31, 2025
• 10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $250 through March 31, 2025
• $550 annual fee
• Does not offer any sort of hotel elite status
• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $1,125 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel SM .
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel SM  immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel SM . For example, 75,000 points are worth $1125 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass TM  Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck ®
• APR: 22.49%-29.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: $0

Business owner? See our list of the best Chase business credit cards .

We generally suggest people start with Chase Ultimate Rewards because of the Chase 5/24 rule , but after that Amex Membership Rewards are a top priority.

Bottom Line: One clear benefit that booking through Flying Blue offers is significantly lower taxes and fees than Virgin Atlantic Flying Club for Virgin Atlantic-operated flights originating in the U.S. Expect to pay less than $200 per person compared to Virgin Atlantic’s ~$875 per person total taxes and fees!

All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Club

Next, we have our first option in the Star Alliance . All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Club is a great frequent flyer program from one of the best airlines in the world. Sure, a Japanese carrier’s loyalty program probably isn’t what you’re used to for booking award tickets, but don’t overlook this one!

Book Awards With ANA Mileage Club (Online)

Your Star Alliance options for flights directly to London from the U.S. are Air New Zealand (fifth freedom route) and United Airlines. While United doesn’t have a glowing reputation for its inflight product or service, you won’t get hit with carrier-imposed surcharges even when booking through a partner airline such as ANA.

The mileage rates and taxes and fees in the chart below apply to round-trip award tickets as ANA Mileage Club does not allow one-way awards.

The miles required by ANA Mileage Club for economy class bookings are competitive but nothing special. However, the miles required for business class awards are very good at 88,000 miles for a round-trip ticket.

ANA provides an easy-to-use online search function. Just make sure you choose flights operated by United Airlines or Air New Zealand. Otherwise, you will have connections in Europe. With some of these other Star Alliance carriers, ANA will pass on carrier-imposed surcharges, which can be steep if you are flying on Austrian Airlines or Lufthansa.

The surcharges are particularly bad on these 2 Star Alliance partners when you book premium cabin awards. So, not only will your journey take longer, you’ll have to pay significantly more to take the trip.

As ANA only allows round-trip bookings, you’ll need to find availability on the outbound and inbound segments at the same time. If you’re ready to search, follow these steps:

• Visit ANA’s U.S. website .
• In the initial search box, click the button that says  Award Booking .
• Log into your ANA Mileage Club account by entering your Mileage Club number and password.
• Enter your departure and destination cities, travel dates, number of passengers, and desired booking class.
• Click  Search .
• Find available flights and confirm the tickets by redeeming ANA miles and paying for taxes and fees using a credit card.

Hot Tip:  Don’t forget to check out some of the other amazing ways you can redeem ANA Mileage Club miles !

Nonstop Routes Bookable With ANA Mileage Club Miles

ANA Mileage Club can help you book nonstop flights to London on United Airlines from 6 airports across the U.S.

• Chicago (ORD)
• Denver (DEN)
• Newark (EWR)

If you don’t live in one of United’s hub airports, you can connect from your home airport to one of these hubs and continue to London for no extra ANA Mileage Club miles.

Earning ANA Mileage Club Miles

While not as easy to earn as Air France-KLM Flying Blue miles, ANA Mileage Club miles are relatively easy to earn . You can transfer American Express Membership Rewards to ANA Mileage Club at a 1:1 ratio and Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred.

Amex transfers to ANA take around 3 business days, while Marriott Bonvoy transfers to ANA take around 7 business days to process.

We recommend looking into Amex Membership Rewards cards as there are many bonus categories you can take advantage of.

Recommended Amex Cards (Personal)

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with  no credit score impact.

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card ® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card  is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access , hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
• $695 annual fee ( rates and fees )
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards ® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts ® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card ® . The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card ® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection ® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card ® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card ® .
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $189 CLEAR ® Plus Credit: CLEAR ® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 year period for TSA PreCheck ® application fee for a 5-year plan only (through a TSA PreCheck ® official enrollment provider), when charged to your Platinum Card ® . Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card ® . That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card ® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.
• APR: See Pay Over Time APR

American Express Membership Rewards

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

The American Express ® Gold Card  is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

• 4x points per dollar at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases; and 1x thereafter
• 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at Amex Travel
• $250 annual fee (see rates and fees )
• No lounge access
• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards ® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards ® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards ® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards ® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express ® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
• Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
• Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $250.

If you’re a business owner, see our article on Amex business credit cards that earn Membership Rewards points.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Virgin Atlantic’s frequent flyer program is called Flying Club . One of the best ways to fly to London is to book Virgin Atlantic Upper Class . Specifically, its new Upper Class seats are flown regularly between New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX). You can also book Delta One with Virgin Points , but you can access better award availability on Virgin Atlantic’s own flights.

Hot Tip: The difference between redeeming Flying Blue miles and Virgin Points is that Flying Blue’s fuel surcharges on flights departing from the U.S. to London are much less than Virgin Atlantic’s fuel surcharges!

Book Awards With Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (Online)

Virgin Atlantic uses a region-based award chart for its own flights. Also, it employs peak and standard pricing. Here’s the standard award chart for one-way flights:

Here’s the peak award chart:

Here are the peak dates :

• December 10-31, 2022
• January 1-4, 2023
• March 24 to April 17, 2023
• June 18 to September 4, 2023
• October 20-31, 2023
• December 9-31, 2023

Just remember that you’ll be responsible for fuel surcharges in all cases.

Nonstop Routes Bookable With Virgin Points (Online)

Virgin Atlantic offers flights to several U.S. hubs and gateways. Some of them include:

Earning Virgin Points

Virgin Atlantic is transfer partners with Amex Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Amex, Bilt, Chase, and Citi and transfer at a 1:1 ratio, while Marriott Bonvoy transfers at a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred.

Amex, Bilt, Chase, and Citi transfer almost instantly. Marriott Bonvoy will take around 1 business day to transfer points to Flying Club.

You can also earn Virgin Points directly from the Virgin Atlantic World Elite Mastercard ® .

Recommended Citi Card

*The information regarding the Citi Premier card has expired and the card is no longer open to applicants.

The Citi Premier ® Card is an excellent option for anyone looking for an all-around travel rewards credit card. The card helps you earn points fast with great 3x bonus categories such as restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, airfare, and hotels. Plus, it offers access to airline and hotel transfer partners, doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, and has a reasonable annual fee!

• 3x points at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, airfare, and hotel purchases
• Access to Citi transfer partners
• Annual hotel credit
• $95 annual fee
• Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou ® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou ® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024.
• Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Other Hotels
• Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
• Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
• 60,000 ThankYou ® Points are redeemable for $600 in gift cards redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
• No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
• APR: 21.24% - 29.24% Variable

Citi ThankYou Rewards

Hot Tip: From walking and bus tours to shows, check out the best tours and activities in London .

Delta Air Lines SkyMiles

Delta’s SkyMiles program is often derided for the unannounced devaluations that tend to happen quite regularly, but there is still some value to be found in its award chart — which it doesn’t publish.

Book Awards With Delta SkyMiles (Online)

Booking your award flights to London with Delta SkyMiles actually gives you an additional airline option as Delta has an individual partnership with Virgin Atlantic outside of the SkyTeam alliance. While Delta does have plenty of issues as a frequent flyer program, you can search for and book award flights on its website.

Once you’re ready to redeem your SkyMiles, you’ll want to follow these steps to make a booking:

• Visit Delta SkyMiles’ homepage .
• On the homepage, you’ll see a search banner at the top.
• Check off the box that says Shop with miles .
• Type in the departure and origin cities.
• Choose One Way, Round-Trip, or Multi-City .
• Enter your travel dates and number of passengers.
• Expand the search by clicking the button called  Advanced search just underneath the passenger count dropdown box.
• If looking for business class, select  Delta One under Best Fares For .
• Click the red arrow button to search.
• Find the flight details that work for you.
• Select the flight, redeem your miles, enter the travelers’ information, and pay for any taxes and fees using a credit card.

We’ve detailed the redemption rates you should look for when booking one-way awards to London (or anywhere in Europe, for that matter) on either Delta or Virgin Atlantic with SkyMiles. The round-trip mileage requirements are double what is listed below. As with all other award flights to London, the taxes and fees required on the return segment will be significantly more.

While the taxes and fees are the same between Delta and Virgin Atlantic award tickets, Delta One is significantly more expensive than a Virgin Atlantic Upper Class ticket with Delta SkyMiles. Unfortunately, it gets even worse if you want to book Virgin Atlantic Upper Class within 21 days of departure. Once within this window, a one-way award booking will cost 195,000 SkyMiles.

The way Delta has set up its SkyMiles program leaves you with a couple of decisions to make if you want to fly in business class. You can spend the extra miles to try the fun environment of Virgin Atlantic Upper Class and its popular Clubhouse lounges, or save a big chunk of miles and fly Delta One.

To give you some context, the round-trip difference of 50,000 miles between booking Delta One and Upper Class is enough for a one-way economy class award to London or anywhere in Europe.

Hot Tip:  For some other award booking options, check out our best ways to redeem Delta SkyMiles .

Nonstop Routes Bookable With Delta SkyMiles

While it’s tough to trust that Delta won’t devalue its unpublished award chart without warning, if you have a nice chunk of SkyMiles , you can easily book a nonstop flight to London. For those not living in one of Delta’s hub cities, you might even be able to connect for no extra miles.

These are the U.S. airports with nonstop Delta flights to London:

• Detroit (DTW)
• Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP)
• Salt Lake City (SLC)
• Seattle (SEA)

Virgin Atlantic also operates several nonstop routes from the U.S., mentioned previously, that can be booked with Delta SkyMiles.

Earning Delta SkyMiles

Like ANA Mileage Club, Delta has also partnered with American Express Membership Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy. Amex transfers at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly, and Marriott Bonvoy transfers in 1 to 2 business days at a 3:1 ratio.

In addition to these options, you can earn SkyMiles directly with one of the co-branded Delta credit cards provided by American Express.

Because Delta tends to devalue its program without informing SkyMiles members first, you should only earn SkyMiles if you know what you want to do with them. This shouldn’t be an issue as you can earn Amex Membership Rewards faster thanks to numerous bonus categories, and they transfer to Delta SkyMiles almost instantly.

Hot Tip:  Check out our favorite ways to earn tons of Delta SkyMiles for more ideas.

Japan Airlines Mileage Bank

If you’re looking for the cheapest mileage requirements, look no further than our second Oneworld alliance option, Japan Airlines. There’s only 1 exception to this: when American Airlines has off-peak economy award prices. Other than that, Japan Airlines is the best option if you want to use as few miles as possible.

Unfortunately, Japan Airlines miles are some of the hardest miles to earn , which is why they’re more valuable.

Booking Awards With Japan Airlines Mileage Bank (Online)

As with the American Airlines AAdvantage program, you can use Japan Airlines Mileage Bank to book flights on either American Airlines or British Airways. However, you should stick to flights operated by American Airlines so you can avoid the egregious carrier-imposed surcharges passed on by British Airways.

Japan Airlines doesn’t allow you to book or search all partner awards online. Still, you’ll be able to search for most airlines, and fortunately, you will be able to both search and book awards online when booking flights on American Airlines or British Airways.

Japan Airlines’ online website is a bit clunky, so you’ll want to follow these directions very carefully to search for award availability:

• Visit Japan Airlines’ partner award booking page .
• In the top-right corner, click Log in .
• Enter your JAL Membership Number and PIN .
• Select  Round-trip or  One-way .
• Select the  Partner Airline .
• Enter your outbound and/or inbound travel information.
• Choose the booking class and number of passengers.
• Select the flight you like, redeem your miles, and use a credit card for any miscellaneous taxes and fees.

Unlike the other programs we have looked at so far, Japan Airlines uses a distance-based award chart that is broken into tiers. The number of miles you fly (you have to add each segment of your journey) will determine the number of Mileage Bank miles that will be required for an award ticket.

Below are the round-trip requirements for both Mileage Bank miles and taxes and fees on flights from New York (JFK) to London:

You can refer to this chart for the one-way requirements on this flight:

If you are traveling from the West Coast, Japan Airlines Mileage Bank will still have the best redemption rates, though they aren’t quite as good compared to award tickets from New York.

Additionally, because Japan Airlines Mileage Bank uses a distance-based award chart for partners, one-way redemption rates from the West Coast won’t be as good as booking with American AAdvantage miles.

With a distance-based award chart, you also need to remember that any connecting flights will add to the total flight distance used to calculate the number of miles required for your award ticket.

Hot Tip:  Check out other awesome ways to redeem Japan Airlines Mileage Bank miles for some inspiration!

Nonstop Routes Bookable With Japan Airlines Mileage Bank Miles

Booking one of the numerous nonstop flights from the U.S. to London on British Airways with Mileage Bank miles is a great way to get to London. The 1 caveat to keep in mind is that Japan Airlines uses a distance-based award chart for partner bookings.

As a result, if you need to connect to one of American Airlines’ hub airports, your award ticket might require more mileage. Make sure you consider the impact of a connection on the total number of miles required for your award booking.

Earning Japan Airlines Mileage Bank Miles

While the redemption rates with Japan Airlines Mileage Bank are often quite good, these miles are some of the hardest to earn.

You can  earn Marriott Bonvoy points  and transfer those to Japan Airlines at a transfer rate of 3:1. Plus, for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points that you transfer, you’ll receive a bonus of 5,000 Japan Airlines miles.

We cover the large number of Marriott credit cards available in our detailed guide

Hot Tip:  Take a look at our favorite ways to earn more Japan Airlines Mileage Bank miles .

United Airlines MileagePlus

Our second Star Alliance option is United Airlines MileagePlus . While it doesn’t have as competitive redemption rates as ANA Mileage Club, particularly for business class award tickets, it does open up different points-earning options.

Although you’ll generally pay a premium with United MileagePlus on business class seats, you’ll get the added benefit of accessing enhanced award availability on United Polaris class .

Book Awards With United Airlines MileagePlus (Online)

As we mentioned earlier, United Airlines is the only Star Alliance option to fly directly from the U.S. to London. While not necessarily the best product on the market, the lack of carrier-imposed surcharges makes United a solid choice when booking to London, so you can save some serious cash. United also makes it easy to search for and book award tickets online so you won’t have to worry about making any phone calls.

United Airlines’ online search and booking portal is one of the easiest to use. Follow these simple directions to redeem United miles:

• Go to United’s homepage .
• On the homepage, you’ll see a search box.
• Check off the box that says  Book with miles.
• Choose  Roundtrip or  One-way .
• Enter the origin and destination airports.
• Select the booking date(s), number of passengers, and cabin class.
• Click  Find flights .
• Log in using your  United MileagePlus number and password .
• Choose the flight you wish to book.
• Enter your traveler information and book the ticket with miles. Pay for taxes and fees using a credit card.

You can see the one-way redemption rates plus the taxes and fees in the chart below:

The 60,000 MileagePlus miles required for a round-trip economy class award are not far from the 55,000 Mileage Club miles required by ANA, but ANA (at 88,000 points for round-trip business class) is a much better choice for business class if you have the necessary points.

Hot Tip:  Check out some other great ways to book award flights with United MileagePlus miles .

Nonstop Routes Bookable With United MileagePlus Miles

United Airlines’ MileagePlus program is a great way to use Chase Ultimate Rewards points to book award flights to London. It doesn’t have the best redemption rates, but the program is easy to use and won’t require more miles if you need a connecting flight. As we mentioned earlier, many of United’s nonstop routes feature the newest Polaris class product.

Airports with nonstop United flights to London:

• Houston (IAH)

Earning United MileagePlus Miles

United MileagePlus has a big advantage when it comes to earning miles for awards, though. You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards at a 1:1 ratio, and transfers process almost instantly. Additionally, United miles are easier to earn, thanks to co-branded cards provided by Chase.

These 2 methods provide you with easy ways to earn United miles directly in addition to the Ultimate Rewards points you earn and transfer.

You can also transfer Bilt Rewards points at a 1:1 ratio to United MileagePlus almost instantly.

Lastly, you can transfer Marriott Bonvoy points at a 3:1.1 ratio. Also, for every 60,000 points you transfer from Marriott to United, you’ll earn a bonus of 5,000 United miles! Transfers take around 3 business days.

Hot Tip:  We’ve written about many great ways to earn United MileagePlus miles !

Bonus Options (British Airways Executive Club/Korean Air SKYPASS)

The above carriers will generally be the go-to options when booking awards from the U.S. to London. However, there are a couple of other interesting ways to book business class awards.

If you were wondering when we would discuss using British Airways Executive Club Avios, we’re about to dive in. Additionally, we’ll show you another SkyTeam alternative with the Korean Air SKYPASS program .

British Airways Executive Club (Online)

As we discussed above, booking round-trip British Airways awards to London from the U.S. will cost you a ton of cash. Unfortunately, that is also the case when booking with British Airways Avios, even if your flight is operated by American Airlines.

However, there is a special circumstance in which these high carrier-imposed surcharges might be worth it. To really make using Avios worth it for your trip to London, you’ll want to use the British Airways Travel Together Ticket .

This awesome perk is available to cardholders of the British Airways Visa Signature ® Card who spend $30,000 on the card within a calendar year. Once you have earned the Travel Together Ticket, you have up to 2 years to use it for a round-trip award booking originating in the U.S.

With the Travel Together Ticket, you can book an award ticket and bring a companion along for the price of the taxes and fees. This means if you book a round-trip first class award ticket on British Airways from Los Angeles (LAX) for 200,000 Avios and just over $1,800 in taxes and fees, your companion can sit in first class with you for no extra miles — just the taxes and fees. That’s 2 first class tickets that would normally cost at least $14,000 for only about $3,600 in taxes and fees.

Hot Tip:  For some more great ways to book, check out our best ways to redeem British Airways Avios for award travel.

From Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), Newark (EWR), New York (JFK), or Washington D.C. (IAD), you will need 136,000 Avios to book round-trip first class awards on British Airways; from many other U.S. cities, you’ll need 170,000 Avios.

If you prefer, you can book a business class award ticket for 100,000 Avios round-trip from Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), Newark (EWR), New York (JFK), or Washington D.C. (IAD). That price goes up to 125,000 Avios round-trip from anywhere else in the U.S., but the taxes and fees for each person will be the same as those on a first class award.

You can book your Travel Together ticket online unless you want to add a stopover or open-jaw to your itinerary. In that case, you will need to call British Airways to complete the booking.

With numerous nonstop British Airways flights from the U.S. to London, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a departure airport. Just remember that British Airways Avios utilize a distance-based award chart, so connecting flights could increase the number of Avios needed to book your award ticket.

Here’s how you can search for availability using British Airways’ search engine:

• Visit the British Airways website .
• In the top-right corner, log in using your British Airways Executive Club ID and password.
• On the top ribbon, hover over  Book and click  Book a flight with Avios .
• Enter your trip date(s), cities, number of passengers, and class of service.
• If applicable, check off the box that says  One way only .
• Click  Get flights .
• Select the flight you’d like to book.
• Confirm the ticket, enter the traveler information, and pay for the tickets using Avios while using a credit card for taxes and fees.

Don’t forget that British Airways is a transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards — so you’ll have plenty of ways to earn the necessary Avios to ensure you have enough for an awesome award booking.

Hot Tip:  Check out some of the best ways to earn tons of British Airways Avios so you’re ready to book your Travel Together Ticket!

Earning British Airways Avios

Earning British Airways Avios is easy, especially when you consider that it is transfer partners with Amex Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Amex, Bilt, Capital One, and Chase transfer at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly, while Marriott Bonvoy transfers in around 1 business day at a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred to British Airways.

You can also earn British Airways Avios directly through the co-branded British Airways Visa card:

This card is great for British Airways frequent flyers, and traveling couples will find great value in the Travel Together Ticket.

The British Airways Visa Signature ® Card is a stellar option for travelers who regularly travel with the airline. From all of the Avios the card helps you earn, to a 10% discount off cash tickets, and the award flight statement credits, you can get tons of value out of the card each year.

• 3x Avios per $1 on British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and LEVEL purchases
• 2x Avios per $1 on hotel accommodations purchased directly through hotels
• 1x Avios per $1 on all other purchases
• Does not earn transferable rewards
• Limited time offer! Earn 85,000 Avios after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
• Earn 3 Avios per $1 spent on purchases with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and LEVEL.
• Earn 2 Avios per $1 spent on hotel accommodations when purchased directly with the hotel.
• 10% off British Airways flights starting in the US when you book through the website provided in your welcome materials.
• Every calendar year you make $30,000 in purchases on your British Airways Visa card, you’ll earn a Travel Together Ticket good for two years.
• Pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel abroad.
• Simply tap to pay with your contactless British Airways Visa Signature Card. Just look for the contactless symbol at checkout. It's fast, easy and secure!

British Airways Executive Club

Korean Air SKYPASS (Online/Phone Booking)

Korean Air SKYPASS is an interesting SkyTeam option for booking awards to London. It has solid redemption rates, but the surcharges on tickets are particularly steep (especially with economy class bookings). For that reason, we don’t recommend using Korean Air SKYPASS if you are flying economy class.

You’ll notice in the chart above that there isn’t a big difference in the taxes and fees on a round-trip business class award and an economy class award. While the taxes and fees for business class aren’t cheap, it’s not such a bad deal when you consider that the same seat with cash on Delta could cost over $4,000.

Delta operates nonstop flights from the hub airports discussed above. You can book nonstop award flights from any of these airports or connect from other airports for no extra miles.

Hot Tip:  Take a look at some other awesome ways to redeem Korean Air SKYPASS miles for a little travel inspiration!

You can search for award space on Korean Air’s website, but make sure you select that you are searching for a SkyTeam award (otherwise the search will only look for Korean Air flights). In fact, it won’t even let you choose the airports you need since Korean Air doesn’t fly between U.S. airports and London.

Once you find the space online, it’s easy to book. To get started doing online searches, follow this process:

• Visit Korean Air’s website .
• On the homepage, you’ll see a search box. Click the button that says SkyTeam Award to the right of Award booking .
• You’ll be prompted to log in. Enter your Korean Air SKYPASS information and click  Log in .
• Select either  Multi-City  or  Round Trip .
• Enter the appropriate airport codes, travel dates, and cabin class.
• Select the  Passenger names and click  USD in the Payment Currency section.
• Click  Find Flights .
• After your search is done, click the flights you’d like to book. Pay with Korean Air miles and use a credit card for any taxes and fees.

Earning Korean Air SKYPASS Miles

Korean Air miles aren’t exactly the easiest out there to earn. Still, Korean Air is transfer partners with 1 major rewards currency: Marriott Bonvoy. You can transfer Marriott Bonvoy points at a 3:1 ratio and unfortunately, it may take a while for the points to transfer. Sometimes, it can take up to 19 days to transfer the points!

Now that we have taken a look at some of the best ways to book award flights, we need to discuss an important aspect of booking trips to London: the Air Passenger Duty (APD) fee that applies to flights departing from the U.K.

The cost of this fee is determined by both your class of service and the distance of your flight. Currently, the APD fees are as follows:

Another increase to the APD is coming on April 1, 2023, for premium cabin long-haul flights:

Fortunately, these fees are not imposed on flights landing or connecting in the U.K. If you want to avoid these large fees, you can take a short flight to another country within Europe and book your return from there. Since the APD fee is much more manageable on short-haul routes, you can pay that instead of the long-haul APD fee.

Keep in mind that these will have to be separate bookings. If you book a flight back to the U.S. that connects in another European country, you will still get hit with the long-haul APD fee.

It’s no surprise that London is a popular destination for many Americans, with its rich history and ease of travel thanks to our common language. For those on the East Coast, it’s also one of the closest international destinations available.

London also has the benefit of being one of the easier destinations to reach with an award ticket. With tons of airlines flying nonstop routes from the U.S., you’ll be able to avoid connections in Europe so you can have more time in London and less time in airports if you so choose.

Even better, 7 major transferable points programs — American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Brex Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy — can help you get there thanks to their airline partnerships.

If you are booking an economy class award from the West Coast, we suggest you consider using 45,000 American AAdvantage miles to fly American Airlines during its off-peak season as you can easily earn the necessary miles through its co-branded Citi and Barclays offerings.

From the East Coast, using American AAdvantage miles during its off-peak time frame is still a solid redemption, but JAL Mileage Bank can book the same flight on American Airlines for 45,000 miles.

For those who want to book a business class award, ANA Mileage Club offers the best rate at 88,000 miles round-trip (one-way award bookings are not permitted) on United Airlines. As a transfer partner of Amex Membership Rewards, it won’t be too difficult to earn the necessary miles.

Now, as we discussed, taxes and fees for round-trip bookings are steep because of the Air Passenger Duty fees. This is especially frustrating for business class and first class award tickets, and even worse if you book on an airline that hits you with steep carrier-imposed surcharges (such as British Airways).

Even with these concerns, though, you can see that there are plenty of ways to book award tickets and save a ton of cash on your flights to London. Using the information above, you’ll have no trouble figuring out which option is best for you.

The information regarding the Citi ® / AAdvantage ® Platinum Select ® World Elite™ Mastercard ® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Citi Premier ® Card has expired and the card is no longer open to applicants. The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Bold ® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless ® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the United Club℠ Business Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here . For rates and fees of the American Express ® Gold Card, click  here . For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles ® Gold American Express Card, click here . For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles ® Platinum American Express Card, click here . For rates and fees of Delta SkyMiles ® Reserve American Express Card, click here . For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express ® Card, click here . For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® card, click here .

Frequently Asked Questions

Which airlines include carrier-imposed surcharges on award flights to london.

If you book a flight on British Airways, you will be required to pay carrier-imposed surcharges, regardless of what frequent flyer program you use. Additionally, if you book a flight on American Airlines with British Airways Avios, you will be required to pay carrier-imposed surcharges.

Korean Air requires you to pay the surcharges on Delta flights to London. It’s not a bad way to book business class award tickets, but you shouldn’t book economy class with the Korean Air SKYPASS program.

ANA Mileage Club passes on carrier-imposed surcharges when booking award tickets with many partners, but not on flights with United Airlines, so you won’t have to worry about that when flying to London.

What is the fewest number of miles you can use to book an economy class award flight to London?

Virgin Atlantic will usually require the fewest miles from the East Coast for an economy class award ticket, at as low as 20,000 points round-trip. That said, the taxes and fees on these awards are often quite a bit higher than other airlines.

What is the fewest number of miles required to fly business class to London?

From the East Coast, Japan Airlines requires 80,000 Mileage Bank miles to book a round-trip business class ticket on either British Airways or American Airlines.

To fly United Airlines, you can use 88,000 ANA Mileage Club miles for a round-trip award.

You can book an award seat in Delta One (business class) with 80,000 Korean Air SKYPASS miles.

What is the fewest number miles required to fly first class to London?

If you want to fly first class to London, you will need to fly either American Airlines or British Airways — they’re the only carriers to offer a first class product between the U.S. and London.

When booking with American AAdvantage miles or Japan Airlines Mileage Bank miles, you will want to make sure your flights are operated by American Airlines to keep your cash cost low.

Generally, the only time it makes sense to book a British Airways first class award is by using the British Airways Travel Together Ticket so you can get 2 first class seats for the miles of 1. You will have to pay very steep taxes and fees for each ticket, which will come out to around $3,600 total.

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About Stephen Au

Stephen is an established voice in the credit card space, with over 70 to his name. His work has been in publications like The Washington Post, and his Au Points and Awards Consulting Services is used by hundreds of clients.

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Flights to London (LON) with American Airlines

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London routes with American Airlines

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Up To 56 Daily Flights: American Airlines, Delta & United's Huge London Operations Examined

• American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines have 25 London routes.
• The trio has 55 to 56 daily flights to the UK capital, with American having the most and Delta the least.
• Each operator has fewer services than last summer.

The so-called US Big Three (USB3) carriers – American , Delta, and United – will have 55 to 56 daily flights to London this summer (double for both ways). American is London’s third-largest long-haul operator, United is fourth, and Delta is sixth. The trio has almost one in five of the UK capital's long-haul flights (19%), rising to more than one in two (58%) when only the US is considered.

This article's data is based on the crucial month of August. It does not include each carrier's alliance, transatlantic joint venture partners, or otherwise; it only examines each airline's operations.

American has 25 daily London flights

The one world carrier flies to 17 European airports this summer, of which Heathrow is its most-served airport. It only serves Heathrow in London and has a staggering 25 daily flights partly because of its transatlantic JV partner, British Airways. Heathrow accounts for a staggering 39% of American's European service.

Flights are down from 26 daily last summer from the end of its Seattle route in October 2023.

Move Over United: American Airlines Now Serves More Airports Than Any Other Airline

American's 10-strong route network is as follows:

• Boston-Heathrow : daily
• Charlotte-Heathrow : three daily
• Chicago O'Hare-Heathrow : four daily
• Dallas/Forth Worth-Heathrow four daily
• JFK-Heathrow : four daily
• Los Angeles-Heathrow : three daily
• Miami-Heathrow : twice-daily
• Philadelphia-Heathrow : twice-daily
• Phoenix-Heathrow : daily
• Raleigh/Durham-Heathrow : daily

Want to fly? Get tickets here!

United: 20 daily London flights

The Star Alliance member serves Heathrow, one of 29 European airports in its network this summer. With 20 daily flights , Heathrow accounts for a fifth of its Europe-bound services. It is so dominant that it has more than double United's nine-daily flights to Star's Frankfurt, the carrier's second most-served airport. So many Heathrow flights by high-premium, 167-seat Boeing 767-300ERs help .

By cutting Boston-Heathrow in October 2023, flights have reduced from 21 daily.

United's European network is from seven US hubs, with Heathrow unsurprisingly the only airport with seven routes (Frankfurt has six):

• Chicago O'Hare-Heathrow : three daily
• Denver-Heathrow : twice-daily
• Houston Intercontinental-Heathrow : twice-daily
• Los Angeles-Heathrow : twice-daily
• Newark-Heathrow : six daily
• San Francisco-Heathrow : three daily
• Washington Dulles-Heathrow : twice-daily

Click here to search for tickets!

Up To 8h 40m: The World's Longest Boeing 757 Flights This Summer

Delta: 10 to 11 daily london flights.

Delta is firmly in third place compared to the other USB3 members. It serves 27 European airports this summer, with the SkyTeam hubs of Amsterdam and Paris CDGs being its leading destinations on the continent. They benefit from its JV partnership with Air France-KLM.

31 Daily Flights: Inside Delta Air Lines Huge Amsterdam & Paris CDG Schedule

Heathrow has the third-highest number of flights, partly because of its close relationship with Virgin. Despite, or because of, this closeness, Delta's London service has fallen to 10 to 11 daily from 11 to 12 daily last year.

It ended Los Angeles-Heathrow in May 2024, Detroit is now daily instead of 12 weekly, and Salt Lake City is five weekly rather than daily. But amid the shake-up, it returned to Gatwick in April 2023 and has used the freed-up Heathrow slots for an additional daily flight from Atlanta.

Only 275 Seats: Where Delta Air Lines Will Fly Its Lowest Capacity Airbus A350s

Delta has eight London routes, one more than United but fewer than American.

• Atlanta-Heathrow : three daily
• Detroit-Heathrow : daily
• JFK-Gatwick : daily
• JFK-Heathrow : double daily
• Minneapolis-Heathrow : daily
• Salt Lake City-Heathrow : five weekly
• Seattle-Heathrow : daily

Search for flights here!

What do you make of it all? Let us know in the comment section.

Mining giant Anglo American to break up its sprawling business as it tries to fend off takeover

The Associated Press

May 14, 2024, 5:05 PM

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LONDON (AP) — Mining giant Anglo American PLC plans to break up its sprawling worldwide business — including spinning off the DeBeers diamond operation — as it seeks to fend off a takeover and focus on minerals that are expected to boom amid the global shift to green energy.

London-based Anglo American said Tuesday that it would spin off its platinum business, sell a unit that produces coal used in steel production and “explore all options” to separate DeBeers from the parent company.

The moves will allow Anglo American to concentrate on the production of copper and iron ore, which together accounted for more than two-thirds of its profit last year. The company will also retain its crop nutrients business.

The announcement came a day after Anglo American rejected a sweetened takeover bid from rival BHP Group that valued the company at 34 billion pounds ($42.6 billion). That was about 9% higher that BHP’s previous offer.

“We are taking clear and decisive action to deliver value — safely, responsibly and reliably — in the long-term interests of our shareholders and other stakeholders, and to deliver the products that are so critical to enabling the energy transition and supporting improved global living standards and food security,” Anglo Chief Executive Duncan Wangled said in a statement.

Anglo American shares fell 2.8% to 2,632 pence in midafternoon trading in London on Tuesday. The stock had risen as much as 33% in the previous three weeks on speculation about a takeover.

The company is seeking to simplify its operations and boost returns for shareholders by focusing on a smaller range of products that are likely to benefit from the drive to reduce the use of fossil fuels and cut carbon emissions linked to global warming.

Demand for copper, a key component of electrical wiring, solar panels, wind turbines and electric vehicles, is expected to double by 2035, according to an analysis from S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Anglo American also says high-quality iron ore from its mines can help steel producers reduce carbon emissions, while the naturally occurring fertilizer the company produces can help boost crop yields and reduce emissions from agriculture.

Anglo American was the world’s eighth-biggest mining company last year, when it reported revenue of $30.7 billion. That was dwarfed by the $217.8 billion generated by Glencore, the world’s biggest miner.

Anglo American was founded more than 100 years ago to mine gold in South Africa and quickly expanded into diamonds, platinum and copper.

At the end of last year, the company had about 60,000 employees in 13 countries stretching from Australia to Peru.

The company owns 85% of De Beers, which produces about a third of the world’s rough diamonds and sells diamond jewelry. The remainder is owned by the government of Botswana.

South Africa remains at the heart of Anglo American’s business, with the company employing more than 36,000 people in the country at the end of last year.

Anglo American acknowledged the impact the reorganization plan could have on workers, promising to engage with “relevant stakeholders” and comply with all consultation requirements and local laws.

Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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NFL International Games confirmed as first overall draft pick Caleb Williams heads to London

The 'next Patrick Mahomes' will travel to London as the Chicago Bears will face the Jacksonville Jaguars, with the New England Patriots and Drake Maye also set to travel across the pond

• 12:35, 15 May 2024
• Updated 22:17, 15 May 2024

The NFL will confirm the full schedule for the 2024 season on Wednesday, but a busy week of announcements continued with details of another exciting slate of games heading overseas.

London has become a home-from-home for the league in recent seasons, and three more games will take place in the capital with Chicago Bears , Jacksonville Jaguars , New York Jets , Minnesota Vikings and the New England Patriots heading across the Atlantic with three of the leagues newest quarterbacks part of the line-up.

The Jaguars have made London their second home over the last decade-plus, and they are set to return for the 14th straight year in 2024 with games in back-to-back weeks. The number one overall draft pick will bring his team to London - with the Chicago Bears already naming Caleb Williams as starting QB. Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy will also be on display.

The NFL will not return to Mexico in 2024, instead heading to South America with their first-ever game to be held in Brazil with the Philadelphia Eagles taking on the Green Bay Packers on the opening Friday of the season.

Here, Mirror Sport has put together all you need to know after the games had been announced on Tuesday.

READ MORE: Drake Maye verdict from New England Patriots coach emerges after rookie minicamp READ MORE: Bill Belichick teams up with former rival Peyton Manning for 2024 TV role

New York Jets vs Minnesota Vikings, Week 5, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

The Jets and Aaron Rodgers are a compelling story and they will face rookie J.J. McCarthy in London, a fascinating game between two teams who have made numerous moves this offseason.

The Jets will hope to contend for a Super Bowl this offseason, with Rodgers fit to lead the team after a season-ending Achilles in Week 1 last year, and they have bolstered their offensive line while getting their franchise quarterback ready for the full season.

The Vikings have a perfect 3-0 record in London, while the Jets have a 1-1 record.

Chicago Bears vs Jacksonville Jaguars, Week 6, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Caleb Williams will be playing in London in his rookie season, leading a new-look Bears teams to face the Jaguars.

Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars will once again play two games in the English capital this year having won at both Wembley and Tottenham in the 2023 season. The Jags have played in London 12 times so far, with an impressive 7-5 record in that time - most recently getting a big win over the Buffalo Bills .

The Bears, meanwhile will return to London for a third time in the regular season, after beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2011 before losing to the Las Vegas Raiders in 2019.

New England Patriots vs Jacksonville Jaguars, Week 7, Wembley

The Jaguars second game in London will see Mac Jones potentially face his old team, should staring quarterback Lawrence not be able to play in the game.

Jones was traded away before the Draft as the Patriots looked to the future, and with the third overall pick from this year they selected Drake Maye who will have hoped to win the starting job, where he will compete with Jacoby Brissett.

The Patriots boast a 2-0 record playing in England.

New York Giants vs Carolina Panthers, Week 10, Allianz Arena, Munich

The Carolina Panthers are set to play in Munich, Germany as the home team at Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena, with the 2023 first overall pick Bryce Young hoping to lead the team to a better season after winning just two games in 2023.

They will face the Giants, who also come into the year of a bitterly disappointing campaign.

Philadelphia Eagles vs Green Bay Packers, Week 1, Corinthians Arena

The Philadelphia Eagles are the designated home team for the NFL's first ever trip to Brazil. The game will take place at Corinthians Arena, home to Brazilian football team SC Corinthians, and the Green Bay Packers are the opponents for what looks to be a fascinating match-up between Jalen Hurts and Jordan Love.

This will be the second game of the season, played on the Friday evening following the Kansas City Chiefs' season opener against the Baltimore Ravens on hursday Night Football on September 5.

MORE ON NFL International Jacksonville Jaguars New York Jets Carolina Panthers Minnesota Vikings New York Giants Buffalo Bills Kansas City Chiefs Chicago Bears Tampa Bay Buccaneers Philadelphia Eagles Green Bay Packers New England Patriots Aaron Rodgers Super Bowl American football

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Rodgers set for London return in 2024 NFL season

Aaron Rodgers played for the Green Bay Packers at Tottenham in 2022 as they lost 27-22 against the New York Giants

• Published 15 May 2024

Aaron Rodgers, the NFL's four-time Most Valuable Player, is set to return to play in London as part of the 2024 season's international series.

Rodgers, 40, made his first international appearance with the Green Bay Packers in 2022.

The veteran quarterback could be back at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 6 October when his New York Jets team face the Minnesota Vikings.

For the second year running, the Jacksonville Jaguars will play two international games and the New England Patriots will return to London for the first time since 2012.

The Jaguars will face the Chicago Bears at Tottenham on 13 October before 'hosting' the Patriots at Wembley on 20 October.

The Jaguars have played in each London series since 2013 and last year became the first NFL team to play two regular-season games outside the USA in the same season, beating the Atlanta Falcons and the Buffalo Bills on consecutive Sundays.

Rodgers is one of three active players to be named MVP, along with Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson. The only player to win the award more times than Rodgers is Peyton Manning with five.

Rodgers spent 18 seasons with Green Bay before joining the Jets last April, although the 2011 Super Bowl winner sustained a season-ending injury in his first game.

The Packers became the 32nd and last NFL team to play in London since the international series began in 2007, although Rodgers was unable to stop them losing 27-22 to the New York Giants in 2022.

"Three years ago fans here might have feared they would never see Aaron Rodgers play in the UK, so to have him back is such an exciting prospect," NFL UK's general manager Henry Hodgson told BBC Sport.

The Giants are heading overseas again this season having been confirmed as the opponents for the Carolina Panthers in Munich.

There will be five international games played this season, with the NFL staging a regular-season game in Brazil for the first time on the opening weekend.

The second London game will feature the number one draft picks from 2021 and this year go head-to-head.

"We've got teams coming over that have great support across the UK and Ireland, and the rest of Europe, and some superstars coming with them," Hodgson added.

"We've seen Trevor Lawrence a few times now in the UK - he's such an exciting player - and Caleb Williams might be the most exciting quarterback to come out of the draft since Trevor Lawrence, so that should be a great match-up."

If an NFL franchise were to relocate to the UK, the Jaguars were seen as the most likely option.

The Florida-based team have now agreed a 30-year lease on a new stadium worth $1.4bn, which includes a non-relocation clause but also a commitment to continue playing one home game a year in London.

NFL international games 2024

Friday, 6 September - Green Bay Packers v Philadelphia Eagles (Sao Paulo)

Sunday, 6 October - New York Jets v Minnesota Vikings (Tottenham, London)

Sunday, 13 October - Jacksonville Jaguars v Chicago Bears (Tottenham, London)

Sunday, 20 October - New England Patriots v Jacksonville Jaguars (Wembley, London)

Sunday, 10 November - New York Giants v Carolina Panthers (Munich)

Related Topics

• American Football

More on this story

Bears pin hopes on Williams - meet NFL's next superstar

• Published 2 May

Tottenham and NFL extend London games agreement

• Published 14 September 2023

Timeshare resale and other phone-based scams remain prevalent: Can you spot the red flags?

The approach of summer brings more opportunities for leisure travel. It also might provide scammers with more chances to separate you from your money.

The Federal Trade Commission highlighted that in a March alert over offers from supposedly legitimate buyers interested in your timeshare unit. The dangers could apply to other unsolicited offers at a time when crooks are becoming more sophisticated and many consumers aren't heeding even basic precautions.

“Maybe you weren’t thinking about selling your timeshare, but suddenly someone calls and tells you they’re a real estate agent and have an interested buyer,” the FTC said in its alert . “They might have information about you and your property, so the offer seems credible."

That’s a common tactic that possibly points to a scam, agreed Carlos Sugich, an attorney at Snell & Wilmer in Phoenix and Los Cabos, Mexico, who helps American companies conduct real estate transactions in Mexico and Mexican companies do the same here.

“People don’t just call you unsolicited with offers to buy your timeshare,” he said.

Timeshare units, which provide ownership rights at specific resorts, can be difficult to sell, so it’s unlikely a legitimate buyer is waiting in the wings. The following tips can help you avoid falling victim:

Be skeptical of unsolicited calls

Not all scammers work over the phone, as illicit internet and texting pitches are common, too. But a shrewd marketer making a request over the phone can be persuasive, especially when the offer is what the timeshare owner wants to hear. Either way, the key is the unsolicited aspect.

“The first red flag is someone contacting an owner when that person isn’t selling,” said Sugich. “Unless you have put the unit up for sale, buyers won’t contact you.”

Scammers use public records to identify and target timeshare owners, the FTC noted. The focus often is on older adults who no longer use their timeshares but still answer unsolicited phone calls.

Be wary of offers that seem too good to be true

Many timeshare interests are sold in resale markets, usually with prices marked down from what owners originally paid. Yet scammers dangle offers above what the owner paid or thinks the unit is worth, Sugich said. And why not? These crooks never intend to pay anything.

Be prepared for snags in the process

Suppose you’re contemplating an offer and aren’t suspicious yet. The marketer so far has told you only that a buyer wants your timeshare and is offering a certain price. Now comes the rub, Sugich said. “They’ll wait maybe a week, then come back to you and claim there’s a problem."

One tactic is to say you must prepay escrow fees or property taxes. If your unit is located in a foreign nation such as Mexico, a scammer might claim that you could face some sort of government penalty that must be resolved before you can enter the country, he added. Such warnings create a fabricated urgency for you to come up with money.

Don’t assume the documents are authentic

A scammer might send you a letter from tax or other officials, bearing a logo or insignia that looks authentic. But the logo could be copied and the communication bogus. Bank statements, tax bills, email chains and other documentation also can be fabricated easily, Sugich said.

“Scammers provide a lot of information, but that information is just wrong,” he said. “And don’t let the foreign jurisdiction part cloud your judgment.”

The bottom line is that any appeal for money, when you’re the seller, should be treated with skepticism.

Be prepared to wire money, then more money

Scammers, often portraying themselves as real estate agents, sometimes start by asking for a small fee that escalates into demands for thousands of dollars, the FTC said.

Eventually, you will be asked to send money, often through a wire transfer. With such payments, “The money is hard to track and hard to get back,” Sugich said, adding that no tax authorities normally require payment by wire transfer.

But that might not be the end of it. Sometimes, scammers keep asking for funds and victims, not yet willing to admit that they have been swindled, agree. “People don’t want to believe it’s a scam, even after they’ve wired $20,000 or $30,000,” Sugich said.

Rather than paying anything, you should demand instead to have any fees or taxes deducted from the buyer’s purchase proceeds during the escrow process, Sugich suggests. If the marketer balks, then walk away. “If you're the seller, you shouldn’t need to advance anything.”

Make an effort to check things out

If you want to sell a timeshare unit, it’s often best to contact your home resort, which might have a list of prospective buyers and legitimate brokers who can arrange a sale. The home resort also might be able to confirm details such as back taxes or management fees that you owe.

If your timeshare is in the U.S., check with the real estate licensing agency in the state where the timeshare is located, the FTC suggests. If a title company is listed on closing documents, call that firm to see if it’s legitimate.

In addition, the FTC suggests conducting an online search for the name of the company or person who contacted you — and including the words “scam” or “complaint” to see what pops up. If you do fall victim, report it to the FTC at www.ReportFraud.ftc.gov .

Reach the writer at [email protected].

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NoMad London

Nestled opposite the iconic royal opera house in covent garden, nomad london explores the artistic and historic interplay between new york and european culture. centered around several exquisite dining and drinking spaces, the historic victorian building, formerly a magistrates’ court and police station, has been transformed into a bold, refined, and cosmopolitan city retreat..

To honor the property’s significant history, the Bow Street Police Museum was created within the building as an independent museum and registered charity. Make sure to stop in to witness the former cells that have become galleries and experience a rare glimpse into the life and times of Covent Garden.

Inspired by the grand European homes of yesteryear, well-appointed rooms and suites are embellished with exquisite décor, curated artwork, and vanity with a club chair, in configurations more reminiscent of a residence than a hotel. Unwind in the marble mosaic tile bathroom, including a walk-in shower or a soaking tub. Suites include a separate sitting room and a dining area.

Choose from two restaurants and three bars, including NoMad Restaurant, serving elevated cuisine inside a glass conservatory. Enjoy casual dining and a signature cocktail at Side Hustle, which serves Latin American-inspired dishes alongside agave-based spirits. Or stop in for a drink at Common Decency, an intimate subterranean cocktail lounge housed in the historic building's former coal stores. The venue serves seasonal, ingredient-driven cocktails alongside modern riffs on classics with a whimsical twist. Unwind with a glass of wine and a light bite at The Library, an all-day space set amidst a thoughtful collection of books.

Start the day with a jog alongside the scenic River Thames or an invigorating workout at the on-site fitness center featuring cardio machines, free weights, and personal training. Ricari Studios and Katie England offer signature treatments, such as massages and facials. Stroll through the bustle of Covent Garden Square or Lincoln Inn Fields, a large public square and lush green space.

Wander around the surrounding Covent Garden, nestled in the heart of London’s West End and the city’s lively theatre district. NoMad London is situated opposite the famed Royal Opera House, a historical landmark with a grand auditorium home to The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet.

28 Bow Street. London, WC2E 7AW England

London Heathrow Airport.

• Daily breakfast for two
• Unique Amenity : US$ 100 Property credit to be used during stay
• 4pm check-out guaranteed
• 12pm check-in, when available
• Room upgrade at check-in, when available 1
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• An immersive experience for two people per room, to be used during your stay.

Call your Dedicated Relationship Manager to book this property and receive your exclusive Centurion benefits in addition to your standard Fine Hotels + Resorts benefits.

1 Certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade.

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Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR): Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR) program benefits are available for new bookings made through American Express Travel with participating properties and are valid only for eligible Platinum Charge Card Members and Centurion ® Members. Platinum Credit Card Members who are not also Australian Platinum Charge Card Members or Centurion ® Members, are not eligible for FHR program benefits. Bookings must be made using an eligible Card and must be paid using that Card, or another American Express ® Card, in the eligible Card Member's name, and that Card Member must be travelling on the itinerary booked. Noon check-in and room upgrade are subject to availability and are provided at check-in; certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade. The type of experience credit and additional amenity (if applicable) varies by property. The experience credit will be applied to eligible charges up to the amount of the experience credit. To receive the experience credit, the eligible spend must be charged to your hotel room. The experience credit will be applied at check-out. Advance reservations are recommended for certain experience credits. The type and value of the daily breakfast (for two) varies by property; breakfast will be valued at a minimum of US$60 per room per day. To receive the breakfast credit, the breakfast bill must be charged to your hotel room. The breakfast credit will be applied at check-out. If the cost of Wi-Fi is included in a mandatory property fee, a daily credit of that amount will be applied at check-out. Benefits are applied per room, per stay (with a three-room limit per stay). Back-to-back stays booked by a single Card Member, Card Members staying in the same room or Card Members travelling in the same party within a 24-hour period at the same property are considered one stay and are ineligible for additional FHR benefits (“Prohibited Action”). American Express and the property reserve the right to modify or revoke FHR benefits at any time without notice if we or they determine, in our or their sole discretion, that you may have engaged in a Prohibited Action, or have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with your FHR benefits. Benefit restrictions vary by property. Benefits cannot be redeemed for cash and are not combinable with other offers unless indicated. Benefits must be used during the stay booked. Any credits applicable are applied at check-out in USD or the local currency equivalent. Benefits, participating properties, and availability and amenities at those properties are subject to change. To be eligible for FHR program benefits, your eligible Card Account must not be cancelled. For additional information, please call the number on the back of your Card. 

Centurion Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR): Centurion Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR) program benefits are available for new bookings made through your Relationship Manager or Centurion Travel Service with participating properties and are valid for Centurion ® Members only. Bookings must be made using an eligible Card and must be paid using that Card, or another American Express ® Card, in the eligible Card Member's name, and that Card Member must be traveling on the itinerary booked. Room upgrades are subject to availability and are provided first at the time of booking and then at check-in, if available; certain room categories are not eligible for an upgrade. Noon check-in is subject to availability and is provided at check-in. The type of experience credit varies by property; the experience credit will be applied to eligible charges up to the amount of the experience credit. To receive the experience credit, the eligible spend must be charged to your hotel room. The experience credit will be applied at check-out. Advance reservations are recommended for certain experience credits. The type and value of the daily breakfast (for two) varies by property; breakfast will be valued at a minimum of US$60 per room per day. To receive the breakfast credit, the breakfast bill must be charged to your hotel room. The breakfast credit will be applied at check-out. If the cost of Wi-Fi is included in a mandatory property fee, a daily credit of that amount will be applied at check-out. For a stay of two consecutive nights or more, an additional experience credit of US$200 will be provided. Benefit restrictions are applied per room, per stay (with a three-room limit per stay). Back-to-back stays booked by a single Card Member, Card Members staying in the same room or Card Members traveling in the same party within a 24-hour period at the same property are considered one stay and are ineligible for additional FHR benefits (“Prohibited Action”). American Express and the Property reserve the right to modify or revoke FHR benefits at any time without notice if we or they determine, in our or their sole discretion, that you may have engaged in a Prohibited Action, or have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with your FHR benefits. Benefit restrictions vary by property. Benefits cannot be redeemed for cash and are not combinable with other offers unless indicated. Benefits must be used during the stay booked. Any credits applicable are applied at check-out in USD or the local currency equivalent. Benefits, participating properties, and availability and amenities at those properties are subject to change.

The Hotel Collection (THC): The Hotel Collection (THC) benefits are available for new bookings of two consecutive nights or more, with participating properties, made through Platinum Travel Service, Centurion Travel Service or American Express Travel Online (americanexpress.com.au/travel or americanexpress.com.au/thc; Online bookings currently only available to Primary Card Members. Bookings are valid only for eligible Card Members of the following American Express Cards: American Express ® Rewards Advantage Card, American Express ® Explorer Credit Card, American Express ® Platinum Reserve Credit Card, American Express ® Gold Card, American Express ® Gold Business Card, American Express ® Platinum Card, American Express ® Platinum Business Card and American Express ® Centurion Card. Excludes Gold Credit Card Members who are not also Australian Rewards Advantage, Gold or Platinum Charge Card Members. Payment must be made in full with an eligible American Express Card in the Card Member’s name. Bookings must be made using an eligible Card and must be paid using that Card, Card Member must travel on itinerary booked to be eligible for benefits described. Noon check-in, late check-out and the room upgrade are subject to availability; certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade. The type of US$100 credit and additional amenity (if applicable) varies by property; the US$100 credit will be applied to eligible charges up to US$100. To receive the US$100 credit, the eligible spend must be charged to your hotel room. The US$100 credit will be applied at check-out. Advance reservations are recommended for certain credits. Benefit restrictions vary by property. Benefits are applied per room, per stay (with a three-room limit per stay). Back-to-back stays booked by a single Card Member, Card Members staying in the same room or Card Members traveling in the same party within a 24-hour period at the same property are considered one stay and are ineligible for additional THC benefits (“Prohibited Action”). American Express and the Property reserve the right to modify or revoke the THC benefits at any time without notice if we or they determine, in our or their sole discretion, that you have engaged in a Prohibited Action, or have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with your THC benefits. Benefits cannot be redeemed for cash and are not combinable with other offers unless indicated. Benefits must be used during the stay booked. Any credits applicable are applied at check-out in US Dollars or the local currency equivalent. Benefits, participating properties, and availability and amenities at those properties are subject to change. To be eligible for THC program benefits, your eligible Card Account must not be cancelled. For additional information, call the number on the back of your Card.