- Flight
- about 7 hours eastbound
- Departs
- JFK or Newark
- Lands at
- Heathrow
- Time difference
- London is 5 hours ahead
- Currency
- Pounds sterling, in cash
The New York run is the easiest transatlantic approach to London and the most commonly misjudged. You leave in the evening, you land before breakfast, and you lose the day you thought you had.
The landing is the problem
An overnight from JFK or Newark puts you on the ground at Heathrow somewhere between six and eight in the morning. Your hotel room will almost certainly not be ready. You will have slept badly in a seat and you will be running on New York time, which means your body thinks it is the middle of the night.
Almost nobody is at their best on that first morning, which is why the first evening is the slot worth protecting. By early evening London time you have been awake a long while, but you are past the worst of it and the city is at its best.
Arrange it before you board
The useful consequence of the time difference is that you can settle everything before you fly. Message in the afternoon New York time and you are reaching London in the evening, which is when diaries are being looked at.
Leaving it until you land means enquiring at seven in the morning London time, which is the worst possible moment, and then waiting on a reply while you are tired and in an unfamiliar city.
Where to stay, if you have a choice
The Heathrow approach favours west and central London. Mayfair, Knightsbridge and Kensington are all a straightforward run in from the airport, and all three put you inside a short cab ride of most of the city.
What is different from home
Cash, in pounds, agreed in advance. No tipping on top of the fee in the way you are used to. Rates are quoted per hour rather than per encounter, and longer bookings are much better value than the same hours split up. The rates guide covers the bands, and the visitor guide covers the etiquette, which differs more than you would expect.
When to get in touch
London runs 5 hours ahead of you. Messages sent between about 6am and 6pm your time land during London working hours, which is when replies actually come.
Areas near where you land at Heathrow
The big figure is the straight line distance from the airport in miles, and nothing about travel time, which in London is always longer. Each page has the stations, the route from Heathrow and the measured rates.
Common questions
Do I need to arrange things before I fly?
It helps. Good diaries fill days ahead, and arranging from home means you are doing it awake and unhurried instead of jet lagged in an unfamiliar city.
What time should I message from the United States?
London is five to eight hours ahead of most of North America. Aim for mid morning on the east coast or mid morning on the west coast, which lands in London in the afternoon or early evening, when people are answering.
Will my hotel mind?
Central London hotels see guests receive visitors constantly. Pass your room number by message and the evening is unremarkable.
What currency do I need?
Cash in pounds sterling, agreed beforehand. Draw it before you need it rather than looking for a cash machine late at night.
Is prostitution legal in England for tourists?
The law applies to everyone in the country equally, visitors included. Selling or buying sex between consenting adults is legal in England and Wales, but soliciting in public and using brothels are not.
Is escorting legal in the UK?
Yes, in England and Wales it is legal for two consenting adults to exchange sex or company for money. What is illegal is the activity around it, such as soliciting in the street, running a brothel or controlling someone else's work. The Crown Prosecution Service sets this out in its published guidance.