Route: Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport (BEG) to Miami International Airport (MIA) via Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD) and London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
Airline: Air Serbia / British Airways
Aircraft: ATR 72-600 (YU-ASA) / Airbus A319-100 (G-DBCK) / Airbus A380-800 (G-XLED)
Flight No: JU142 / BA869 / BA209
Class: Economy
Seat: 16F / 22F / 40K
Flight Duration: 1h10m - 1st flight / 2h50m - 2nd flight / 10h05m - 3rd flight
My journey to Miami was initially planned to start from Budapest, with a layover in London, as the ticket was a whole €200 cheaper than flying directly from Belgrade. My plan was to reach Budapest by minivan or bus, but just as I was about to book my ticket, my mobile operator sent me a surprise offer - a discount on an Air Serbia flight to Budapest. I thought to myself, "This is a sign!" and booked a one-way ticket for €50. And just like that, my adventure began!
I bought a round-trip ticket from Budapest to Miami with British Airways for €470 at the end of November during their "Autumn Clean-Up" sale for February 16. My first flight, from Belgrade to Budapest, was on February 15 - one day before my transatlantic journey - just to be on the safe side in case of any delays. This also meant I had an overnight stay in Budapest.
Air Serbia Flight: Belgrade – Budapest (JU142, ATR 72)
The online check-in process went smoothly, and at the airport, I was directed to the new e-gates for Serbian passports - a cool experience, though before scanning, a police officer still checked and stamped my passport.
The flight was operated by an ATR 72, registration YU-ASA, and boarding was from a ground gate (C10E), followed by a short bus ride to the aircraft. Carry-on suitcases were left at the aircraft door and picked up the same way upon landing in Budapest.
The plane wasn’t full, but more than half of the seats were occupied. I had seat 16F with an empty seat next to me (always a win!). The flight was short and pleasant, the crew was friendly, and the service was simple - water and a Plazma biscuit.
Upon landing in Budapest, passport control was a breeze with no questions asked. I immediately hopped on the 100E airport bus to the city center. There are ticket machines at arrivals where you can buy a ticket with a card - quick and easy. I also bought my return ticket for the next day's airport trip.
I had planned to walk around Budapest, but... freezing temperatures, strong winds, and me dressed lightly for Miami? Bad combination! Instead, I decided to rest up for the big travel day ahead.
British Airways Flight: Budapest - London (BA869, Airbus A319)
The next morning, I arrived at the airport three hours before departure. Although I tried checking in online, the system eventually told me I had to check in at the counter - probably because of my Serbian passport.
Side note: From the moment I bought my ticket, I had one major concern - do I need a transit visa for London?
I called travel agencies - they didn’t know. British Airways? Their office in Belgrade no longer exists, and the phone number listed online as their contact now belongs to a private individual who is understandably frustrated from all the calls she gets. The British Embassy in Belgrade? "Check online with immigration services." Finally, I found the official information -- if you hold a valid U.S., New Zealand, Canadian, or Australian visa and stay in the airport's transit area, you don’t need a transit visa. Otherwise, you do.
At Budapest Airport, I checked in for both my flights - to London and to Miami. Passport and security control were quick, and my flight departed from Gate B6.
The aircraft was an 18-year-old Airbus A319 (G-DBCK), but impeccably maintained inside. My seat, 22F, had another empty seat beside me - another "yay!" moment. 😄
We took off on time, and during the flight, we received a complimentary chocolate biscuit and water - similar to Air Serbia’s service on shorter flights. I liked that British Airways offers a wider selection of food and drinks for purchase compared to Air Serbia.
The flight was smooth, though we did two holding patterns before landing in London. On all British flights I had free messaging Wi-Fi (if you're an Executive Club member, which you can activate for free).
London Heathrow – Terminal 3 to Terminal 5
I landed in London, a city I absolutely love - and, of course, it was sunny again! 😊 My next flight was from Terminal 5, while we arrived at Terminal 3.
I followed the purple "Flight Connections" signs, took the free shuttle bus to T5, went through another security check, then took a train to gates C. Even with a two-hour layover, I felt like I was constantly rushing. I arrived at my gate just in time for the final boarding call!
British Airways Flight: London – Miami (BA209, Airbus A380)
As I reached Gate C57, I paused for a moment to admire the A380 - the aircraft I would be flying on for the first time! I was beyond excited.
My seat choice: 40K (window seat, lower deck). Why lower deck? On the upper deck, a window seat cost an extra €70, which felt a bit steep, while this one was “only” €30.
The aircraft, G-XLED, was 12 years old - majestic on the outside but showing signs of wear on the inside. The USB charger didn’t work, there were no power outlets, the entertainment screen was slow, and the provided headphones had already been opened - not exactly a luxury feel. However, the spaciousness and the massive windows made up for it!
The flight lasted 10 hours, and here’s what we were served: Pretzels and a drink right after takeoff, main meal- Mashed potatoes with a beef patty, salad, bread, cheese and pudding. Drinks was available throughout the flight and pre-landing snack - a chicken-filled pastry with a cold beverage at the end.
The crew was fantastic, and flying on this giant was an unforgettable experience! The approach into Miami, flying over Miami Beach and Downtown, was breathtaking.
We landed in Miami around 7:30 PM local time, marking the successful end of my transatlantic journey.
Final Thoughts
Overall, a fantastic experience! British Airways is definitely a recommendation, and I personally have had no negative experiences with Air Serbia either—I use them several times a year, and I hope it stays that way.
As for the A380, that’s an aircraft everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime!
You can also watch the entire trip report in the form of a video:
Share your travel experience by submitting a trip report to exyu@exyuaviation.com
On BEG-LHR Air Serbia actually offers a sandwich and a bottle of water. Odd that British Airways offers such a modest service despite the flight taking more or less the same time (BUD-LHR).
ReplyDeleteAlso, is it me or is legroom on BA absolutely atrocious?
Goodness me, they seem to have gone downhill. They should really improve their onboard product.
In summer of 2023, I flew BA from LHR to LCA. That's a looong flight, and we got the same - a tiny bottle of water and a tiny snack (in this case it was a small bag with less than 10 salty pretzels). The rest you could buy, like on Ryanair.
Delete9 times out of 10 that JU sandwich is stale though.
Deleteanon 09.51 source?
Delete@11:43 reality of flying with them.
DeleteI don't get this obsession with sandwiches, biscuits, pretzels, chocolates on short haul flights. All airplane food is terrible so I don't understand why people feel insulted if they only get a bottle of water.
Delete^ Maybe because this bottle of water or this biscuit are the only differentiating factor between a full service carrier and an LCC.
DeleteEspecially when an LCC is usually a lot cheaper than the "normal" airline.
Yeah...airplane food is like hospital food
DeleteBA is a low cost Airlines be nowadays. Air Serbia offers a much better product, younger Aircraft and excellent customer service
Delete^ LOL
Deleteman, that lunch looks pretty underwhelming...
ReplyDeleteGreat report. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteOne remark: if holding US visa, and flying to USA via UK, Serbian citizens don't need transit visa just if staying in transit zone, but they can go out , even sleep in London, because transit allowence is 48h, and you can freely go out of the customs.. The only time you have to stay in transit zone is if you fly to destination other than USA ( for instance Spain or Burkina Faso) , but you hold US visa..In that case you are also required to leave UK transit zone on the airport within the same calendar day, meaning by 23:59 , the same day when arrived with first leg..So , for instance, if your first flight from BEG to LHR lands at 22:45 , and your connection from LHR to Toronto leave as 00:25, so after 1hour 30 min, you wouldn't be allowed to embark the plane in Belgrade at all...
ReplyDeleteReport is pretty good, just you could've put a few more shots from this massive cabin, and maybe put some photo from toilet..Thanks for good report
Interrsting. I didn't know about this. So if you are flying to US via LHR you can leave the airport? You just need to have onward ticket to US within 48 hours?
DeleteYes, exactly....You can go out, sleep out, as long as you leave UK soil within 48 hours from arrival...I used this option many times when I worked fir US company
DeleteNote that in order to transit without a visa, your onward flight needs to depart before midnight of the day following your arrival. So if you arrive at 22.00 on Monday and your onward flight to the US is at 10.00 on Wednesday, you can't avail of the visa-free transfer despite the layover being shorter than 48h.
DeleteJust fly via AMS, CDG, JFK or FRA from BEG and you won't have to worry about such things. British always complicate things.
Delete@Vlad thanks, I didn't know that..Usually I would arrive an early morning on 1 day, go out to London and spend the whole day, sleep at a hotel, and next morning head back to airport, since majority of flights from LHR to USA leave between 10:30- 12:30 noon time..Thanks for info
DeleteThis is incorrect. Serbian passport holders can transit via the U.K. to the U.S. transit visa-free only if they hold a valid air ticket to the U.S. for the same calendar day. If they want to leave the airport and, therefore, clear the customs, they’ll need a valid transit visa, allowing them to the stay in the U.K. for up to 48 hours. The source is the website of Home Office.
ReplyDeleteThat's not true...You can stay 48 hours, outside of the transit zone as well, as long as you have onward ticket booked..And its been like that since early 2000' , I personally used this option many times since then..You have to leave UK within same calendar day , and not be able to leave transit area only if you fly to destination other than USA, but hold USA visa..Many people also don't know about this option as well..I used it several times, last time just 6 months ago when flying from Bangkok to Madrid via LHR , with British.
Deletehttps://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa/y
DeleteSimply go through this online form and you’ll see it’s mandatory to have one. Cheers!
@Vladimir: Your own link contradicts you.
Delete"You may be eligible to transit without a visa if:
you arrive and depart by air
have a confirmed onward flight that leaves on the day you arrive or before midnight on the day after you arrive
have the right documents for your destination (eg a visa for that country)
One of the following must also apply:
you’re travelling to (or on part of a reasonable journey to) Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the USA and have a valid visa for that country"
@ anon17:16 thanks, some people just don't even read, nor even listen other people experiences..At least they can say they are sorry for giving such a false information..
DeleteYou won't have to worry about a connecting flight to Miami in the near future. And two connecting flights is definitely over the top. Not worth the hassle for a few extra bucks.
ReplyDeleteWhat is worth the hassle or not is highly individual.
DeleteLots of people (maybe even the majority) will continue to use connecting flights even if JU starts flying first because the direct flights would be 2-3 per week and probably seasonal
DeleteAwesome report! Many thanks
ReplyDeleteOMG, those windows are truly huge
ReplyDeleteLove this part: "My journey to Miami was initially planned to start from Budapest, with a layover in London, as the ticket was a whole €200 cheaper than flying directly from Belgrade"
ReplyDeleteIt reminded me how some recent comments tried to belittle prospects of nonstop Belgrade-Toronto service due to "cheap diaspora willing to fly transfer over nonstop to save money". Should we now be concerned about the prospects of nonstop Belgrade-Miami service given this testimony of two stop trip including overnight to get the better deal?
There is no BEG- MIA route at the moment, 1 or 2 stop trip doesn't make big difference..its still a stop
DeleteOf course I know there is no BEG-MIA at the moment, how would I know about those nasty comments unless I follow this site on a regular basis?
DeleteOne stop vs two stop including overnight does make a very big difference.
Ok, you have the point..But also, if there is no direct flight for long haul, trip lasts quite longer , and many people, including myself, like to make a break between 2 flights, especially when break is in some place where you can go out, walk around and enjoy your day...Ok. this doesn't apply when transfering in places like Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi
DeleteI prefer Austrian Airlines over any other airline departing to the US. The transit area in Vienna is a breeze too.
ReplyDeleteBtw excellent trip report.
Regarding UK transit visa debate for Serbian pass holders....just read official UK gov. site instructions, do not play by the ear, do not listen to tourist agencies. Or even better avoid UK airports for transit, much easier.
ReplyDeletegreat report... thank you for sharing
ReplyDelete