Thursday 12 August 1971 | John Lennon, Travel
John Lennon and Yoko Ono flew from London to New York City on 12 August 1971, travelling on TWA flight 701. This was Lennon’s final departure from the United Kingdom. New York became his home until the end of his life, and he never again returned to England.
The departure
The flight came just one day after Lennon and Ono had attended the Art Spectrum exhibition at Alexandra Palace and joined a protest march through central London on 11 August 1971 — one of Lennon’s final public appearances in Britain.
Upon arrival in New York, Lennon and Ono checked in at the St Regis Hotel on Fifth Avenue, booking rooms 1701, 1702 and 1703 on the 17th floor. These rooms served as their base until 1 November 1971.
On 13 August 1971 — the day after their arrival — Lennon was issued with a class B-2 visa for a temporary visit to the United States, valid until 24 September 1971. What began as a temporary stay would become permanent.
New York: Lennon’s final home
Lennon’s move to New York in August 1971 marked a decisive break with his British life. He and Ono had been drawn to the city by its energy, its art scene, and its political activism — all of which resonated with their work at the time. Lennon’s album Imagine had been recorded at Tittenhurst Park and the Record Plant in New York earlier in 1971 and would be released on 9 September 1971, just weeks after his arrival.
The US authorities were not welcoming. From 1972, the Nixon administration — alarmed by Lennon’s political activism and his association with anti-war figures — attempted to have him deported. The immigration battle lasted four years. Lennon was finally granted his permanent resident status (Green Card) on 27 July 1976, a victory he described as one of the most important of his life.
Lennon settled permanently in New York, living from 1973 at the Dakota building on Central Park West. He was shot and killed outside the Dakota on 8 December 1980. He had not returned to the United Kingdom in the nine years since boarding TWA flight 701 on 12 August 1971.
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St Regis Hotel, New York City
The St Regis Hotel, Fifth Avenue, New York City — where John Lennon and Yoko Ono stayed in rooms 1701–1703 from 12 August until 1 November 1971.
Key Facts
| Date | Thursday 12 August 1971 |
| Flight | TWA flight 701, London to New York City |
| Hotel | St Regis Hotel, rooms 1701–1703 (until 1 November 1971) |
| Visa issued | B-2 visa, 13 August 1971, valid until 24 September 1971 |
| Significance | Lennon’s final departure from the UK; he never returned to England |
| Green Card granted | 27 July 1976, after a four-year immigration battle |
Frequently Asked Questions
Did John Lennon ever return to England after 1971?
No. John Lennon left England for the last time on 12 August 1971, flying to New York City on TWA flight 701. He never returned to the United Kingdom. He was killed outside his home at the Dakota building in New York on 8 December 1980.
Where did John Lennon stay when he first arrived in New York in 1971?
Lennon and Yoko Ono checked into the St Regis Hotel on Fifth Avenue, booking rooms 1701, 1702 and 1703 on the 17th floor. They stayed there until 1 November 1971.
Why did the US government try to deport John Lennon?
From 1972, the Nixon administration attempted to deport Lennon, alarmed by his political activism and his association with anti-war figures. The immigration battle lasted four years. Lennon was granted permanent resident status on 27 July 1976.
What was John Lennon doing in the days before he left England?
On 11 August 1971, the day before his departure, Lennon and Yoko Ono attended the Art Spectrum exhibition at Alexandra Palace and joined a protest march through central London against internment in Northern Ireland and the Oz obscenity trial sentences.
→ John Lennon and Yoko Ono attend protest march in London – 11 August 1971
→ Recording: All Things Must Pass by George Harrison – 12 August 1970
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