Useful information
Your guide to London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow is a major international aviation hub, approximately 14 miles (23 km) west of central London.
Airlines at Heathrow serve more than 200 destinations; the network changes, so consult the airport’s official route map for current services. Heathrow Airport Holdings Limited, formerly BAA, owns and operates the airport. Older lists of airports belonging to BAA do not describe the company’s current structure.
Connecting at London Heathrow Airport
Heathrow handles a large international flight network, and many passengers change aircraft here each year. The route through the airport depends on your itinerary, the terminals involved and whether your baggage is checked through.
Heathrow has four passenger terminals: 2, 3, 4 and 5. Terminal 1 closed in 2015. Check with your airline to confirm the arrival or departure terminal for your flight.
Do you need to collect your baggage?
If your connection requires baggage collection, follow the Arrivals signs, pass through immigration, collect your bags and clear customs before checking in for the next flight. Confirm the baggage arrangements with your airline beforehand. Going landside means you must meet the applicable UK entry requirements.
Do you need to change terminals?
Terminals 2 and 3 are close together and linked by a pedestrian route. In the public area, trains between terminal stations are free: use an Inter-Terminal Transfer ticket, Oyster or contactless payment as directed at the station. For an airside transfer, follow Flight Connections signs to the free connection bus.
If your baggage is checked through to your final destination
Follow the Flight Connections signs and the instructions for your next flight. If you need to change terminals airside, use the airport’s free connection bus. You will need to complete the relevant security checks, and may be asked for your passport and onward travel documents.
Heathrow information and contacts
One of Europe’s busiest airports
- A major European aviation hub
- Heathrow’s UK contact centre number is 0344 335 1801. For other ways to get in touch, consult the airport’s official Contact us section.
- Administrative address: The Compass Centre, Nelson Road, Hounslow, TW6 2GW. For a passenger journey, use the correct terminal as your destination rather than this office.
Arriving at Heathrow
After leaving the aircraft, follow Arrivals signs for passport control, baggage reclaim and customs as required for your journey. The time taken depends on queues, your flight and baggage delivery; an exit time of around 40 minutes cannot be guaranteed.
Passport control at Heathrow
Follow the current Border Force signs to the appropriate queue or eGates. Eligibility for electronic gates depends on your document, nationality, age and other conditions, so a simple division between EU citizens and everyone else does not cover the rules. Keep your passport and any other required travel documents ready.
Baggage reclaim
Check the flight information screens in baggage reclaim to find the carousel assigned to your flight. Trolleys are available to help you move your luggage through the arrivals area.
Customs
The blue customs channel has closed. Arriving passengers, including those travelling from the EU, use the green channel if they have nothing to declare or the red channel if they have goods to declare. The choice depends on the goods and the applicable rules, not simply your nationality.
Departing from Heathrow
Check-in
Allow time at Heathrow for check-in and security. Arrive in advance and follow your airline’s instructions for the flight you are taking.
Ask your airline if you need more detailed guidance. Heathrow recommends arriving three hours before international flights, or two hours before domestic flights and flights to Europe. These are recommended airport arrival times, not a universal check-in deadline; your airline sets its own deadlines.
Which terminal does your flight leave from?
Confirm your departure terminal before setting off for Heathrow, and check again if your airline notifies you of a change.
Terminals 2 and 3 are in the central area of the airport, close to each other. Terminal 4 is on the south side and has its own access route. Terminal 5 is on the west side, also with a separate access route.
Heathrow security information
Check the current UK airport security restrictions that apply to your hand baggage and checked luggage before you travel.
Information checked: October 2026. The review covers operating terminals, connections, passport and customs procedures, recommended arrival times before departure, and airport contacts. Confirm the full conditions for your flight with the airline. Rules and charges can change; check the relevant official guidance before travelling.