London Heathrow Airport (LHR) Flights & Information

London Heathrow Airport (LHR) is one of the world’s busiest airports, but it is also one of the most traffic-constrained. With only two runways, it uses a slot system to manage traffic and assure that airlines are using their slots for the best traffic patterns. Still, it is one of the most popular connecting points between the Americas and Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. On the way, you will discover long security lines, delightful lounges, awkward terminal layouts and plenty of great shopping. Navigating Heathrow requires a PhD at times, but here is your crash course on how to do it.

Terminal layout between two parallel runways

For years, the airport has been trying to build a third runway, but public discussion and government intervention has prevented this from happening. This airport has the most international connections than any other airport, and it is often ranked as the busiest in Europe and one of the top five in the world.

A third runway would reduce some of the traffic congestion for aircraft, but it has yet to be approved. Plans are in place to reorganize the terminals, but this is also years from happening. For now, this is how LHR is laid out.

Terminal 2

There is no Terminal 1 at Heathrow. Terminal 2, also known as the Queen’s Terminal, is home to Star Alliance airlines, including United, Air Canada, Ethiopian, Lufthansa and Singapore among others. This is the newest terminal at the airport.

It has excellent lounges, and my favorites include the Singapore SilverKris lounge and the United Club. Both have substantial buffets and great views of the airport. This is one of the nicest United Clubs in the airline’s network.

Terminal 3

This terminal serves airlines like American, Delta, Virgin Atlantic, Emirates, Qantas and Finnair. British Airways is the largest airline at the airport, and its operation is so big that it has some flights to certain destinations leaving from here.

Passengers connecting between British Airways flights as well as other airlines like American often have to take a bus transfer between here and Terminal 5. The ride can take around 10 minutes, and it twists and turns through curving roads and tunnels. Be sure to hold the hand rails as the bus drivers could double as race car drivers.

The best lounge, hands down, is the Cathay Pacific business and first class lounge. I arrive a little early to the airport just to order a bowl of the famous dan dan noodles at the noodle bar. Another great lounge here is the Qantas Lounge, which has two floors although I prefer the views and food at the Cathay lounge.

I would allow extra time to enjoy the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, which is also accessible to Delta passengers in business class or with top-tier elite status.

Terminal 4

Terminal 4 is across the runway on the other side of the airport. Airlines here include Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Vietnam Airlines and Etihad. The best lounge here is Etihad’s lounge with top-shelf food and Champagne.

I like how if you have access to the Etihad lounge and you arrive to find it closed, you get 3,000 Etihad bonus miles as consolation.

If you have some extra time and want to get a birdseye view of airplanes, head to the observation lounge between gates 15 and 16. Climb up the stairs for a panoramic view of the airfield. There are also binoculars and flight departure screens so you know where the planes you see are going. It is a great place for plane spotting.

Terminal 5

Terminal 5 is the biggest at the airport and home to British Airways and Iberia flights. There are three concourses that make up the terminal. Most short-haul flights to Europe leave from the main A gates.

Long-haul British Airways flights leave from Concourses B and C. You can walk or take a train to reach them, but it is important to note that once you go to these concourses, you cannot return to Concourse A. Be sure you are going to the right gate.

I love the British Airways First Class lounge here, and if you have access to the Concorde Room, the service and views are excellent. If you don’t have lounge access, the Wagamama restaurant just after security has some great views of passing aircraft. Gordon Ramsay also has a restaurant here that is always busy.

Another key point to know if departing from Concourse C is that there are no lounges there. If you have lounge access, I recommend staying in Concourse A until it is time to board your flight.

Strict security at LHR

Ask anyone about their entry or transfer experience at London Heathrow, and odds are that they will complain about security. This airport follows the same strict rules as other airports, but the way which it carries them out is a bit overzealous.

I try to avoid flying through Heathrow, opting for other European hubs, just because of how nit-picky security is here. The number of carry-on bags they flag for manual screening is triple what you will see at other airports. The staff sometimes lacks courtesy, and it is common to see people getting upset when security staff rudely rummage through their bag.

This is the case in all four terminals at Heathrow. I suggest making sure all of your liquids are in one small bag and simply pull out anything that looks suspicious to avoid having to wait for them to review your bag if they flag it. I have waited as long as 30 minutes since they pull aside so many bags.

Tips and tricks for flying through LHR

While some airlines sell one-hour connections between flights, I suggest choosing another flight with more time. If you have to change terminals, you will need the extra time. And if security staff need to review your bag, you might miss your flight.

The airport departure screens do not indicate a gate for your flight until about one hour before departure. This is so that people spend more time (and money) visiting the airport’s shops and restaurants. Pay attention to the screens because once the gate gets posted, you need to head there right away and walks can be long.

If you don’t want to carry your bags with you as you shop, each terminal has a baggage storage office where you can pay a fee to leave it there for a few hours. The airport even has a complimentary personal shopper that can help you find exactly what you want.

Frequent travelers that shop a lot at the airport (including food, snacks or drinks) should sign up for Heathrow Rewards. It is the airport’s loyalty program that awards points based for how much you spend. You can then redeem them for airport parking, discounts to airport venues and shopping vouchers. You can also transfer them to frequent flyer programs.

Closest airport hotels to LHR

Heathrow is literally surrounded by dozens of hotels representing most major chains. I like the Renaissance on Bath Road because it has rooms that face the runway and have excellent airport views.

Unfortunately, Heathrow does not allow airport hotels to offer free shuttle service to the terminals. Instead, you can take a public bus for free that makes stops near some, but not all, airport hotels. You can also pay a fee to take the Hotel Hoppa bus, which stops at different hotels.

Keep in mind that the airport charges all cars entering the airport a fee, even to drop off or pick up passengers. This means the cost of a taxi will be a bit higher because you will have to pay the surcharge.

The airport also has hotel rooms inside the airport, which are great for a nap or even an overnight. You won’t have to take any transportation at all when staying at the Aerotel in the arrivals area of Terminal 3. But, keep in mind that you have to pass through immigration to reach it.

How to get to and from LHR

While you can take a taxi or rideshare service, the cost into central London will be steep. Instead, I prefer to take the Heathrow Express, which is the fastest way to get into town. It goes to Paddington Station, and from there, you can take a rideshare or the “tube” (subway) to your destination.

You can also take the “tube” from all of the airport terminals into central London. It makes a lot of stops along the way, but it is the cheapest method of getting to or from Heathrow.

Sightseeing from the air

Due to the wind direction, most flights overfly central London on final descent to Heathrow. If you have a window seat, you can spot important landmarks like Tower Bridge, Big Ben, the London Eye and other famous buildings along the river Thames.

From one side of the plane, passengers can also see Windsor Castle on final approach to Heathrow, if you keep an eye out.