London Heathrow Airport (LHR) — Terminals, Lounges & Travel Tips
London, United Kingdom · LHR
Terminal Guide
| Terminal | Airlines |
|---|---|
| Terminal 2 (Queen's Terminal) | United, Air Canada, Lufthansa, Swiss, All Nippon (ANA), Turkish Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Star Alliance carriers |
| Terminal 3 | Virgin Atlantic, Delta, American, Air France, Emirates (some), oneworld/SkyTeam carriers |
| Terminal 4 | KLM, Malaysia Airlines, Korean Air, some SkyTeam |
| Terminal 5 (Heathrow's largest) | British Airways (exclusive), Iberia, Aer Lingus |
Getting There — Ground Transportation
- Elizabeth Line (Crossrail): Heathrow Connect to Paddington in ~21 min for £12.80. The fastest and newest option — runs from Terminals 2/3 and 4/5.
- Piccadilly Line (Underground): Tube from Heathrow to Piccadilly Circus in ~50 min for £6. Runs 24 hours on weekends. Budget option.
- Heathrow Express: Heathrow Express to Paddington in 15 min for £25–37 (advance/walk-up). Premium, non-stop service.
- Taxi / Minicab: Licensed black cabs metered (~£60–90 to central London). Pre-book a minicab (Addison Lee, etc.) for lower rates.
- National Express Coach: Coach service to central London and other UK cities from the Central Bus Station at T2/3.
Airport Lounge Directory
| Lounge | Location | Access |
|---|---|---|
| BA Galleries First Lounge (T5) | Terminal 5 (A) | BA First Class, BA Gold card with F ticket |
| BA Galleries Club Lounge (T5) | Terminal 5 (A, B, C) | BA Business class, BA Gold, oneworld Emerald |
| United Club (T2) | Terminal 2 | United Club membership, United Polaris long-haul |
| Lufthansa Senator Lounge (T2) | Terminal 2 | Lufthansa/SWISS Business, Senator/HON Circle |
| Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse (T3) | Terminal 3 | Virgin Upper Class, Flying Club Gold |
| American Admirals Club (T3) | Terminal 3 | Admirals Club membership, oneworld Emerald/Sapphire |
Pro Tips for LHR Travelers
- The Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) is now the fastest and most comfortable way to central London — take it over the Heathrow Express if you're price-sensitive.
- Terminal 5 is British Airways' masterpiece — check in, security, and lounges are all faster than other LHR terminals.
- Allow at least 90 minutes for international connections at Heathrow — customs, long walks, and re-security all add time.
- The Piccadilly line is significantly cheaper than the Heathrow Express but takes 50 minutes; fine for leisure travelers.
- LHR is subject to slot controls — every flight must have a slot, so delays cascade less than at some US airports.
- Pre-clear US immigration at Heathrow for some US destinations using the Registered Traveler or Global Entry programs.
- Heathrow's duty-free shops are excellent — Champagne, Scotch whisky, and cosmetics are notably well-priced.
Know Before You Land — LHR Checklist
Review these before your flight so you hit the ground running at London.
- Confirm which terminal your airline uses — London Heathrow Airport has 4 terminals and inter-terminal transfers may take 15–30 minutes.
- LHR has 6 lounges — access is via airline status or card membership only.
- British Airways hub: expect higher flight frequency and stronger upgrade/standby availability for British Airways elite members.
- Terminal 5 is British Airways' masterpiece — check in, security, and lounges are all faster than other LHR terminals.