My experiences at Heathrow have always been great, so this is an airport that's a positive travel experience for me every time. Quick access to/from London on the Heathrow Express, all-you-can-imagine duty free shopping, amazing airline lounges, and plenty of places for coffee, drinks, food, etc. read more

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I only flew out of this airport back to the states, so it was pretty smooth sailing. Security was quick even though my bag was pulled for additional checking, which has never happened to me in the past. Coming from pretty lax countries previously, security here was tight (still not sure why Italy and France had near zero checks or security at the airports). Still no shoe removal so I appreciate that. We flew direct United, I believe terminal 3, which was a 15 minute walk but lots of people movers. There was a currency exchange and a small convenience type store and we took advantage of both. We had a ton of coins so we bought a bunch of random crisps, popcorn, etc. - all flavors I've yet to see in the US. We exchanged currency for USD too and the rate was decent-we got 20 USD back For quite less than that in pounds (obviously). Make sure to get everything you need as soon as you see a store because there's nothing near the gates. Overall the airport is convenient (on the Piccadilly line), clean, and, oh yes, convenient. Bon voyage! read more

I hate flying theough LH. I recently had the experience of having a short layover that was a nightmare. My carry-on which had cleared the flight before in Barcelona was pulled fir "liquids" I waited a half an hour for them to realize it was my rescue inhaler. A gentleman working there said it was my fault for having liquids. This was before they found my inhaler. Then there are no fast food restaurants for those who need to board quickly other than pastries. You can go to many posh shops though. read more

I hate, hate, hate traveling through London Heathrow. I have flown through many international airports and have never seen such an inefficient airport. 1 star off: One needs at least two hours when making a transfer, as the terminals are very far apart. For example, going from Terminal 3 to Terminal 5 requires walking from gate in Terminal 3 to shuttle bus stop (10 minutes), waiting for the shuttle bus (10-20 minutes depending on the number of people in line), getting on the shuttle bus (5 minutes), riding on the shuttle bus (10 minutes), going through security at Terminal 5 (45 minutes), and walking to gate at Terminal 5 (10-20 minutes). 1 star off: The security line is completely inefficient. About half of carry-on luggage gets a second screen. I completely understand airport security is important, but we have received a second screen for no particular reason (no extra liquids, no sharp objects, etc.) 1 star off: The security staff could not be any slower. One would think that with half of the bags getting a second screen, the staff would work faster to get everyone through. Many people almost missed their flights. 1 star off: The boarding gates are not displayed until the very last minute. When it takes 10-20 minutes to even walk to the correct gate, displaying gate information that late just expects people to be psychic or something. read more

Customs took 1.5 hours for me. I know they're just doing their job and making sure they're keeping their country safe, but that is just too long when you're on vacation. It'd be great to have the fast track in this case, but there are certain requirements in order to get that. In the future, I would try to avoid going to London if I don't have to. The airport itself has many stores and you can buy lots of things here if you forgot to shop while enjoying vacation. The only problem is is that not all stores are in the terminal you're flying out of. The major stores are in terminal 5 after security, such as fortnum and mason and Starbucks, so I couldn't get my special infusion teas or London mug. It was very unfortunate. The world duty free shop did have a small selection of fortnum items, but only the popular items. I had to make do with what was available. Plan ahead to reseal which stores are in your terminal. You can always request a personal shopper, but you have to do it a couple of days in advance. read more

This is probably my favorite airport to date. Heathrow is easy to navigate and well laid out. The Heathrow Express makes it easy to get from London to the airport and makes a stop at all the terminals. Getting through customs was a breeze. Not sure if it had anything to do with flying Business Class but it was a painless, quick process. The custom agents were friendly and efficient as well. Check-in was also painless and the British Airways attendants were all gems to deal with. If only all airports had such friendly employees! The British Airways Lounge was the perfect place to relax before my international flight back to the States. The BA lounge was well stocked with high end liquor, beer, and wine as well as an assortment of snacks and hot sandwiches. Heathrow offers free Wi-Fi that's fast and consistent. The shopping is the best I've seen at an airport. Many high end designer shops including Burberry, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton. I just wish I had more time to shop as I spent too long drinking in the lounge...lol. read more

I traveled through Heathrow Airport from Newark for a connecting flight to Germany. I was only here briefly but it left a good impression with me. The airport itself is massive but there are signs and postings everywhere to help guide you. This was helpful since I had to travel to another terminal after landing. I went through security/customs like a breeze. After all of the formalities where done I was able to enjoy a nice latte at one of the many restaurants in terminal 5. I was most grateful for the free wifi which gave me the chance to text and Skype home for free. read more

Heathrow Airport - My - Airports Near Me - Hounslow, XGL

Never in my life have I experienced such hostility from a TSA crew. The people working here are horrible and disrespectful to people going through security. I had my insulin in my bag, and the tsa workers kept saying i had to take it all out and put it in a plastic bag. I insisted that I had to keep it in its carry bag (it comes in glass bottles & they break so easily & I can't go without it!) I was more than willing to wrap something around it and I was trying to work with them to compromise but it turned into them yelling and slamming my insulin down in the bins. Luckily nothing broke but It very well could have. Horrible. Absolutely horrible. Get it together heathrow, we can be safe and respectful. read more

Heathrow put passengers and staff at risk. Terminal 3&4 closed . All flights squeezed into Terminal 2. The photos are taken Saturday December 5th .2020 @ 8.30am . The line to enter the check in area was unbelievable. No staff , no controls. NO SOCIAL DISTANCING. All check in desks packed with passengers. Even pre pandemic Terminal 2 , never had crowds such as this. Totally irresponsible of Heathrow. read more

Heathrow Airport - 2 days after lockdown- Heathrow overcrowding - Airports Near Me - Hounslow, XGL

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With a least two trips (2018 and 2022) through airport I have to give it 5 stars as our time was uneventful. Mark of good business or just lucky on our part. If you are connecting through you might have to leave the secure side to get your bags and recheck and pass through security again. When checking bags try to get them checked to final destination so you don't have to go through security again. This year's connection had us arriving from Norway in Terminal 2 and had to go to Terminal 3 for flight home. The airline we traveled first didn't have agreement with our next airline so the checked bags had to be picked up and checked in again once we got to Terminal 3. The two terminals are not close so allow plenty of time to get from one to the other. Various airlines have their frequent flyer lounges in terminal 3 so take advantage of them. I took a shower at the American Airline's Admiral's Club. read more

Heathrow is a maze of paths and passages designed to have you go broke before your flight!! Never have I ever witnessed an abundance of empty premium shops and lackluster food options all aimed at diverting you away from your Gate!! All Airlines recommend travelers to arrive at the airport at least two hours before departure. However, once you get through security, people are hovered around the flight boards like a flock of seagulls waiting to find out their assigned Gate. Then, it's a dash to a pod like area where you congregate before boarding the plane, but unlike the US, everyone waits outside the boarding Gate before entering the jetway to find their seats. read more

Give yourself plenty of time!!! This airport is huge! There are free trains to get to the different terminals. Terminal five goes to all the hotels in the area. The airport has amenities like luggage storage, haircut, and restaurants. Signage can be a little confusing but we always found uniformed staff readily available to answer questions. Do not hesitate to ask questions as this can prevent a lot of wasted time. Heathrow express is not inexpensive but will get you to central London in about 15 minutes or so. They have currency exchange, sim cards, international plugs and oyster cards which I highly recommend if you are going to use public transportation for at least 48 hours. The airport is very clean, including restaurants and very efficient but it is big so,again, give yourself plenty of time to get through. read more

Heathrow Airport - Airports Near Me - Hounslow, XGL

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The worst airport experience I've ever had! They will make passengers put liquids in a small ziplock bag even if you're connecting and have already been screened! I felt very violated because I have a medical condition and the person had my personal items in the tub for all to see! I was embarrased and shocked they would do that. I changed My flight so I could bypass Heathrow on my way home!! read more

It's a nice airport to me with easy access wifi and clear instructions. Most of the restrooms were clean but no toilet cover sheets. They have at least one cafe and shops close to most gates. Overall it's a good airport to me. read more

Most people hate this airport but I like it a lot. I have fast track through here so I can get in and out very quick. This airport is huge and considering that still runs at 90% capacity they do a really good job. Their planning for landing planes and planes that take off is amazing. Make sure you don't have any lotions besides liquid in your carry on, they are very strict about that, I have experienced this first hand. Ladies even a small lip gloss can be detected. If they do find something when they scan your bags they will make you wait a very long time and search everything. Don't take the chance you may miss your connecting flight. Lots of shopping stores here and if you want to keep up with the latest European fashion trends you may want to pick something up. read more

My first to stop in the great London, the airport is really big, modern and the clean design made me felt for this plave quickly. It is very to get around the airport as well. Although the airport is busy most of the time, it is still really clean. I didn't see a really dirty and messy area, at least during my visit. They also offer entertaining area which made the waiting more interesting. And changing area. Under the airport there is the airport line underground which can take passage to the city. It did take me some time though. But also the cheapest way to get to the city. I was doing a connection time one time. I think I had like 20 mins in between the connection. I was quite worried that I wouldn't make it. Plus the airport was really busy, when I was there. Luckily, there got this express path for the security pass. So that actually made the process faster. So I was able to make it before the boarding time. Which I remember it was just about 5 mins earlier. But I was glad that I made it. Overall I like the airport, it isn't the most amazing impressive airport I see. But it is one of the cool and busiest one. read more

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This is worst airport in Europe, mainly because it is rulled by BA. I would suggest you flight with another company in a different EU capital. BA has become a forth world country airline and you will get stuck somewhere every time you travel through this airport and with British Airways. read more

I am at London Heathrow on Saturday 27/4. Heathrow is Heathrow, which really doesn't deserve one star. However, with my flight from Aberdeen late by one hour I was then having to go from terminal 5 to 4. The direct link wasn't operating, so an airport tour it was: T5 to T2, change busses and to T4. In itself not disastrous, but with a 30 minute wait in T2 for a bus and the route from T2 to T4 over the airport and hardly used roads, my overall transfer time took over an hour. I didn't miss my connection, plenty of others did. This is simply not acceptable. read more

Avoid at all costs...the terminals are set up awfully, the flights are never posted correctly, bus drivers are retired NASCAR drivers with an affinity for breaking WAY too much EXCEPTIONALLY hard, no one knows Jack about anything when you ask, and you have to be at your gate 45 minutes prior to your flight...spoiler alert - you don't find out the gate until 1 hour before. Hope you have Usain Bolt abilities because changing terminals is a nightmare and even if your gate is right next to the self checkout and you hAve 43 minutes to spare? NOPE. Old people are treated like trash and kept in rooms for 40+ minutes (my parents and others) and can't leave...AWFUL!!! read more

Horrible!!! Transit from terminal to terminal is just horrible. I was waiting for over 30 minutes just for the bus. It wasn't busy either. Absolutely ridiculous. The "fast track" was anything but...and they didn't even have a female TSA security guard for pat-downs. Which is illegal. I made a a formal complaint about it...they apologized...but it still doesn't take away from the fact they didn't have ANY female security guards around. read more

Terribly unorganized airport, incredibly rude staff. I understand there are staffing shortages all over the world, so I have to imagine they are understaffed and that has to be a large contributing factor so I can understand why the staff may be stressed out and rude. There needs to be more communication between departments at this airport-it was going from one line to wait 2 hours for information, to being told we were in the wrong line and sent back and forth multiple times, resulting in people missing their flights, etc. I will be avoiding this airport at all costs going forward! read more

Talk about one huge airport and you know you are in Heathrow. I learned a long time ago that I could not walk this airport. Thankfully, British Airways had a wheelchair waiting for me when I exited the plane. We were taken to a buggy where we waited for two other passengers to come off the plane. Then, with great skill and ease, our driver drove us what seemed like miles underground to Customs. The gentleman there was most welcoming. Then, we continued on to collect our luggage. We did have to wait for a while as our bags were the last ones to come off the plane. We were pleased that everything went very smoothly. read more

Good transit connections with the city, modern facilities, solid amenities, friendly staff, and efficient operation. It's huge in both physical size and passenger volume, so getting around and through can take a while, plan for it. Terminal 2 is the newest and particularly good in all regards. read more

What. A. Shit show. I implore you---if LHR is a stop on a long journey for you---PLEASE, give yourself at LEAST 2 (if not 3) hours to get to your next flight. The HORRIFYING mismanagement, lack of communication and INORDINATELY long and inconvenient ways to haul your ass 20 minutes with 50lbs of luggage strapped to you...not to mention the busses that take 20 minutes to get to between terminals..... I CAN'T. It's actually a KNOWN thing, that if you're flying out of Terminal 5.....just ship your luggage wherever you're going bc chances are much higher then, that you'll actually receive them. WHAT!? It's doable if you give yourself time. But hear me out---you need 2 hours to get there IF your flight lands on time. You'll want 3-4 hours if heaven forbid (and it happens WAY more that you can believe)...weather flying in delays you and keeps your plane spinning in circles for 30 min-1hr before you can land, delaying you. Trust mama Sherene......give yourself the gift of time at this godforsaken airport. And if you slam your head into a wall, and make the VERY bad decision to fly with British Airlines....expect gross incompetence when everything goes wrong with your flight. I'm not bitter. You're bitter. read more

Step into another world at Heathrow.. the minute you enter there are security guards everywhere. I know that is supposed to make me feel safer, however it made me a bit edgy.deal with it move on. The building is a mixture of an era full of stories and that haunt your mind. A very sturdy structure that has withstood time stands proudly awaiting your arrival. Customs are strict just follow the procedures and you'll encounter no problems. Once through customs it's all open air..shops everywhere selling anything you need! I needed the toilet and after paying I found one. Remember one pays to go to the toilet in Europe. They have excellent boarding boards so finding your next departure is easy. There is very little seating inside the building, so many people simply sit on the floor. Your best bet, go to the toilet get yourself a snack find a place to sit and people watch until it's time for departure. You'll totally be amazed read more

Neat, Big and busy. Lots of dining & duty free shopping options. Buses run between terminals 1-5 & transit trains between gates A,B & C. Quick security checks with boarding pass scanning kiosks. Sparkling Christmas lights and decor through out. Flight info - gates, delays, times etc are available almost everywhere - shops, restaurants. FREE good speed WiFi read more

Heathrow Airport - Airports Near Me - Hounslow, XGL

Bussing passengers from tarmac to terminal because no walkways are available. Passengers must pass through security a second time on connecting flights. No security or police to prevent unruly folks from doing whatever they want. Fly elsewhere!!! read more

Our flight landed on time but it was over an hour to be allowed off the plane, down a stairway to the tarmac and then board a bus to the terminal. Then we had to go through another security screening along with 1,000 other passengers. By the time got through all of that, we found out which gate our flight was at because it was flight time. We RAN across the whole damn place as our gate was #36! The plane was still there but they would not allow us to board. We were directed back to the service desk who tried to tell us to go to gate agent... Then, the next flight I can get you on is in 2 days!! Now we wait on standby. Hoping someone else gets stuck in security so we get their seats when they do not show up. Sad. read more

It's undergoing renovations, as it has been for decades, but despite supposedly being one of the top airports in the world, the passenger experience for Terminal 3 is a joke. Long security lines, where you're then funnelled into running the gauntlet of Duty Free with dozens of sales staff accosting you to buy something. Then it's the typical overpriced food and more retail stores trying to sell you something seemingly most people that fly through here aren't interested in. There's far too few toilets for the number of passengers, so often there's long lines waiting. That's if you can actually find them, they're not well signposted from the general waiting area. Once you're called to your gate, it's cramped, narrow corridors that look like an afterthought to the architect when designing the place. Hopefully T3 will be bulldozed in the not too distant future and something more fitting of an airport of Heathrow's stature built. read more

pre covid wait time line in immigration exceeded 2 hours. good luck trying to make your next connection. airport looks old and dated with low ceilings. read more

Is this the Saks Fifth Avenue of airports? It might be. Lots of high end shopping options. The food options are a bit sparse, in my opinion. They've got a Pret A Manger and some other stuff like that. The lounges were nice, though I did hear them turning people away when they got "crowded." I ordered the porridge at the lounge (as my complimentary meal) and it was hearty and delicious. The Bloody Mary was on the bloody side (mixed with just tomato juice, no spices). Food bar was decent. I enjoyed the fresh fruit. Getting to London from the airport (and visa versa) was very easy with mass transit. And all of my buddies say that the Heathrow Express isn't worth it. Customs: Flying in, customs moved very quickly. Don't forget to grab a customs form before you get in line! There are none while you're waiting in line. You'll need your own pen, too. Customs leaving was another story. We got "interviewed" before we could check our luggage, went through security, and then got check again at the gate. The gate check was a lil annoying only because we had to unpack our carry-ons completely, but I was able to get everything crammed back into my bag before we boarded. read more

The quality of an airport shows during busy times. Are the buildings designed for a large amount of people? How are the queues organized? Is it easy to navigate through the terminals? Sadly, London's Heathrow Airport scores extremely low in all categories. Yes, this is one of Europe's (the world's?) busiest airports. Yes, it's dated (terminal by terminal has been added throughout the years). And yes, be prepared to walk. A lot. That being said, you'll walk long, tiny corridors, with poor signage. You'll wait 15 minutes for a shuttle bus just to get from one terminal to another. And, lines at immigration and security can be devastatingly long that'll make you miss your connection flight. The infrastructure is a mess. Not to mention the occasional computer outages, luggage system breakdowns, and horrible flight delays. On the plus side, staff was extremely courteous, polite, and helpful at all times. I think they all know what big mess this airport is and try to do at least the best they can. So, what's my advice to you, traveler? Make sure your layover time is 3+ hours. Good luck, mate. read more

Heathrow Airport - Don't fly out at Christmas time. Just don't. - Airports Near Me - Hounslow, XGL

I was warned to avoid connecting in LHR but just couldn't believe that it was so bad that I should rework my flights. I should have listened to my friends. When you land, you walk forever and take a bus and then walk forever to get to the terminal. Then while awaiting publication of my connecting gate, I was told that they'd publish it 30 min before flight. My airline app showed that the plane was boarding but the gate wasn't available on the app and not on the screens. Once it finally published- we discovered that our flight was at another terminal. We had to run to a tram across many gates and were one of the last people to board the plane. We didn't think it could get worse but on our return it was worse. Security were complete assholes. Not the least bit congenial, the lines were long and to our dismay, after security we had to get on a bus again. More long treks and if you can believe it, security again!! Exhale. Please believe your friends and other yelpers who disparage LHR. Avoid it- it's the worst airport I've ever flown into and I've flown into many. read more

Heathrow Airport - Airports Near Me - Hounslow, XGL

Okay, it probably isn't the biggest airport that I have been to, but it is still quite large - five terminals and three railway station type large. I've arrived here numerous ways, including by place, by car, and by Heathrow express. The thing with this airport is that it takes absolutely ages to get from where you arrive to getting to the gate, and the crowds aren't the worst part - the distance you have to walk it. Okay, it isn't so much a maze which means that you can find your way around, however it does take time. The other thing about Heathrow is that it makes me somewhat sad because when I land up here it basically means that my holiday has come to an end and I am basically heading home. read more

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Our luggage was visibly falling apart and held together with packing tape as we can't afford new. Security made us remove the tape so they could drug swab the inside of our luggage and check essential oils that already met requirements. Excessively invasive of us and everyone we saw in line. read more

ARRIVAL: After arriving from LAX, it's a long walk to customs but after sitting 10.5 hours on a Virgin Atlantic flight, it feels great to stretch your legs. And though it's a bit of a maze, there's ample signage and clean bathrooms along the way. (You'd understand my joy at this if you've been in Italy!). We waited about 20 minutes in line to have our passports stamped and saw an American rock band in front of us. I have no idea who they were, but they looked like rockers and were hauling stage equipment. At street level, there's a lounge with vending machines and the like for tour travelers that have ground transport arrangements. It's a bit of a downfall for a welcome to London, though. We also stopped here on the way back from Rome via British Airways. The walk was much shorter and we whizzed through customs ... perhaps we just look too exhausted so they hardly glance at our passports. Which is ironic because the awful photo I took that will live in my passport for 10 years looked exactly like I felt. DEPARTURE: Inside the departure terminal is a whole other story. It feels abuzz with people in a hurry and there's lots of shops -- a bookstore, perfumes, a mini Harrod's, sundries, etc. -- and FREE wi-fi! For 45 minutes max. That upped the star count for me! read more

Wow. The toilet attendants really hustle to earn their keep here! I'd be surprised if you'd even be capable of hopping into a stall here before one of the cleaning crew beats you to it to do some thorough, um, maintenance. Love the contemporary high-speed hand dryers. Don't love the scalding hot automatic sinks. And utterly perplexed by the condom/breathmint dispenser. What kind of message am I supposed to take away from that? For being far, far away from Central London, Heathrow offers a reasonably efficient and comfortable transit hub, as a function of the exceptionally convenient Heathrow Express. All airports outside of city centres should have done sort of similar mode of access. Also, what's with the interminable distances between arrival gates and customs for international flights? I know I need some exercise, but a ten-minute brisk walk followed by an hour-long not-brisk wait through customs is -not- the kind of welcome I look forward to after a transatlantic flight. I anticipate my love/hate relationship with Heathrow will go on. And on. And on. read more

Ah, the waking nightmare of Heathrow. Americans: If you book a fight that merely passes thru Heathrow to a further destination give yourself at least 3 hours for the layover. Passing thru security check upon landing can take more than 2 hours. I've been landing and or passing thru Heathrow for almost 50 years. Yes the new airport expansion with the larger, lighter environment and nice restaurants & shops is a big improvement over the old cruddy place. But the 5 mile walks between terminals and gates, the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds, the overburdened infrastructure, and the miserably bureaucratic security procedures make Heathrow one on my least favorite places on planet earth. Lousy as JFK, LAX and CDG. read more

Very large with no moving walkways. Signage is somewhat confusing and going through security is now a nightmare. There was no indication that IPads were supposed to be removed from carry-ons. Once you break this rule, your entire luggage has to be manually searched. The screeners take forever doing this. We almost missed a connecting flight because of it. Additionally, if you go to one part of the terminal and want to get back to the main terminal without going through security you have to go to the lowest level (which to me actually looked to be off-limits) and walk for what seemed to be 1/2 a mile. The shops are nice, the British Airways clubs are nice. But it's overall way too chaotic a seen for me. read more

Yelp made sure to tell me how many times I've checked in at Heathrow - and asks "What keeps you coming back?" Well - it's certainly NOT any intrinsic qualities of the airport, that's for sure! I'm grateful that they don't force passengers through a perfume shop (like at Stansted) and the shopping is confined to the perimeter rather than being the actual waiting area. There are quite some long distances from security to your gate -- so if all the baggage system goes down (as did on 7/20) and you have to go running through security because you were standing in line for 60 minutes to check a bag that couldn't -- you better be in good condition or you will miss your flight! read more