7/29/17 There are a lot of things to like about Heathrow. Its a very pretty airport and almost everything looks modern and updated. There is an interesting sort of courtyard type feel as you enter the terminal. The first bit is covered but outdoors, reminding one of a sun room. The inside is wide and open. Free WiFi. Fairly clean (at least compared to Gatwick, blech). Cons: 1) rental car return was impossible to find. We had to leave out of terminal 2, so naturally, we drove to terminal 2. There is no rental car return there, and we didn't see any signs anywhere on our way in to tell us where the rental return was. Staff inside terminal 2 were not helpful either. As we left to circle back around, we saw a tiny sign that said rental cars go to Terminal 5. Finally! 2) Staff weren't very helpful anywhere. The girl working the snack counter was too busy playing on her phone to help anyone. The people at the info desk didn't know any info, making them useless. 3) its a big airport so the crowds are large and the immigration line was very long. Overall its a nice airport. Very easy to get in and out of with a car. Needs more signs for everything from rental cars to airlines at each terminal. read more

Flew into this airport in March 2017 to start our London trip and it was convenient, easy to get navigate when coming from USA. We didn't spend much time here other than getting our luggage and then finding an Uber ride at the pick-up location in the parking lot. read more

I won't go into TOO much detail here, but I do not think getting off an eight and a half hour flight slightly tipsy is an infraction worth being detained at Heathrow for 2 hours. Of course once they I saw was travelling with two passports (Irish, US) didn't help my cause much, as now they are treating me like I'm the female equivalent of Jason Bourne. (I think they're still pissed about the war.) read more

I've been in this airport back in 2011 as well is recently. The first trip was during my stopover to Roma. My flight back to the SF consisted of a 3 hour gap in Heathrow. Like many bored people, I decided to walk around and explore. I ended up hanging by duty free, sampling all of the free shots of whiskey and vodka that the vendors were trying to promote. Two hours later I boarded my flight reeking of alcohol with a new $2,100 purse that I bought at the Gucci store which was conveniently placed a few stores to the right. NEVER again will I take advantage of free samples of alcohol with a credit card in my pocket, pure boredom, and the feeling of nostalgia due to the fact that I was far away from home. Talk about buyers remorse, especially since there was no way for me to return it. The second trip was very recent. A friend and I were having dinner one night and talked about how we should take a random weekend getaway together. I jokingly suggested London, with the expectations that we'd end up somewhere close to home (California) like Carmel. One week later, I boarded a flight to New Jersey, hung around for a few hours. I must say, rather than "GTL," we ended up eating our lives away at Crumbs cupcakes. Afterwards we boarded a plane to Heathrow for a 30-hour trip to London. I absolutely love Heathrow. For one, the Tube is conveniently right out of each of the terminals. We were able to hit Putney via Tube in about 45 minutes from terminal 4. Also, the airport is packed with designer boutiques and amazing restaurants. There is even a caviar bar and a pub. Security wasn't a pain and the lines were quick, we went through security in a matter of minutes. As far as my 30-hour trip. You were probably wondering if I was even able to squeeze everything in so little time. I was able to see Big Ben, the London Eye, Parliament, Borough Market, Westminster Abbey, unintentionally run into Banksy's "Shop til you Drop", shop my life away around Oxford Street, eat Fish and Chips in chic Putney, and bar crawl my liver away. I also was able to make it to work in SF on Monday morning at 8AM. Not bad? **After reading this, I've concluded that I am crazy and I need to stop making irrational decisions. Also, I would love to return here just to spend the night at Heathrow's Yotel (I've heard so much about it). See there I go again! read more

Super efficient airport. Easily one of the best I have been to. Security was a breeze compared to others. Minimal lines lots of shops and food at the terminal. read more

OMG. Bring heelies, wheelies, whatever those things are. Heck, bring Rollerblades. Bring valium. Bring patience. Oh, but don't bring any liquids that don't pass the 3oz rule if you're heading to the states. This is one of the few airports in which I can actually comment on what the screening process is like. Check in at the air carrier counter, get your ticket, proceed on to another counter where you will be given plastic bags and the opportunity to place your liquids into them. If they are larger, you can throw the item(s) out at one of the many trash cans in the area. If you don't do it there, the screeners will do it for you when they find it. This airport is no joke; it's in the top three of the biggest and most tiresome to travel into / through. read more

Although this is a clean, spacious, and modern airport the customer service can be a bit of a drag. I flew in from Beijing on a transfer flight originally from Melbourne and the employees were not only useless, but a bit rude as well. ~ UK Border immigration line (where they check your landing form and passport) had a ridiculously authoritarian-like man yelling at everyone. And he was really getting rude and was in serious need of a cup of coffee or a hug. ~ The lady I spoke with at the front of the line kept questioning my 3 week vacation for the holidays in the UK. Seriously? It's an American passport and I'm coming from Australia. I understand they should be thorough but firing personal questions such as "Do your parents know you're here?" I'm over 18... I think that qualifies me as a legal adult who can travel if I want to. Aside from the really shoddy service, this airport is actually alright. Like I said, it's really pretty with awesome design. Just avoid everyone and you'll be fine. read more

Not my favourite Airport! Long distance to your conencting flights, crowded and DAMN slow security checks (in case you have priority passes, it could work slightly faster...). Make sure to have sufficient transfer time! read more

Sure, the tube gets you in and out of here from King's Cross. That means you don't have to take a cab, or even the Heathrow Express, if you want to save a couple quid. Oh, and it looks decently well-kept, so that's the two stars. Apart from that... where do I begin? The past few times I've flown in and out of this terminal with BA, and leaving this terminal means having to navigate the check-in counters. Why does the national airline have its counters at the very end of the terminal? And why do internet check-ins mean nothing, when you have to get in line anyway with people who don't make use of that option to speed up this very process? After that riddle, you quicken your pace to customs - you don't have much time left, and you know that's going to be the bigger nightmare. You ramble up, and BAM. Nightmare=reality. I understand the need to be thorough, and the role of the customs security officer is surely a thankless one, but this is a painful, painful wait. You crawl along, and hope that the people ahead of you don't have contraband. But someone always has something suspicious. You hope you get enough time to get in yet another queue for your VAT refund... but then you realise your gate closes in 10 minutes, and its at the other end of the terminal. Walk on, mate, walk on. The gate's due to close any minute now, and you sprint as valiantly as you can, with carry-ons in hand. You get there, perspiration dripping off your brow as you catch your breath, and then you notice... the queue to board still stretches the length of the aerobridge, and I guess the flight's not going to leave quite on time. You heave a sigh of a relief as you settle in your seat, and make a mental note to get to the terminal earlier so you have time to spare in navigating these... situations, and wonder if you'll ever follow through on that. But for now, at least you're on this plane. read more

Arrived on a Saturday morning - 8am - Terminal 5.... British Airways. This terminal is brand new...and very easy to maneuver... About a 10 minute ride from the runway to the terminal....but all went very smoothly. I had practically no wait for customs... and maybe a 5 minute walk once inside.. I was nowhere near the main areas with shops/etc... which is a good thing...as I probably would have gotten sidetracked. Found my waiting car very easily...and my son and I were on our way. So for Terminal 5 - quiet.. clean... seamless... read more

I hate Heathrow. I really do. Yes there are some fine dining options and amazing shops but I'm not looking to spend a day at the airport, I wanna get to my friggin gate which is usually placed miles and miles away from the ticket counters. Excuse me for not wanting to eat caviar and buy a Hugo Boss suit at an airport...this place just blows. read more

It's good, bad and ugly all at the same time. Having flown in here multiple times to Terminals 2 (Queen's Terminal) and 4 (Skyteam Terminal), I have had a fair amount of experience with it so I think that I can be fair in my assessment. First, it is not just an airport...it is a HUGE airport and I believe the busiest in Europe. Given that, I have never had a flight actually take off quickly once boarding is completed nor have I ever had one land on a straight in approach. Because it is so busy, you can bank on being held in a landing holding pattern or being held on the ground for what seem like lengthy wait times. This along with the sheer massiveness of the airport layout that makes getting to things such as the underground train or another terminal fairly complex and also can make lines at security and passport control long and slow at times are probably the worst features. What I do like is that it is great to see an eclectic meld of international cultures all together going through life and everyone seems to get along and make it work. The United Nations could probably learn a few things about international tolerance and justice simply by watching the daily life that passes through Heathrow. I don't give it more than 3 stars simply because it is such a behemoth that it really would not be my first choice in airports. It is congested, far from city center, and definitely not a place for people that do not like crowds. But it does deliver on what an airport should and it does have reasonable food and mass transit options and several hotel options nearby if you are in-transit and looking for a convenient layover nap. While things aren't cheap, they never are when you are being held captive in a secure airport setting and I have had to spend many hours waiting here and have always found something entertaining to do, someplace comfortable to rest, and something ok to eat to pass the time. Having been in numerous international airports, this one hits me right in the 3 star zone. read more

One of the most humane, modern, and well-designed airports to which I've ever been. Pretty sure this airport is a shining beacon of what marvels man can achieve with a proper budget, architectural know-how, tech, and some UX research. For instance, the security process is one of the better ones I've seen. The conveyor belt is basically an automated little robot (aided by helpful people answering questions and handing out liquids bags) with trays going along the bottom and a belt going along the top. The trays are larger than trays in the US and elsewhere... This makes the experience better. Whoda thunk it?! If thats not enough proof this airport gives a damn about human experience, there's a nice room before the security line which is created just for opening your bags to get liquids out. Brilliant! Onto aesthetics: there's a lot of natural light, the airport is shiny, architected, and clean feeling (giving one a feeling of luxuriousness and calm), and there are a lot of options and arrangements for sitting down and creating one's own seating configuration (which research shows, urban animals love). Traffic flows naturally. The screens are large and animated (call me a simpleton, but this stuff matters). Everything is branded, as if in a mall (or the Apple Store) -- a place you want to be, not a stressful, sad hole of cattle-rific despair. People have choices in how to spend their time: shopping, eating, charging their devices (yes!), staring off into space, etc. All in a state-of-the-art, futuristic (in the best way possible) facility designed for your comfort (and also for more insidious reasons: to get your pounds and pence... For the queen!). It's kind of like real life... Only in an airport! Also, the bathrooms. The bathrooms are sterile, bright, spacious, and also quite new with great soap and lotion. The value of a great bathroom cannot be understated and can set the tone for an entire experience. Anyhoo, yeh... Hope you have the pleasure of making it here and lounging about in one of the nicely branded, well lit restaurants, standing lazily on a people-mover, or instagramming a geometric skylight that's really really good looking. read more

Flying from LAX to LHR is about 10 hours and just when you think the hard part is over you land at Heathrow. Immigration is a bitch even if you have the Blue Lane and hopefully you were a good traveler and didn't check luggage but even if you didn't I hope you have your walking shoes on. From the gate to ground transportation is probably a mile...no joke. If you are fortunate enough to fly first on United they do have a Arrivals By United Lounge with private bathroom and shower which is nice but that's about the only thing I can say positive about this airport. Oh...if you forgot to shop while in London there are plenty of places to blow your left over GBP's on. I always stop by Boots and pick up some Solpadeine Plus.. http://www.solpadeine.co.uk/solpadeine-faq.html read more

The new Heathrow Terminal 2 is nicknamed "The Queen's Terminal". Well, the Queen called. She's not impressed. Bear in mind that I believe United is currently the only airline operating out of this terminal. So about 5 days after grand opening, I went to Terminal 2 for a United flight back to Houston. The nice thing? It's dead in there. Like there's not a queue in sight. And it's delightfully clean. Loos were immaculate. Obviously that will change, but it's nice for now. But... why did I have to walk to the opposite end of the terminal (estimated 20 minute walk according to the boards) for my flight when literally the whole place is empty? That seems like some crap planning to me. Food and shopping? Blah and blah. I'm hoping this will ramp up as more airlines populate it, but basically, you've got a Boots, John Lewis, and Ted Baker, and the standard duty free for shopping. Food, there's an Eat., Leon, and some random restaurants. No Pret? Ugh. And I won't even go into how terrible my Leon meal was and how it went in the bin after one bite due to being stone cold. Oh wait. I just did. The Queen's Terminal gets a big old SNOOZERS from me. read more

I have a love hate relationship with this place. I love the fact that when I'm here, i'm either going away or coming home. Two of my favorite things. Ok, so the place is a monster of consumerism. Come here with an empty wallet and you're in for a torturous time. Arrive here with some dosh to spend on food/drinks/ other and it's just like spending the day in a massive mall, where the buses fly you away at the end of the shopping spree. In regards to the sprawling nature of the beast, I've never had any difficulty or issues getting to my destination (well, issues that have not been of my own making that is.) so no complaints there. read more

Heathrow is definitely one of the better airports that I've ever been in. It's absolutely enormous, but helpfully has a monorail that gets you to and from terminals (and even inter-terminal monorails, that's how big they are). The duty free in Heathrow is probably the most amazing you'll ever see in an airport. Everything from tourist shops that sell I love London hoodies and key rings, to Prada, Chanel and Harrods. Dotted amongst them are bars and restaurants to tempt you whilst you wait on your flights. The airport is clean and the staff are efficient but far from pleasant, but I think that's in their job description in airports! read more

Very poor transportation between terminals for late arriving flights. I arrived close to midnight in terminal 3, with a flight leaving the next morning at 6am from terminal 5. The only transportation between the terminals if the Heathrow Express which stops running at Midnight and starts again at 5am, far too late to make a 6 am flight. I ended up having to buy a ticket on a national express bus. Heathrow should fix this oversight. read more

A very busy international airport. My negative review has mostly to do with the fact that both times I flew through this last trip, the plane was delayed due to congestion and had to circle London a few times before clearance to land, this was both the transatlantic flight and with a 30 minute ground hold on the return due to congestion. And weather wasn't an issue. If it's too busy, then don't schedule that many flights, come on. Another peeve, transferring international flights what's the point of going through security again? wasn't the first time good enough? No place to fill water bottles either. I guess everyone wants you to buy that really overpriced expensive bottled water. Other than that, terminal 5 is pretty decent. Plenty of shopping, if you want to pay airport prices, but that's what people do I guess. Gates aren't listed on departures until about 55 minutes prior. The train moves you quite nicely from the main terminal. read more

Your time at LHR will vary according to whether you are flying on British Airways and whether you are staying in London or making connections. This review is for a direct flight only. Arrivals: If you arrive at a satellite terminal (B or C), you will need to take the train to the main T5. Once you are there, you will be directed towards immigration. Make sure you get into the correct line (non EU to the left, EU to the right). Then you will go through Customs (no one in the "nothing to declare" area) and then to baggage claim where your hold luggage will no doubt be waiting for you. Once you have your luggage, you wil exit to the arrivals area where there are numerous signs to get you to a taxi, shuttle or the Tube. Departures: The departures hall is GINORMOUS but I found the BA employees to be very helpful in directing me where I needed to go. Since I am a OneWorld Sapphire, I was able to check my bags in early in area F (for World Travellers). Security line on that side was much shorter. After security you are in the main restaurant area right away, duty free shopping is downstairs (Harrods!) and lounge access is also downstairs. BA lounge: Fairly large - hot and cold food stations, plently of drinks, snacks, tvs, and free wi-fi (look for the password scrolling at the bottom of the departures screens). So in my experience, LHR gets a pass. I reserve the right to add or take away stars once I make a connection from there. read more

Time for an updated review after 57 check ins here this year. Overall, the airport is improving. It's still a mixed bag with plus points and a lot of areas which just seem 'designed to frustrate'. I rarely have to change flights here which is probably just as well so not reviewing that. What's got better: 1) Now with FREE WIFI (45 minute limit). Finally they have seen the light and joined the club of the best airports round the world which also offer free wifi. This is a BASIC need for a traveller especially for people who are away from their home country. You need to register but it actually works and the signal was strong (much better than that Boingo thing they used to have which was useless). 2) Terminal 5. Overall pretty good but still too much emphasis on shops and not enough on basics such as enough loos and ironing out inconsistencies in wait times for passport control on arrivals. 3) Security control. Overall I rank Heathrow now as one of the better airports for efficiency of security (given the huge size and huge volume of people going through). It usually takes only around 5 minutes or less and I go through many times. Occasionally it's taken 10 minutes or more at the worst times. On the whole the system works well. The staff seem better trained now and are reasonably friendly too. Of course there are some people who have never been to an airport before and are clueless or completely ignore the signs of what to do and hold everyone else up... 4) Eating options have improved. One word 'Pret'. The arrival of Pret a Manger at all the Heathrow terminals has finally brought a place where you can be sure of quality, consistent standards, service with a smile, cleanliness and importantly Speed. 5) Public transport. With the Underground and Heathrow Express (and Connect), the airport is well connected to London. Heathrow express takes 15 minutes and while expensive is worth it if you want speed. The only gripe here is getting to T4 which requires a connection but they have improved the connecting service. 6) Shops. This can be a positive or negative depending on your point of view. There are plenty of them (too much for me - see below). Areas which still frustrate me: 1) Boarding information in departure lounge. Too often, the screens will show the flight but no gate number. 'Gate opens at 09:25' Then at 9:25, still no gate, same at 9:35. Then suddenly it says 'Gate 45, flight closing' while another screen tells you it is a 20 minute walk to the gate. Needs improvement. 2) Shopping. Too many shops at the expense of other services such as adequate loos. I want to get on a plane, not spend the day in a shopping mall. I wish they didn't force you to go through rows of sunglasses and perfume (Terminal 3, especially guilty) with no option to bypass. It just annoys me and adds to a feeling of claustrophobia that the whole place has. 3) Passport control. Mostly it's good (especially compared to most US international airports) but inconsistent. If you arrive at the same time as several other large planes (which, by the way, happens every day of the week in the morning when all the flights from the US arrive) they need to have more staff on duty. I think it's reasonable to wait 5 minutes but 30 minutes or more is completely unacceptable and whichever government official thinks that 40 -45 minute max target wait times is acceptable needs their head examining. Why on Earth did they take away the Iris retina scan system for frequent travellers like me? I used to be able to go straight through. It was quick and efficient so this is another area of frustration. They are replacing with 'E-gates' which I watch others go through and the speed is glacially slow. 4) Loos or lack of. Hey, when I am coming off a plane where I've been stuck like a sardine for several hours, I often need a quick bathroom break. It's nature... Terminal 5. Brand new. Ridiculously tiny toilets. There's often a queue, one loo is always out of order and they are situated in far off corners of the terminal apart from the one right where all the incoming passengers converge prior to passport control. Bad, bad design and poorly thought out. Clearly the emphasis is on money making retail and not basic services. Other terminals aren't much better and in general they are a bit grubby, even in T5 where the finishes are starting to wear already. Meanwhile there are acres of shops. Let's hope the new Terminal 1 is better. 5) Luggage carousels. Usually far too slow. Other airports can be much faster. 6) Charging points (or lack of). Just need more of them in convenient places. 7) Car parks. Overpriced (as are most airport car parks but still no excuse) but the car parks are grotty, cramped and have frustrating ticket systems. The buses to the business parking aren't as frequent as advertised and a bit tawdry. I use public transport when I can. I see they are building a massive new Terminal 2. I hope the improvements continue. read more

Here I am a year and a half later updating my review on Heathrow Airport. Sadly, a star is being ripped from them. We flew in the other night from Frankfurt on British Airlines after a few storms had hit the London area. It was close to 11PM I reckon. When we arrived in the non-EU customs line we noticed that there were 3 border agents processing folks on our side. 3 on the other side processing the EU folks. Our line was by far longer and continued to be filled with passengers. Throughout the 1.5 hours that we stood there, we watched the agents on our side disappear, reappear with tea, have chatty conversations with other employees, and so forth. At one point, people in line started to yell each time one of the agents would disappear. one of the agents threatened to call the police. The crowd yelled back, "Go ahead!!" Astonishingly, the EU side had completely cleared out and rather than the agents stepping over to our side (which wasn't moving) they all took off! I was shocked at the sheer negligence of it all. It took us about 1.5 hours to get through customs in all. Then when we went outside to get a taxi, there were about 50 or 60 people in line waiting for cabs. I shit you not. We freaked and headed for the underground train. We bought two tickets and made haste for the train. Upon arriving a gentleman who worked for the airport told us, "There are no more trains tonight." Me: "Then why in the hell did that machine upstairs take 10 POUNDS from me not 5 minutes ago! Shouldn't the machine say something like, "Feel free to give me your money but you're not going anywhere tonight!" Also, why the heck can't they post signs as to WHEN the trains stop running very clearly BEFORE you sink your money into the machine. We went back up to the taxi line. There was no other choice. We waited another hour in a taxi line. Yes, an hour. My other half was livid and I wasn't very happy either. All I know is that the only way it could have gotten any worse was if we'd been subjected to the full body and suitcase examination. Stay tuned for my next trip to the UK. It could happen. read more

I'll try to put it nicely. Heathrow is an absolute disgrace. In a nutshell, here's what I remember from my 2007 visits: 1:) CONFUSION...wandering through a maze, with few signs to guide me. I even ended up being directed onto the tarmac and accidently making a wrong turn. I'm just glad that one of Heathrow's numerous security lunkheads didn't tackle me to the ground as a suspected terrorist baddy. 2:) INEFFICIENCY: At good airports, like Schipol, near Amsterdam, you breeze through customs and security. The officials know what to look for, and don't want to waste resources on ordinary tourists. At Heathrow, you wait, and wait, and WAIT, to be processed. Coming back to the U.S.A. from Germany, I had a five hour layover. I would have enjoyed one last meal in Piccadilly or Leicester Square. At a decent airport, this would have been easy, since it's a straight shot on the tube. Unfortunately, I knew from my first experience, on the trip over, that Heathrow ISN'T a decent airport, so I didn't dare try. 3.) LUNACY...arbitrary rules about not entering your gate until two hours before your flight...rounding a random corner on a main aisle and unexpectedly being confronted by a roped-off area with officials ranting that travelers must line up and produce their liquids for inspection. Etcetera, etcetera... It's a shame that this is the first impression millions of tourists get of the U.K.. read more

Worst airport EVER. 2.5 hours to get through customs from T3. Completely unprepared to handle the volume of people. No airflow, no communication. Avoid Heathrow!!! Second trip in Nov 2019, immigration was MUCH better. Made it through in less than 30 mins. Great improvement. read more

Fun fact: when people warn me that I'll be going to a big airport while traveling, I kind of smile and shrug off the warning - because I've been to Heathrow airport twice. Most airports that I'm likely to travel to to visit family and whatnot pale in comparison to Heathrow. A quick Google search tells me that Heathrow is not only the busiest airport in the United Kingdom, it's also the busiest airport in Europe and the fifth busiest airport in the world - just for passenger traffic, mind you, so that doesn't even include non-passenger flights that may have to pass through. And as a result of the need to accommodate the number of planes and people who pass through here, Heathrow is MASSIVE - and there's even talk of more plans to expand the airport. Unfortunately I can't say that I find Heathrow to be an exceptional airport, despite its exceptional size - or rather, because of its exceptional size. Walking to or from a flight, ESPECIALLY during the early hours of the morning (when I tend to pass through this airport) is not particularly fun, especially since it can literally feel like you're a test rat in a maze as you wind your way through the halls from exit gates to your baggage claim area. And unfortunately, because of its size and traffic levels you have to arrive insanely early to ensure that you can make it through security before a flight leaves. If you're lucky enough to complete security with time to spare, you might not be able to find a seat right away in the airport lobby areas - although there are plenty of coffee shops and restaurants and so forth that you'll be able to visit (and spend money at of course) if you're in desperate need of a seat. The good news is that a saving grace of Heathrow is that, in my experience, it's full of speedy employees who are happy to help and who understand how exhausted and disoriented people can here. As an example, after my last flight in a ticket lady grabbed a trolley for my mother and I and helped to point us toward an express train that would take us to our station and hotel in London. At that point, I'd been up almost 24 hours straight, so the fact that this employee took some initiative to help the exhausted travelers in front of her (who were so tired that we were having trouble reading the many, many signs in the airport) meant a lot. And unlike at some American airports, their security guards are extremely understanding, and even smiled at me as they patted me down after my boots set off their sensors on my way out of London. It made the experience of dealing with security much more pleasant than it usually is for me. Still, Heathrow's size needs to be taken into serious consideration if you fly here - you can't expect to pop in and out of this airport like you would a little one. And of course, while I've never had a major problem and have found security to be speedy, that's never a guarantee at any airport. If you do find yourself flying here, take appropriate steps to ensure that you won't be stressing during your time here: comfortable shoes and scheduling a long layover (or arriving 2.5 - 3 hours before boarding on a flight begins to get through security) will go a long way in helping you deal with the enormous building that is Heathrow. read more

I wish I could give them zero stars. This airport is a nightmare. Do not schedule any layovers here. You will never make your flight within 2 hrs. Waiting for the transit bus alone took 20 mins. The bus ride takes another 15. Security line, then you have to wait in line for your boarding pass. The gate number won't be listed on your pass. You have to sit in front of a screen and wait until they post it. My post time was listed at 1410 but by boarding time was at 1405. Once they posted my gate, it took us 30 mins because we had to get on another transit bus to get to the gate. I hate this airport. Almost ruined my vacation. If you're an American, good luck getting any help, just some mean as looks. read more

I have no idea what terminal we landed in but the trek to the Immigration gate was long! Good thing we traveled fairly light so no need to worry about our luggage. The wait at the Customs line was super long. It was a bit confusing for others but there are gigantic signs if you are connecting with another flight that is to the left of Immigration. It took us a little over an hour for us to get through and they only had 6 booths open. After that, since I had been there once, it was easy to find my way down to the trains. But since I flew into and not of Heathrow this time, I didn't have to deal with all that security screening and stuff. So that might be a key thing if you don't really like LHR. read more

Terrible security here. My luggage was stolen and the security guards did noting about it, the security cameras are just for show. Do not leave your luggage unattended even for 1 minute! read more

I do not Heathrow Airport. I do not flying out of or into it. I do not like having to take the Picadilly Line until it ends. I do not like dealing with the joy of Paddington and then getting the privledge of paying £18 for the Heathrow Express. I do not like a "world class" airport completely shutting down over Christmas holidays because of a little snow - - have you ever been to Chicago, Boston, New York? Please. I do not like it because I would much rather fly out of Gatwick , Stansted, and Luton - - in that order. Finally I do not like it because I am from Atlanta, Georgia and am used to the World's Busiest Airport that spells out in bright tantalizing letters for all the entire world to see: EFFICIENCY. Good day. read more

It's an airport and it functions as well as to be expected. Heathrow is not my favourite (yes I do have favourite airports!) because it's just so darn big and busy. Like any other airport, it draws you into the shops because you have to go through them to get to the gates. Plus the food is around there too. There is a fair amount of choice and it has what you need but wouldn't it be lovely to have just one independent food outlet here. For a full on English fry-up breakfast, I suggest you go to the one before security but there are several cafes afterwards too. Bear in mind it could take a long time to get through security during busy times (up to an hour!) and it could be about 20 minutes walk to the gates. read more

Seemed like a well run airport. I only just passed through but the customs process was pretty streamlined and move fast enough. Easy enough to navigate. read more

I already complained directly to the airport but naturally I want to yelp about it too because that's what I do. And to Heathrow I say NEVER AGAIN. Let me outline the events....the start of it doesn't have to do with this airport but bear with me. Delayed from Nashville to Chicago, miss direct flight to Dublin, rebooked on a flight to Heathrow that night (instead of waiting a full 24 hours to get to Dublin) and connect. Delayed leaving Chicago to Heathrow so get there too late for our connection. BA met us at gate with new Dublin flights booked and a meal voucher for the airport. Went to our terminal and got some food and waited. Go through security process. Were told didn't have to fill out forms for connection and then told we did, so we did. Had passports checked and pictures taken of me and my two elderly parents. Next stop is the strip down scan etc. Next stop is another picture check to get into gate. We have about 30ish minutes to get to the gate at this point because it isn't posted any earlier than that. They say my parents have to go back because they don't have the pics....but I CANNOT GO WITH THEM. So they separate us and assure me they will make it. My parents do not travel often and have never been overseas. I wait. They do not come out. I go to gate and wait/hope they will make it. I refuse to board flight as my parents have never made it back. I now have to go out of the gate area to ticketing. No one knows how to page anyone or find out where they are. I spend hours trying to find out and be reunited with them. I was frantic, exhausted after being up for a full 24 hours, and getting increasingly worried about where my parents were. BA ticketing agents took mercy on me and in the end told me they got on a later flight. I then had to purchase a ticket from Aer Lingus to get me to Dublin that night. A full 14 hours after I was supposed to be there. The BA and Aer Lingus staff were the ONLY ONES that even TRIED to help. The ISSUE with HEATHROW is INCOMPETENT SECURITY. Why were the first pics not saved? How did they make it that far with me without going through the same stuff I did? And WHY SEPARATE TRAVELERS THAT ARE TOGETHER and bought tickets at the same time? Why didn't someone realize this was an issue with the previous stop? Why did they tell me that they would make the flight when they had to go back to the very START of security? I can't even fathom it. It is too stupid to comprehend. ALSO perhaps if you put the gate up more than 30 minutes before the flight is to board/take off then you would have more time to correct shit that your incompetent security did? I will find ANY OTHER WAY to go ANYWHERE than through Heathrow even if it means never returning to England again. Fucking clusterfuck of epic proportions. read more

Finally an airport with charging stations. Having a German phone, apparently I didn't sign up for the EU travel option, so I have a dead phone in the water. Hence, I can't check-in. My flight isn't posting for another 30 minutes, so I was happy to wander and see who wanted my money. Most of the shops offer stereotypical "London" trinkets, however, the Duty Free Shop is on point with liquor selections. If you like variety, there are loads of jams/jellies, biscuits (cookies), candy, and collectible tins. I browsed the book shop, plenty of restaurants, plenty of seating. And again, contrary to other airports, there are several charging stations with any voltage and adapter you might need. For a traveler and someone who needs to stay connected, this is a must! read more

Fast, quick and reliable. This airport is very big, but they have a nice flow within it. Checkin procedure and safety is pretty efficient which gives you less hassle while here. A recent announcement was that Terminal 2 inhouse the best airport restaurant in the world. One con is that flights easily can be a couple of minutes late. The air space is limited here since they have a lot of traffic going on all day around. read more

Super disappointed from the hype that it is absolutely incredible in here. It just looks like a regular airport, but big. read more

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Warning: put your tablet devices (ie IPad) into a separate bin for screening or expect your bag to be pulled for a second screen (adding 15 minutes at least depending on how busy they are) to your screening time. Doesn't matter that signs describe "laptops" or "large electronic devices". They (screeners) consider the iPad a large electronic device. I was at Heathrow yesterday, and I (along with 3 others in front of me) left our iPads in a carryon and all those bags were separated out. When the guy in front of me ( a Brit) asked "why don't you just post signs telling people to remove their iPad instead of making everyone go through this secondary screening and delay" they gave him incredible lip: "can't you read the signs?" and "when did you last fly?" This was at T3, approx. 8:30am. So my advice is to take out the iPad. read more

Just removed mask requirement. Feeling extremely unsafe here as I wait for my flight.

Oh, Heathow. I dread whenever I have a connecting flight through there because you have to go through security all over again while scrambling to your connecting gate on the other side of the airport. My personal favorite was when I'd go through immigration and be held up for a few minutes because my passport reflects that I've entered the UK by plane, train and ferry....why is that important? Your guess is as good as mine, but it always raised some sort of red flag for them which cost me time that I didn't have. Just make sure you have plenty of layover time with your connecting flight, that's for sure. read more

My sister and I were stuck in Heathrow for 13hrs last weekend (yes -THIRTEEN. HOURS.) and although it was not your ideal situation, the combined staff in that airport made it a surprisingly enjoyable experience! Literally every person we met along the way, from the super-smiley security man to the hilariously sassy Boots woman, was beyond friendly and took the previously dubious phrase "English hospitality" to a whole other level. Thanks Heathrow staff, a spiffing performance and jolly good show!! read more

Back in 04 when I was here I has some memorable moments. I was in London solo and when I got the to airport for some reason I had to go through 2 metal detectors. The main one and then one upstairs. Here is the funny story. The guy had an accent and I guess he said remove your belt, but I heard remove your pants. So I start to drop my pants, when they were like no no. lol I laughed then and I can laugh at it now. After that I don't think they worried about me bringing any metal objects if I was ready to undress. So I get my VAT taxes back and I was thinking cool I'll get US dollars. Nope they gave me British pounds and I ended getting a big bottle of Issey Miyake. Luckily they did ban liquids back then. read more