---
iata: LHR
name: London Heathrow Airport
city: London
country: United Kingdom
lastUpdated: '2026-08-27'
officialWebsite: 'https://www.heathrow.com/'
sources:
  - 'https://www.heathrow.com/'
  - 'https://www.heathrow.com/at-the-airport/lounges-hotels-spas'
  - 'https://www.heathrow.com/transport-and-directions/getting-to-central-london'
  - 'https://thepointsguy.com/airline/london-heathrow-lounges/'
  - 'https://no1lounges.com/locations/london-heathrow/'
  - 'https://www.tfl.gov.uk/'
quickFacts:
  - 'Four active terminals (2, 3, 4, 5); T1 closed'
  - British Airways hub with major long-haul operations
  - >-
    New CT scanners allow 2-litre liquids and laptops in bags (all terminals
    from 24 Jan 2026)
  - Over 100 free water fountains airside
  - >-
    Heathrow Express ~15 min to Paddington (£26 walk-up / from £10 advance);
    Elizabeth line £14.60 Paddington / £15.50 other Zone 1; Piccadilly £5.90
  - Busy European hub with ~70% on-time departure punctuality in 2025
bentoTips:
  - label: Timing
    title: Arrive 3 hours early for long-haul
    detail: Book Fast Track if your flight is within those windows.
    summary: 'Security and immigration peaks 06:00-10:00 and 16:00-20:00.'
    category: timing
  - label: Terminal
    title: Confirm terminal before booking
    detail: >-
      T4 handles some oneworld and independents; inter-terminal buses take 10-20
      minutes.
    summary: BA uses T5 and T3; Star Alliance mostly T2.
    category: terminal
  - label: Food
    title: Pre-order via app for pickup
    detail: Works best for popular spots like The Crown or Giraffe.
    summary: Reserve & Collect skips queues at airside outlets.
    category: food
  - label: Status
    title: Check live security times in app
    detail: New scanners reduce liquid hassle but queues still form at peak.
    summary: Typical waits 15-30 minutes; Fast Track from £12.99.
    category: status
lounges:
  - name: No1 Lounge Terminal 2
    hours: '05:00-21:00'
    access:
      - Priority Pass
      - Day pass from £42
    bestFor:
      - Work
      - Short layovers
    summary: Reliable Priority Pass option with good food; pre-book to avoid sell-outs.
    verdict: worth-it
    terminal: Terminal 2
    amenities:
      - Tended bar
      - British menu
      - Quiet library
      - Showers
  - name: Plaza Premium Terminal 2
    hours: '05:00-21:00'
    access:
      - Priority Pass
      - Day pass from £40
    bestFor:
      - Rest
      - Families
    summary: Back in Priority Pass; spacious but can feel crowded at peaks.
    verdict: depends
    terminal: Terminal 2
    amenities:
      - Fresh food
      - Showers
      - Resting suites
  - name: No1 Lounge Terminal 5
    hours: '05:00-21:00'
    access:
      - Priority Pass
      - Day pass from £42
    bestFor:
      - BA passengers
      - Long layovers
    summary: Strong choice for T5 departures with solid food and quiet zones.
    verdict: worth-it
    terminal: Terminal 5
    amenities:
      - Bar
      - Workspaces
      - Showers
  - name: United Club Terminal 2
    hours: '05:00-22:00'
    access:
      - United Club
      - Star Alliance Gold
    bestFor:
      - Star Alliance elites
    summary: Good for eligible passengers but limited access for others.
    verdict: depends
    terminal: Terminal 2
    amenities:
      - Showers
      - Work areas
      - Food
waterOptions:
  - kind: refill
    name: Water Bottle Refill Station
    zone: airside
    summary: One of over 100 fountains; reliable and signposted near most toilets.
    location: 'Near Departure Lounge, Level 5, opposite World Duty Free'
    terminal: Terminal 2
    isBestValue: true
  - kind: free
    name: Water Fountain near Gate A18
    zone: airside
    summary: Free refill in busy T5 pier; multiple backups if one is busy.
    location: 'Level 2, near Gate A18 toilets'
    terminal: Terminal 5
  - kind: purchase
    name: WHSmith or Boots
    zone: airside
    price: £2.00 for 500ml
    summary: Convenient but overpriced; use only if no fountain nearby.
    location: Airside departures near central shopping area
    terminal: Terminal 3
airportistScore: 7.3
slug: lhr
region: Europe
---
> Markdown for [/airports/lhr](/airports/lhr). Append `.md` to any page URL (or send `Accept: text/markdown`) for an agent-readable copy.

- [HTML page](/airports/lhr)
- [Lounge directory](/airports/lhr/lounges.md)
- [Sitemap](/sitemap.md)

# London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
London, United Kingdom · Europe
Solid European hub with efficient new security and good rail links but suffers from peak congestion and variable lounge access.
## Airportist Score

**7.3 / 10**
- Comfort: 7.2
- Navigation: 7.0
- Food: 7.5
- Transport: 8.0
- Disruption resilience: 7.0

## At a glance

- Passengers: 80M+
- Terminals: 4 active terminals
- Typical security: 20 min
- On-time: 70%
- Disruption: normal

## Best for

- Fast rail to central London
- New liquid-friendly security
- Extensive free water access
- BA long-haul hub

## Watch out for

- Peak-hour security and immigration queues
- Lounge capacity limits without pre-booking
- T4 parking changes in 2026
- Inter-terminal transfers add time

## More intel

- [Lounge directory](/airports/lhr/lounges.md) (free)
- [Getting there](/airports/lhr/getting-there.md) (free)
- [Amenities](/airports/lhr/amenities.md)
- [Traveler tips](/airports/lhr/tips.md)
- [Water](/airports/lhr/water.md)
- [Full guide](/airports/lhr/guide.md)
- [Disruptions](/airports/lhr/disruptions.md)
- [Reviews](/airports/lhr/reviews.md)