| As if being the busiest airport in Europe wasn't | | | | over to Terminal 5. |
| intimidating enough, with the recent opening of | | | | The Ground Floor has all the Check-In desks from |
| Terminal 5 there is an ongoing shuffling of airlines | | | | 1 to 76 and also a desk for you to claim your |
| between the terminals to minimise travel time of | | | | VAT Returns. Upstairs to this you will find the |
| people undergoing transfers. This shuffling may | | | | Arrivals concourse (to the left) and Departures |
| seem erratic but it's best to be sure what | | | | concourse (to the right) as you move up to the |
| terminal you are going to before you head to the | | | | first floor. |
| airport, you can do so here. | | | | If you are coming in through Arrivals, then you will |
| Moving through such an airport may seem like an | | | | pass by the Car Rental Desks and the Bureau de |
| overwhelming task, so hopefully this article will | | | | Change as you make your way out, so you |
| help to improve the experience. | | | | shouldn't have any trouble finding them. |
| Terminal guide - Getting to the terminals by car | | | | If you are passing through departures you will find |
| The easiest way to get to Heathrow Airport is | | | | a number of shops in this area with a Mezzanine |
| from the M4 & M25 motorways. | | | | level with more shops and an amusement arcade |
| Terminal 1, 2 & 3: If you know that you're | | | | found upstairs in the middle of the concourse. To |
| flying out from either Terminal 1, 2 or 3 then you'll | | | | the right of these is customs and beyond with |
| be heading towards the Central Terminal Area. If | | | | plenty of more duty free shops. |
| traveling along the M4 you will want to take the | | | | Gates 11 to 19 can be found on the right of the |
| exit at Junction 4; if traveling along the M25 then | | | | World Duty Free shop and Gates 2-10 are found |
| exit at Junction 15. From here it's simply a matter | | | | on the left. |
| of following the signs. | | | | Terminal 3: |
| Terminal 4 & 5: Both these terminals have | | | | This terminal serves Virgin Atlantic, Air Canada, |
| their own entrances, though they both can be | | | | Air India, American Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines |
| accessed from the M25, by exiting at Junction 14 | | | | System and most Oneworld and other long-haul |
| and from here it's simply a matter of following | | | | international flights. Terminal 3 was upgraded |
| the signs for your respective Terminals. | | | | recently to accommodate the Super Jumbo |
| Short Term Car Park: If you're only parking for a | | | | Airbus A380 which Singapore Airlines operates out |
| short time (e.g. a few hours) then you can find a | | | | of Heathrow. |
| Short Term Car Park beside each of the terminal | | | | The Ground Floor is where you'll find the Check-in |
| buildings. Simply follow all the signs for the terminal | | | | desks and the Arrivals area. When you come out |
| buildings and as you approach you should see the | | | | of baggage reclamation and head towards the |
| short term parking signs. | | | | exit you can find the Bureau de Change along the |
| Long Stay Car Park: Parking Express Heathrow is | | | | left wall and the car rental desks are found in the |
| the official Heathrow Long Stay Car Park, serving | | | | middle of the concourse just before the entrance. |
| Terminal 1, 2, 3 and 4. You can find this Long | | | | After checking in you can head upstairs where |
| Stay Car Park located on the Eastern Perimeter | | | | you will find the security area right in front of |
| Road. | | | | you, but before you do, if you still have time you |
| There's also a new Long Stay Car Park specifically | | | | can avail of a decent number of shops and |
| for Terminal 5 passengers located on the | | | | restaurants on this level, though remember the |
| Northern Perimeter Road. The Long Stay Car | | | | restrictions on what you can bring through |
| Parks have a courtesy coach service connecting | | | | security with you. |
| them to their terminals. | | | | After passing through customs you will find |
| Terminal guide - What facilities are available | | | | yourself in a large Duty Free area. Just beyond |
| Please bear in mind that the airlines that operate | | | | that to the left are Gates 8-10, to the right you |
| at each terminal are subject to change at short | | | | can find Starbucks and a few other shops with |
| notice. | | | | bathrooms on the far wall and up the middle |
| Terminal 1: | | | | more shops followed by the rest of the Gates. |
| This terminal serves British Airways (Barcelona, | | | | Terminal 4: |
| Helsinki, Lisbon, Madrid and Nice), BMI, Aer Lingus, | | | | This terminal serves British Airways (Bangkok, |
| Air New Zealand, United Airlines and a few Star | | | | Singapore and Australia), Qantas and most |
| Alliance carriers. | | | | Skyteam flights. This terminal is also undergoing |
| The ground floor is the Arrivals area, and after | | | | some refurbishment. |
| you have collected any luggage you will exit | | | | The Ground floor of this terminal is the arrivals |
| through a Duty Free shop. Immediately to your | | | | area and after you've picked up your luggage and |
| left there is a Costa Coffee shop and beyond | | | | exit into the public area you will be confronted |
| that is the exit out to the Bus stops, taxis and | | | | with a Bureau de Change and all the car rental |
| the car park. To the right of this exit you will find | | | | desks so you can easily pick up your car if you |
| a Bureau de Change and all the Car Rental Desks. | | | | have booked one. To your right as you come out |
| Beyond the car rental desks on the left, and | | | | is a Starbucks perfect to get your day started of |
| directly in front of you are the elevators, which | | | | you have flown on the red eye. |
| you can take down to the Heathrow Express | | | | Up one level you will find the check-in desks Zone |
| Train Station. To your right as you exit is a | | | | A through E, with the customs entrance located |
| WHSmith, an info desk and the toilets. | | | | between Zone B and C. There isn't much else on |
| The first floor is the UK & Ireland Check-In | | | | this side of customs so you can head on through |
| & Arrivals area. As you are coming off your | | | | to the Duty free area. From here the Gates 1-6 |
| plane you will find flights from Ireland have | | | | are to your left; Gates 7-9 are in front of you |
| separate baggage reclamation than the domestic | | | | and Gates 10-20 are to your right. |
| flights. As you come out you will be facing a | | | | Terminal 5: |
| WHSmith and turning right you will come to the | | | | This terminal serves British Airways (all domestic, |
| elevators. | | | | most European and long-haul) and will eventually |
| Behind the WHSmith there is a stairs up to a | | | | be home to ALL British Airways flights. |
| Mezzanine area where you can find a number of | | | | The ground level is arrivals and as you exit you |
| restaurants. As you come in the main entrance | | | | can turn to your right and a short distance along |
| you will find all the Check-In desks, with Zone A | | | | you will find the Car Rental Info Desk on your |
| to your left and they progress all the way to | | | | right. |
| your right, with Check-In for Air New Zealand at | | | | The next level up is departures and has all the |
| the end. Underneath the Mezzanine area and | | | | check-in desks; there is again nothing much here |
| beyond the Check-In Desks is the UK & | | | | so you can head on through security, there are |
| Ireland Departures area. | | | | two entrances for this but it doesn't matter which |
| After you have passed through customs you will | | | | one you go through as they link up on the other |
| come into the Airline Lounge area which has | | | | side. |
| plenty of shops for you to stock up before your | | | | The next level up is the Gates level and this has a |
| flight. All the way to your right and beyond The | | | | huge amount of shops and eateries, so it may be |
| Perfume Gallery you will find the routes to the | | | | easy to get lost or distracted. Best to locate your |
| Gates. Gate 16 is right here, and to the left of it | | | | gate and time how far away from it you are at |
| you can get to Gates 17 - 30. To the right of this | | | | any given time. |
| you will find Gates 35 - 56. | | | | All the terminals have plenty of ATMs, health |
| Terminal 2: | | | | centres (in an emergency use any internal phone |
| This terminal serves a few Airlines such as | | | | and dial 222) and there are a number of WiFi |
| Lufthansa, Air France, and a few other national | | | | Hotspots and Internet terminals dotted |
| carriers, though this terminal is scheduled to close | | | | throughout the terminals to help ensure you are |
| and be demolished as soon as BA is fully moved | | | | never out of contact. |