There is no formal ban on night flights at Heathrow but since the 1960s, the Government has placed restrictions on them. Night-time (23:30 - 06:00) operations at Heathrow are heavily restricted by the Government, which sets a limit of 5,800 night-time take-offs and landings a year.

While London Heathrow (LHR) does not have a total 24-hour ban on flights, it operates under a strictly enforced "Night Quota Period" from 23:30 to 06:00. During this window, take-offs and landings are heavily restricted by the UK government to 5,800 movements per year to minimize noise pollution for the millions of residents living under the flight paths. As of 2026, Heathrow has a voluntary ban that prevents departures between 23:00 and 06:00 and arrivals before 04:30. Most "night flights" are actually early morning arrivals from Asia or the Americas that touch down just after 04:50. Unscheduled night flights are only permitted in cases of significant operational delays, medical emergencies, or aircraft in distress. This high-value regulatory environment is why you will often see a "mad dash" of departures around 22:30 as pilots race to beat the 23:00 cutoff and avoid the heavy fines associated with breaching the noise quota.