We recommend getting to the airport three hours before your flight if you're travelling internationally, or two hours if you're travelling domestically or to Europe.
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The peak times at London Heathrow Airport is from 10 AM to 1 PM, and 5 PM to 8 PM. Since London Heathrow Airport is the busiest airport in the UK, you'll find it jam-packed with passengers 24/7.
The General Guideline for How Early You Should Get to the Airport. Generally speaking, most airlines advise that you arrive at the airport at least 2 hours prior to a domestic flight, and at least 3 hours prior to an international flight.
Check-in closes 60 minutes before long-haul flights depart and 45 minutes before short-haul flights depart. Pass through security at least 35 minutes before your flight departs. Be at the boarding gate at least 20 minutes before your flight departs. See the 'Boarding' section, below.
Unsurprisingly, Heathrow Terminal 5 took the top spot. As the main hub for long-haul flights from British Airways, Iberia and American Airlines (just to name a few), T5 recorded over 100,000 passengers in September alone. Heathrow's Terminals 3 and 2 ranked similarly highly, coming in at fifth and sixth respectively.
You can walk between Terminals 2 and 3 via the pedestrian underpass. The route is well signposted and can be followed on our interactive Heathrow map. If you have an impairment or mobility difficulties, find out how to request assistance.
Generally speaking, most airlines advise that you arrive at the airport at least 2 hours prior to a domestic flight, and at least 3 hours prior to an international flight.
We recommend getting to the airport three hours before your flight if you're travelling internationally, or two hours if you're travelling domestically or to Europe.
A record breaking 262,000 passengers travelled through Heathrow on the airport's busiest day ever on the 4th August. In fact, a total of 7.7 million passengers travelled through the capacity constrained hub airport in August, with figures up 0.1% on last year.
The original T2, Heathrow's oldest passenger terminal operating since 1955, was closed in November 2009 and demolished a year later to enable the construction of a future-ready terminal in its place.
Heathrow's Terminal 2 closes as work on its £1 billion replacement gets underway. Passengers will check in at Heathrow's Terminal 2 for the last time on Monday as, after 54 years of service, it is closing to make way for a stunning £1 billion replacement.
What to Do After Online Check-In. Once you receive your electronic boarding pass, you can head straight to security if you're traveling carry-on only. If you're checking a bag, you'll still need to stop by the ticketing area at the airport. Look for special “bag drop” lines that bypass longer check-in lines.
Online check-in lets you check in from your home or office and print your own boarding pass. You can also choose to have a link to your boarding pass emailed to your mobile device.
Can I use my mobile boarding pass to go through the security checkpoint and board my flight? Yes, simply show your mobile boarding pass on a mobile phone, iPad, or Apple Watch and a valid form of identification to the TSA Agent at security to proceed.