Which Heathrow terminal for US flights?

Which airlines fly from Terminal 3 Heathrow? Terminal 3 mainly deals with long-haul flights to the US, South America, Asia and some flights to Europe.



Terminal assignments at London Heathrow (LHR) for US-bound flights are primarily determined by airline and alliance. In 2026, Terminal 5 is the exclusive home for British Airways flights to US hubs like JFK, LAX, and Chicago. Terminal 3 handles the majority of other major US carriers, including American Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines (though United occasionally uses Terminal 2). Terminal 2 (The Queen's Terminal) is also the hub for Air Canada and some Star Alliance partners with US connections. Terminal 4 is rarely used for direct US flights, focusing instead on SkyTeam and non-aligned carriers heading to Asia and the Middle East. It is a vital peer-to-peer recommendation to double-check your boarding pass 24 hours before your flight, as Heathrow is known for "terminal shuffling" during peak seasons or construction. If you find yourself at the wrong terminal, the free Heathrow Express or Elizabeth Line trains provide a quick "inter-terminal" transfer, taking about 10–15 minutes between T2/3 and T5.

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Terminal 3 is used by the majority of the members of the Oneworld airline alliance: American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Qantas, Royal Jordanian, and SriLankan Airlines. British Airways, which mainly uses Terminal 5, also offers some flights from this terminal.

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Terminal 5, which opened on March 27, 2008, was designed by Rogers, Stirk, Harbour & Partners. It was built at a cost of £4.3 billion. It is exclusively used by British Airways and Iberia and has the capacity to handle more than 30 million customers a year.

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All European carriers except Icelandair use terminal 2A to board and disembark passengers. Air Canada and Turkish Airlines also use this building for their short haul flights. 2B was designed by Grimshaw Architects, and built by Balfour Beatty.

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Terminal 5 offers a seamless airport experience with stylish shops, restaurants and luxurious lounges. Our partners American Airlines and Iberia also both operate from Terminal 5, making connections quick and easy.

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Terminal 3 (T3) is located next to Terminal 2, and they are the only 2 terminals connected via a walkway. T3 operates mostly long-haul international routes, along with some European flights.

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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.

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Terminal 2 covers an area of 40,000 sq. meters, the smallest in Heathrow Airport. Terminal 5 in comparison is spread over an area of 353,000 sq. meters.

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British Airways operates from London Heathrow Terminal 3 and Terminal 5, as well as London City, London Gatwick and London Stansted airports. If you're not sure where your flight is departing from or arriving into you can use our Which London airport and terminal tool.

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Walking is only available between terminals 2 and 3 as they are located at the centre of Heathrow airport while the other terminals are significantly farther apart.

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Heathrow Airport's Terminal 4 is the base of operations for the remaining members of the SkyTeam alliance. These are China Eastern Airlines, ITA Airways, Kenya Airways, Korean Air, Saudia, TAROM and Vietnam Airlines. Meanwhile, oneworld's Malaysia Airlines, Royal Air Maroc and Qatar Airways are also present.

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Terminal 3 has been closed for more than a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but today Virgin Atlantic and Delta Air Lines will be back on home turf, with their signature flair, seamless check-in and award-winning facilities.

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Heathrow Terminal 1 is a disused airport terminal at London Heathrow Airport that was in operation between 1968 and 2015. When it was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in April 1969 it was the largest new airport terminal in western Europe.

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We recommend that you allow the following minimum connection times: 1 hour for connections within the same Heathrow terminal. 1 hour 30 minutes for connections that require travel between terminals at Heathrow.

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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.

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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.

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Heathrow Terminal 5 handles more passengers than any other terminal in the UK – even when busy single-terminal airports are included. In September an average of 100,000 passengers arrived or departed each day from T5, which is the main hub for British Airways.

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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.

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