Hubs
Mega
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
Hub Overview
Passengers
79.2M
Destinations
214
Connectivity
96/100
Transit
good
Hub Airlines
BA
British Airways
primary
VS
Virgin Atlantic
secondary
Alliance Presence
oneworld
Terminal & Lounges
Terminal Overview
LHR has four terminals: T2 (The Queen's Terminal) for Star Alliance, T3 for oneworld partners and SkyTeam, T4 for various carriers, and T5 exclusively for British Airways.
Lounge Highlights
The British Airways Galleries First lounge in T5 features a spa, fine dining, and a wine bar. The Concorde Room is ultra-exclusive.
Transit Tips
- British Airways operates mainly from Terminal 5; Star Alliance carriers use Terminal 2.
- There is no airside connection between terminals; allow extra time for inter-terminal transfers.
- The free Heathrow Express transfer bus runs between terminals for connecting passengers.
- Terminal 5 has automated bag-drop machines that speed up the check-in process.
- UK transit visas may be required for some nationalities even for airside connections.
Ground Transport
The Heathrow Express reaches Paddington Station in 15 minutes. The Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) offers a cheaper option at about 30 minutes to central London.
Fun Facts
- Heathrow opened in 1946 on the site of a former military airfield.
- It is the busiest airport in Europe by passenger traffic.
- Terminal 5 handles more passengers than many entire airports, processing over 30 million annually.