Connecting at Heathrow
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Heathrow is the UK’s only hub airport and an important economic asset. But today Heathrow is full and vulnerable to foreign competition.
Connecting at Heathrow
Find your personal connection plan
With flights to more than 180 destinations in six continents, London Heathrow is ideally placed as a hub for world travel.
If you're catching a connecting flight, here's everything you need to know about finding your way.
| Do you need to pick up baggage? If you have bought a connecting ticket and your baggage is checked through to your final destination, this section of the website is for you. If you need to collect your baggage at Heathrow you'll follow the normal arrivals process, then check in at your departure terminal. | |
From the moment you enter the airport to the time you arrive in the departure lounge, signs marked Flight Connections lead the way and direct you to the correct terminal for your onward flight.
If you don't know which terminal you need, use our Which terminal? page. You'll also find 'Which Terminal?' boards along your route at the airport, listing airlines and the terminals they fly from.
Heathrow is currently carrying out a major modernisation programme, and as part of that we've introduced new high-visibility purple wayfinding signs (left) for our connecting passengers.
Find out more: Transforming your connection
You are strongly recommended to get to your departure terminal as early as possible. You'll then be free to relax ahead of your onward flight.
The connections processThe procedure for connecting flights depends on where you're flying to and from:
- If you arrived on a flight from within the UK, you do not need to clear security control and can go directly to your departure terminal.
- If you arrived on an international flight you will need to go through a security check
- If your onward flight is to another UK airport, you will also need to clear UK immigration.
To find out exactly what you'll have to do, use our personal connection planner
Catching your onward flightWhen you arrive at your departure terminal you will find airline ticket desks – use them if you need to collect a boarding card, or if you have any queries about your flight.
In the departure lounge you will find toilets, cafes, restaurants, seating, internet access zones and other useful services. You will also find a wide range of shops selling everything from the practical (books, toothpaste, etc) to luxury items and gifts.
Information screens will display your gate number when it's available, and show up-to-date boarding and take-off times.
The screens can be found all around the departure lounge – so however you choose to spend your free time, you'll be able to keep an eye on the status of your flight.
Your personal connection planYou can use this website to view and print a personal travel plan for your journey.
Just follow a few simple steps to see a detailed itinerary, showing security control, airline desks and transfers between terminals.
To get started, first tell us what kind of flight you'll be arriving at Heathrow on:
A flight from the Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands or Isle of Man
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