British Airways (BA) is a member of the Oneworld alliance and the national flag carrier of the United Kingdom, based in London.
Currently, British Airways owns and operates a fleet of over 250 aircraft, flying to 160 destinations around the world from primary hubs at Heathrow and Gatwick Airports located in London.
In this article, we are going to find out what terminal is British Airways at Heathrow Airport as well as other relevant details such as arrivals/departures terminal, lounge service, parking facility, and more.
Table of Contents
What terminal is British Airways at London Heathrow?
London Heathrow Airport (LHR) is one of the two major airports in London, England, making it a major hub for international travel.
Home to British Airways and Virgin Atlantic airlines, LHR is among the world’s busiest airports in terms of international passenger traffic. U.S.-based American Airlines also has flights serving various destinations from LHR.
The airport’s infrastructure comprises four passenger terminals: Terminals 2, 3, 4, and 5. British Airways operates from Terminal 3 and Terminal 5 at LHR Airport.
Heathrow Express offers a convenient way to travel between Heathrow Airport and Central London. It takes only 15 minutes from Terminal 3 and 21 minutes from Terminal 5, which is much faster than traveling via taxi (42 minutes) or the Piccadilly Underground line (51 minutes).
Passengers aboard Heathrow Express can enjoy complimentary 4G Wi-Fi as well as a power socket, luggage space, and easy access. Children aged 15 and below travel for free, making it family-friendly.
Business First class carriages provide a more luxurious environment with complimentary newspapers and magazines, more legroom, wider seats, etc. Executive Club Members can collect Avios when tickets are booked via ba.com.
British Airways London Heathrow Terminal 3
Terminal 3 is one of the two main operating terminals for British Airways. Services including check-in, customer service, baggage service, security, boarding, lounges, parking, shopping, family lounge, and so on are offered at T3.
The check-in service offered by BA at LHR Terminal 3 closes 60 minutes before long-haul flight departure. Likewise, it is closed 45 minutes before short-haul flight departure.
Tip: Please allow enough time, e.g. in case there are any queues. Have a look at the information screens to find out which check-in zone you can use for your flight.
BA passengers are advised to pass through security at least 35 minutes prior to their scheduled departure. They must be at the boarding gate at least 20 minutes before the flight departs.
BA customers can choose online booking via Manage My Booking or the British Airways app for the fastest check-in process. They can check in at Manage My Booking, and print their boarding pass. Likewise, British Airways App allows online check-in and downloading of the boarding pass to the mobile device.
Passengers can use a check-in kiosk or visit a check-in desk when they need to check in at an airport on the day of departure.
BA Dedicated Check-in desks are also available at LHR. This exclusive check-in service is only offered to eligible passengers mentioned below.
- Passengers traveling in First, Club World, or Club Europe
- Executive Club Gold, Silver, and Bronze Members
- oneworld® Emerald, Sapphire, and Ruby members
Passengers with bags are required to print and attach baggage tags at a check-in kiosk. After that, the bags should be dropped at a Bag Drop desk.
The Bag Drop desks are open from 5:00 am on the day of departure for First Class, Club World, Club Europe passengers, and Executive Club Gold, Silver, and Bronze members.
For World Traveller Plus, World Traveller, and Euro Traveller, the bag drop service is offered 3 hours prior to the scheduled departure but not before the earliest opening time at 5:00 am.
BA also offers an overnight bag drop facility that is available if passengers are traveling on a flight departing before 10:00. They can check in bags between 16:00 – 22:00 the day before.
Tip: If you are traveling with hand baggage only and have already checked in, you can go straight through security to the gate. If your hand baggage exceeds your allowance, you may need to check it in and charges may apply.
Talking about security, passengers are strongly recommended to enter airport security at least 35 minutes prior to their scheduled flight departure.
There is also fast-track security available for expedited screening. This service is offered to eligible customers including:
- Customers traveling in First, Club World, or Club Europe (plus one guest)
- Executive Club Gold and Silver Members (plus one guest) – if you’re traveling in economy, please ensure that you present your boarding pass to the Heathrow airport security staff near the automatic gates
- oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members (plus one guest)
After security clearance, passengers head to the boarding gates. BA advises passengers to check the information screens at regular intervals for gate information. It is also instructed that the passengers arrive at the gate no later than 20 minutes before the scheduled departure.
The boarding priority is based on the ‘Group’ number on the boarding pass. Passengers need to be ready to board their aircraft when their group is called.
Pre-Boarding and Priority Boarding services are also offered for the expedited boarding process at LHR Terminal 3. Pre-Boarding is available to families with children, and passengers requiring disability or mobility assistance. To access this service, customers need to arrive at the gate early.
Priority Boarding is only available to the following passengers/members.
- Customers traveling in First, Club World, Club Europe, or World Traveller Plus
- Executive Club Gold, Silver, and Bronze Members
- Oneworld Emerald, Sapphire, and Ruby members
After landing, and arriving at LHR Terminal 3, passengers can follow the yellow signs for ‘Arrivals/Baggage reclaim’, and observe for their flight on the information screens to find out which carousel their bags will arrive on. After claiming baggage, they need to pass through customs.
British Airways London Heathrow Terminal 5
BA also operates from Terminal 5 at London Heathrow Airport. All basic terminal facilities including security screening, boarding, check-in, customer service, lounge, and so on are offered at this terminal.
The Departure section for British Airways is located on the top floor of Terminal 5. The check-in service closes 60 minutes prior to long-haul departures while it closes 45 minutes before short-haul departures.
Passengers departing from T5 must pass through security at least 35 minutes before and reach the boarding gate at least 20 minutes before departure.
The check-in process can be completed online or can be done at the airport on the day of departure. The baggage drop service is available from 03:30 on the day of departure for First, Club World, Club Europe customers, and Executive Club Gold/Silver/Bronze members.
Likewise, it is open from 3 hours before departure for World Traveller, and World Traveller Plus customers (but not before the earliest opening time of 03:30).
Euro Traveller customers get baggage drop service 2 hours prior to their departure but not before the earliest opening time of 03:30. Overnight Bag Drop is also available.
Are you traveling from London Heathrow Terminal 5? Keep in mind that the terminal is split into three building blocks – Terminal 5A, Terminal 5B, and Terminal 5C – so make sure to double-check your flight departure location before leaving the main terminal.
You will need to head over to either B or C gates, which could take up to 20 minutes; you can use the transit train or moving walkways with easy escalator access. Whether you opt for one over the other, the journey time should remain the same.
Make sure you reach your gate no later than 20 minutes before departure as well. Lastly, familiarize yourself with your tickets’ ‘Group’ number as it will indicate your boarding priority once it’s called.
All other services, and facilities including baggage claim, passport control, and security screening are the same as those offered in Terminal 3.
British Airways Lounge at Heathrow Terminal 3
Galleries First Lounge, and Galleries Club Lounge are available for BA customers departing from LHR Terminal 3. Both the lounges can be found in Zone F (Terminal 3), and are operational daily from 05:00 to 22:30.
Passengers traveling in First Class, Executive Club Gold members (plus one guest), and oneworld Emerald members (plus one guest) get access to the Galleries First Lounge.
Galleries Club Lounge offers access to passengers traveling in First, Club World, or Club Europe, Executive Club Gold & Silver members (plus one guest), and Oneworld Emerald & Sapphire members (plus one guest).
BA arriving passengers at LHR Terminal 3 may access the American Airlines arrivals lounge which is open daily from 05:00 to 14:00. This arrivals lounge is located on Level 2 (Terminal 3).
AA Arrivals Lounge offers access to:
- Customers traveling in First or Club World,
- Executive Club Gold Members arriving on a British Airways long-haul flight, and
- Customers traveling in first or business class on an American Airlines-operated flight.
British Airways Lounge at Heathrow Terminal 5
BA passengers departing from LHR Terminal 5 can access three different lounges in Terminal 5A, and Terminal 5B. Galleries First Lounge, Concorde Room, and Galleries Club Lounge can be found in Terminal 5.
Galleries First Lounge is located in Terminal 5A (South), and is open daily from 05:00 to 22:30. Customers Traveling in First Class can access this lounge. Plus, Executive Club Gold members (plus one guest), and oneworld Emerald members (plus one guest) get access to the Galleries First Lounge.
BA Concorde Room is another elegant lounge available in Terminal 5A (South). It is also operational daily from 05:00 to 22:30. The entry is offered to customers traveling in First Class, and Gold Members at 5,000 Tier Points (and from 3,000 Tier Points each year thereafter).
There is another departure lounge at Terminal 5 which is known as the Galleries Club Lounge. It can be found in two different locations inside T5: Terminal 5A (North and South), and Terminal 5B.
At Terminal 5A, and Terminal B, GalleriesClub Lounge operates daily from 05:00 to 22:30, and 05:30 to 22:30 respectively. Passengers traveling in First, Club World, or Club Europe can access this lounge. Besides, executive gold/silver members (plus one guest), and Oneworld Emerald/Sapphire members (plus one guest) get access.
Passengers arriving at LHR Terminal 5 can visit the Galleries Arrivals Lounge which is open from 05:00 to 14:00. This arrivals lounge can be found on the first floor of Terminal 5A, and offers access to First or Club World passengers, or Executive Club Gold members traveling on a long-haul flight.
Ground Transporation Facilities at LHR Airport
- Taxicabs – Taxis are available from all terminals at Heathrow Airport. The journey time to central London typically takes around 45 minutes.
- Private Vehicle – Passengers can arrive at LHR in their private vehicles. The airport features more than 14,000 on-site parking spaces.
- Rental Cars – There are seven on-site car rental providers at London Heathrow Airport.
- Rail Transporation – Heathrow Express, Elizabeth Line, and The London Underground offer railway service between LHR, and London.
- Railway Bus Links – Buses and coaches run regularly between Heathrow Airport and National Rail stations at Feltham, Guildford, Reading, Watford Junction, and Woking.
- Coach – Heathrow’s national coach network provides direct services to many towns and cities across the UK.
- Local Bus – LHR is well served by local buses. Fares are great value compared with other modes and some bus routes operate 24 hours a day.
- Hotel Shuttles – Many nearby hotels are connected to Heathrow’s terminals by Hotel Hoppa buses.
Parking Facility at LHR
There are various on-site parking spaces at LHR where passengers and visitors can park their vehicles by paying hourly, or daily charges. Motorcycle owners can park at LHR free of cost.
The parking facility available at the airport includes Short Stay, Long Stay, Business Parking, Meet & Greet Parking, Heathrow Pod Parking, and Valet Parking.
How much does it cost to park at London Heathrow?
| PARKING TIME | PARKING RATE |
| 0 – 29 minutes | £5.30 |
| 30 – 44 minutes | £8.50 |
| 45 – 59 minutes | £11.40 |
| 1 – 2 hours | £14.50 |
| 2 – 3 hours | £17.80 |
| 3 – 4 hours | £21.60 |
| 4 – 5 hours | £27.60 |
| 5 – 6 hours | £35.60 |
| 6 – 9 hours | £48.50 |
| 9 – 12 hours | £63.50 |
| 12 – 24 hours | £77.10 |
| Each additional 24-hour period | £77.10 |
| PARKING DURATION | OFF-PEAK RATES | PEAK RATES |
| 0 – 29 mins | Free | Free |
| 30 mins – 1 hr 59 mins** | £8.30 | £8.30 |
| First day | £34.70 | £39.80 |
| Additional 24-hour periods | £27.90 | £31.80 |
Are there car rental services at LHR?
London Heathrow Airport offers Car rental services with which passengers can rent vehicles as per their requirements. There are various car rental companies available at the airport.
Car Rental Companies at Heathrow
- Alamo
- Avis
- Budget
- Europcar
- National
- SiXT
- Surprice
Passengers can use the airport’s official website to find, and book car rentals online.
If you are an AAA member, AARP member, active-duty military personnel, national guard, and federal government employee, you get exclusive car rental discounts, and benefits.
(Check out the following blogs to grab the discounts, and amenities.)
How to get car rental discounts with AAA?
A Comprehensive Guide to Car Rental Discounts with AARP.
Discover Military Discounts for Car rental services.
Explore 15+ PRO TIPS to get cheaper car rental discounts every time.
Conclusion on ‘What terminal is British Airways at Heathrow?’
As we are at the end of this blog, we explored British Airways Terminal at London Heathrow Airport (LHR). LHR is the primary hub for BA flights.
Let’s conclude with some key points listed below.
- London Heathrow Airport (LHR) is a major international airport in London, United Kingdom, and is also one of the busiest airports in the world in terms of international passenger traffic.
- LHR Airport is equipped with four terminals namely Terminal 2, Terminal 3, Terminal 4, and Terminal 5.
- British Airways operates from Terminal 3, and Terminal 5 at London Heathrow Airport.
- There are various lounges available at both Terminals 3, and 5 where eligible BA passengers enjoy food, beverages, and relax.
- Parking facility is sufficient at LHR. Passengers and visitors can park their vehicles at the terminal parking available with hourly, or daily charges.
- There are car rental services available at Terminal 2 where passengers can hire a car for their trip in the United Kingdom.
FAQs on British Airways Terminal at LHR
Is Terminal 5 only for British Airways?
At present, London Heathrow Terminal 5 is exclusively used by British Airways. BA also operates from LHR Terminal 3 however, the majority of flights are operated from T5.
What airlines use Terminal 5 at Heathrow?
Terminal 5 is exclusively used by British Airways at the moment. Previously, it was used by Iberia Airlines also.
Can you walk from Heathrow T5 to T3?
Free London Underground services and shuttle trains are available for inter-terminal transfers between Heathrow Terminal 5 and Terminal 3.
