Things to do on a long layover at London Heathrow Airport (2023)

FAQs

Can you leave Heathrow airport during layover? ›

However, some huge airports, like JFK, London's Heathrow, or Rome's Leonardo Da Vinci Airport, may require changing terminals for your flight, and in that case, another security gate is likely. If you leave the airport for your layover between the flights, you'll absolutely have to go through security again.

Yes you can do that. Just make sure you're back at the departing terminal two hours before your onward flight and in line at security 90 minutes before departure. You will need to clear UK immigration and customs, but with a passport from an EU country you can use the EU immigration line. 10.

Yes, you can leave the airport during domestic layovers. For instance, if you're a US citizen and have a layover within the country, it is legal and safe to leave the airport. Be aware that you'll probably be getting two boarding passes if the domestic layover is more than an hour.

The short answer is yes. It is possible to exit and reenter the airport. Whether or not you should depends on a range of factors, including if you're traveling internationally or domestically and how much time you have between flights.

Transiting passengers

If you are transiting through Heathrow ('airside' or 'landside'), you do not need to quarantine or take any pre-departure or post-arrival COVID-19 tests.

YES, you can leave the airport during a layover in the case of international flights. But there is a certain condition attached to it which you need to know. In case, you leave the airport on your layover, then you need to go through the security once again in order to get to your second or the connecting flight.

For uninterrupted sleep, there are sleep cabins in Terminal 4, hotels connected to Terminals 4 and 5 and many other hotels nearby, connected by shuttles.

During your layover, you will, at some point, have to go through airport security. Even if you don't need to go through immigration, you will most likely have to go through security before you board your next flight.

Do I have to go through security twice if I have a layover? ›

For connecting domestic flights, you almost never have to exit and reenter security, though there are some exceptions at airports where the terminals aren't all connected. For domestic-to-international connection, it's still pretty rare that you have to exit and reenter security, even if you're changing terminals.

You're going through UK border control

Apply for a Visitor in Transit visa if you'll be going through UK border control but leaving the UK within 48 hours. You'll need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa if: you need to stay longer in the UK. you can prove you need to frequently pass through the UK over a longer ...

Normally, when layover flights are booked with the same airline, your baggage will be automatically transferred through to your final destination. However, if the two flights are with different airlines, you may have to claim and re-check your baggage during your layover.

Re: Can I leave the airport during a layover? Yes you may, assuming your passport allows you visa free entry. Remember to take your boarding pass for your next flight with you otherwise you may not be able to re-enter airside.

Each airline, and even sometimes each airport, will have different rules about what is and is not allowed. As a general rule, most airlines will NOT automatically check your luggage through for an overnight connection. You will normally need collect your luggage when you land, and re-check it the following morning.

You can check out the city's architecture, visit a local bar or restaurant, or even sit in a park and unwind after a long flight. Some airports offer free tours for passengers on long layovers.

Is a 4 hour layover long enough to leave the airport? ›

On a domestic flight you are limited to a 4 hour connection which does not leave much time to leave the airport for sightseeing. If you are connecting from an international flight to a domestic flight then a layover is defined by the airlines as no more than 23 hours and providing ample to time for sightseeing.

How long does it take to clear customs at Heathrow? On average, it takes between 30 minutes and 1 hour to clear customs and immigration at Heathrow Airport.

Connecting at London Heathrow Airport. Image Credit: heathrow.com. Connecting is easy at LHR with purple “Flight Connections” signs guiding you on arrival. If you're arriving on an international or domestic flight connecting to an international flight, then you won't need to clear immigration at LHR.

Your baggage will not be automatically forwarded so please collect all your bags before leaving Heathrow or Gatwick airport. The best way to travel directly between Heathrow and Gatwick is to take a National Express coach.

London Heathrow Airport offers designated rest zones, equipped with lounge chairs perfect for tired travellers needing to relax. Located throughout the terminals. A rest zone in Terminal 3, Gates 24-25 also has couches, snack machines, and more.

All the Heathrow showers cost money or require membership.

1. Purchase your Heathrow Pod ticket (£6 per person) from Reception which will have unique 4-digit code to allow you through the gate. 2. Go through the door opposite Reception (marked Car Park A) and follow the green path and signs to T5 Pod.

It depends on your airline – often your baggage will be checked through to your final destination and you won't need to touch it at Heathrow. However, this service isn't available for all flights so check with your airline before you fly.

It depends on how your ticket was booked. If your flights were booked under one ticket, your bags will be checked through to your final destination. If your flights were booked under separate tickets, you will need to collect your bags and recheck them before your connecting flight.

In cases where the connecting flight is one another airline or another terminal, passengers must go through a security and baggage check once again before you get on board the connecting flight to reach your destination.

How does customs work when you have a layover? ›

Whether you have to go through immigration and customs really varies on the airport and the country. As with checked luggage, if you have a layover in the US or Canada, you will have to go through border control at the first point of entry into the US or Canada, even if your final destination is somewhere else.

Short answer: if both flights have the same flight number, you are probably staying on the same plane. If the flight number changes, you are connecting to a different aircraft.

In many airports, the answer is yes. However, there are airports that close at night and other airports that simply do not permit/like airport sleepers and are openly hostile. We suggest you visit the airport guide for the airport you are inquiring about.

You might need a Visitor in Transit visa if you're: changing flights in the UK on your way to another country. going through UK border control, for example to check in your luggage for a connecting flight. leaving the UK within 48 hours.

No. The UK allows you to take connecting flights without passing through immigration control, unlike the United States. You do have to stay within the airport, of course.

You do not need to take any COVID-19 travel tests or self-isolate on arrival in England if you qualify as fully vaccinated. The testing and quarantine rules for international travel to England will change 11 February 2022. You can now choose a lateral flow test or a PCR test as your post arrival test.

Some people book long layovers on purpose, so they have time to leave the airport and explore new locations. Most of the time, if your layover is long enough, you are free to leave the airport. However, there are eight things to consider before planning a long layover.

Everyone who boards an aircraft at Heathrow has to be security screened to UK government standards. Even if you've already been through security checks at another airport, we're obliged to screen you again before you fly from Heathrow.

For uninterrupted sleep, there are sleep cabins in Terminal 4, hotels connected to Terminals 4 and 5 and many other hotels nearby, connected by shuttles.

The short answer is yes. It is possible to exit and reenter the airport. Whether or not you should depends on a range of factors, including if you're traveling internationally or domestically and how much time you have between flights.

Do I need UK visa for layover? ›

You're going through UK border control

Apply for a Visitor in Transit visa if you'll be going through UK border control but leaving the UK within 48 hours. You'll need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa if: you need to stay longer in the UK. you can prove you need to frequently pass through the UK over a longer ...

Many (but not all) countries that require visas do not require them if you're simply transiting through the airport. You bypass customs and immigration, so you never get stamped into the country, but you can't leave the airport during your layover.

When you purchase a layover flight, you will need to claim your bags when you land at your layover destination, and recheck them the next day when you continue your flight(s).

Is security check required for a flight connection? Yes, a security check is mandatory when you take a connecting flight. This is because there is a time lag between getting off one aeroplane and getting on-board another to reach your destination.

You do not need to take any COVID-19 travel tests or self-isolate on arrival in England if you qualify as fully vaccinated. The testing and quarantine rules for international travel to England will change 11 February 2022. You can now choose a lateral flow test or a PCR test as your post arrival test.