London Heathrow Terminal 5

Heathrow Terminal 5 is the newest of Heathrow’s terminals. | It was opened in 2008 at a cost of £4 billion, and its five floors are large enough to hold 50 football pitches. | It is used exclusively by British Airways and Iberia and provides a huge range of facilities for travellers, including restaurants, shops, hotels, car hire services, business services, parking and bureaux de change facilities. | The design of the new terminal began in 1989, but government planning permission was only granted in November 2001. | The terminal was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on the 14th March 2008 and was open to passengers on the 27th March 2008. | The terminal now sees approximately 32.1 million passengers pass through its doors on more than 211,000 annual flights | All of the check-in desks can be found on the top floor of Terminal 5. Plenty of airlines now provide their own self-service check-in desks. | If you’re flying with one of these airlines, the airport staff can direct you to the appropriate desks, which will also have their own dedicated bag drop areas.

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Heathrow Terminal 5 Check In

No one wants the stress of being late for their flight because they got delayed at check-in or security. For that reason, we strongly advise that you give yourself the following amount of time:

Give yourself 3 hours to check-in for international flights

Give yourself 2 hours to check-in for European flights

Give yourself 1.5hours to check-in for domestic flights

Car Hire at Heathrow Terminal 5

Six car hire companies serve Terminal 5 Heathrow, including Avis, Hertz and Sixt. The rental desks can be found on the arrivals level next to the We Know London kiosk. Visit our Car Hire page for full details on the providers and what they offer. Remember that booking your car hire in advance will save you money, so be sure to book early to make the most of any online deals. You can of course hire a car on the day, but the car you get will be subject to availability.

Transfer between terminals

Getting between the terminals is super easy – see below for a quick guide on how to get to the others from Terminal 5;

Terminal 2 & 3: Jump on the free Heathrow Express train and arrive at the Heathrow Central Station
for easy access to both terminals.
Journey Time: 20 minutes

Terminal 4: From Bus Stop 7, you can use either Bus 482 (Southall Town Hall) or 490 (Pools on the
Park) for a free transfer
Journey Time: 20 minutes

Heathrow Meeting Points

The bridges and supporting pillars in the arrivals concourse of Terminal 5 are colour-coded. From north to south, the pillars are purple, blue, green, orange, and red. This will help you arrange an appropriate meeting place at the airport. There is an official meeting point in Arrival, opposite Travelex and Tourist Services.

Heathrow Airport Information

There are various information points located throughout terminal 5. Departures Level 2 (Gates A1-A23) has 12 information points. Whilst Terminal 5C Departures (Gates C52-C66) has 10 information points. Finally, Arrivals ground floor has 1 information point which is next to boots.

Hotels at Heathrow Terminal 5

There are many hotels located next to the terminals at Heathrow Airport, as well as in the surrounding area, making it easy to stay overnight before flying or to book a room when you arrive. From Heathrow Airport Terminal 5, the nearest hotel is the Sofitel London Heathrow, to which you can walk in a few minutes.

This is a luxury hotel containing over 600 rooms and two restaurants. Other hotels located near the airport that you can travel to include Hilton Hotel, Marriott London and Sheraton Heathrow. To see a complete list of hotels at or near Heathrow Airport visit our Heathrow Airport hotels section.

Heathrow Parking Terminal 5

There are plenty of options for parking at Heathrow Terminal 5. There is one long stay car park at Terminal 5, which is open all year round. It is located on Northern Perimeter Road, and there is a five-minute courtesy coach service running every 10 minutes. Terminal 5 parking also consists of a short stay car park, which is located right next to the terminal.

It is ideal if you are parking for up to a few hours. There is a height limit at the car park of 2.2 metres. However, there is an Over-height Vehicles entrance on the ground floor.

Heathrow Business Car Parks are located closer than the long stay car parks, and one of these is available exclusively for passengers travelling through Terminal 5. There is also a meet & greet service and valet parking at Terminal 5. Click here to book Heathrow airport parking.

Airlines flying from Heathrow Terminal 5

Terminal 5 is normally exclusively used by just two airlines; BA and Iberia. British Airways, with the majority of their flights departing from Terminal 5, fly long haul, Iberia fly to Madrid whilst Iberia Express serve Gran Canaria and Tenerife North.

Baggage Enquiries

You can leave excess baggage at Terminal 5 if you have too much to take on the plane. This service is operated by the Excess Baggage Company, which you will find on the ground floor at the UK arrivals end. You can call them on 020 8759 3344. There is a lost property office in Terminal 5 in the arrivals hall close to the UK arrivals.

Excess Baggage company allow you to can leave excess baggage at Terminal 5 if you have too much to take on the plane.

If your baggage gets lost during your flight, you should make sure you inform your airline straight away. You can inform British Airways at the arrivals desk in the baggage reclaim area. You will then be asked to complete a report and provide them with your telephone number and a reference number to assist them in finding your bag.

Cash Facilities

ATMs are located throughout London Heathrow Terminal 5, both before and after security. They accept most cards from UK banks, as well as international credit cards.

Locations:

Level 3 Check-in: In Zone B
Level 3 Departures: Near Hamleys, Near WHSmith, and with Travelex.
Level 2 Departures: With Moneycorp near the entrance for gates A1-A7 and with Travelex near Prada.
Terminal 5C: Departures Next to British Airways Customer Services.
Ground Floor Arrivals (Passenger area): Near Carousel 1, and near Carousel 9.
Ground Floor Arrivals (Public area): Near WHSmiths, and opposite Caffé Nero.

A number of Bureaux de Change offices are located throughout the terminal belonging to Travelex. Travelex provide over 80 currencies alongside travel insurance and their new Money Card, especially for those overseas purchases. With 14 offices throughout both Terminal 5 and 5b, you won’t far away from an exchange desk! The offices are open from 5.00 until 22.00 for you to exchange on the day, or to pick up pre-ordered currency.

Medical Help

Emergency phones are located throughout Terminal 5. If there is a medical emergency, use one of these phones to call 222, and the operator will arrange to send an ambulance or medical help to your location immediately. Highstreet favourites Boots are located throughout Terminal 5, both before and after passport control. If you need to pick up a prescription, these are available at the Boots pharmacies before security in Terminal 5. Call ahead on 02083841006 to check if your medication is available.

Communication Facilities

Wi-Fi is accessible throughout Terminal 5 and is free for the duration of your stay at Heathrow. If you are a Heathrow Rewards member, you get access to wi-fi that is up to 5 x faster than the standard option!

Payphones are located throughout Terminal 5, and you can use either cash or cards with these. There are also phones for wheelchair users, and text phones for the hard of hearing.

There are no fax services available in Heathrow Terminal 5, but you may be able to find one in a British Airways lounge.

There is no post office at Heathrow Terminal 5 but the nearest one is at Terminal 3 in the departures building before security, and it is open every day. You’ll find a few post boxes before and after security should you need to send anything from the airport. Be aware that post may be inspected by HM Customs, and you are unable to send parcels. If you need to charge your mobile phone, laptop or tablet, there are Free Power Poles located before and after passport control. You can plug your devices into these using either a plug or a USB charger.

Click to see what exchange rate the Post Office can offer you for your travel money

Toilets, Showers and Baby Changing

There are five blocks of toilets located in the departures concourse, including three before security and two after security.

Heathrow Terminal 5 - Baby change facilities are available all thorugh the terminal

In Arrivals, there are four toilet blocks on the concourse, including two in the baggage reclaim zone, one in the seating area and one near M&S Simply Food. In Terminal 5B, there are two toilet blocks, one at each end of the building. Baby changing facilities are located throughout the terminal next to most toilet blocks. Simply follow the symbol to reach the nearest facility. There are no showers in Heathrow T5. The nearest showers are located in the No.1 Traveller Lounge in Terminal 3 after security. However, some showers are available in British Airways lounges.

Trolleys and Porter Services

Trolleys are located throughout the terminal and in the baggage reclaim area. They are free to use, and you can use them to take your luggage to your car or the rail and bus stations. A porter service is also available and you can find porters located in both departures and arrivals. Find out more by calling 0344 335 1000.

Relaxation and Leisure Facilities

At the T5 Gallery, you can find paintings and sculptures on display. It is one of the first of its kind in an international airport, and you can browse the collection, relax and even purchase art if you wish. Due to the current global pandemic, the gallery can only be visited by appointment.
The Be Relax Spa in Terminal 5B after security provides a number of beauty and well-being treatments including massages, manicures and oxygen therapy. You can call them on 020 8283 6387.

Fancy some preflight relaxation in the Terminal 5B Spa?

Seating is located throughout airport and views of the runways are available from many areas.
There are plenty of duty-free shops after security, where you can buy anything from souvenirs to designer goods.
Worship facilities are provided for various faiths. Chaplains are available for Catholic, Anglican and Free Church members, as well as representatives from various faiths. Call 020 8745 4261 or email chapel@heathrow.com before your trip for more information.
Prayer rooms are also available for people of any faith. One is located in Departure Zone A, one is located after security in Terminal 5A near Gate A8, one is in Terminal 5B near Gate B34, and one is in Terminal 5C near Gate C52. They are open all day.
There are many restaurants in Terminal 5 which you can find by heading over to our Heathrow restaurants page.

Business Facilities

The Terminal 5 Business Car Park is located closer to Terminal 5 than the long stay car park, providing a more convenient option for business travellers. They can then take the Heathrow Pod from the car park to reach the terminal. A valet service also operates at Terminal 5. There are also a number of business lounges located after security, which are operated by the airlines.

Family Facilities

There is a Family Lounge in Terminal 3, which includes play areas, but this is not available in Terminal 5. However, Terminal 5 does have a play area called Stay and Play. This can be found in the Terminal 5A departure lounge near Gate A7, and is suitable for children up to the age of nine. It is open every day from 6.00 until 21.00. Many restaurants in Terminal 5 are child-friendly and can provide high chairs and children’s menus. We recommend you find one in advance to save time before the departure of your flight.

There's plenty to do for all the family in Heathrow T5

Disabled Passengers

Disabled parking is available in the short stay car park at Terminal 5. The areas are located near the entrance to the terminal and are clearly signposted. Help points are located close by to the disabled parking areas. These have a green telephone, which you can use to ask for free assistance.
Disabled parking is also available in the long stay and business car parks. Contact your car park in advance to arrange your transfer to the terminal. There is also a special assistance bus that provides free transfers between the terminals.
Help points are located in the forecourts in the terminal, both in the short stay car park and in the baggage reclaim hall. Special assistance is available in the terminal for the partially sighted, blind and hard of hearing. There are also text payphones in the arrivals area after customs, as well as payphones adapted for hearing aids.
Reserved seating is provided in the terminal, so look for the signs to direct you to the right area. These are located within the general seating areas and provide flight information screens at a low level, an induction loop and extra space for wheelchairs.
Disabled toilets are also available before security and after and are located alongside most toilet blocks.