How long to get through immigration at Heathrow (2024)

Hazard

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Folks:

I am flying into Heathrow from Delhi on BA at 6:55am at the beginning of August. Arriving either T4 or T5 depending on when the move gets rescheduled. Flying out again from T3 on American at 11:00am. I was toying with the idea of diving into the Yotel landside at T4 for a shower and a couple of hours sleep. But I don't have a good sense of how long to allow for the transfer and how long it will take to get through immigration and then back through immigration and security (which I would have to do to get to the Yotel but not otherwise.)

Do any experienced Heathrow hands have advice on this? Is this just too short a window to make booking four hours for 25 GBP worth it?

Any advice is appreciated

Hazard

A_Traveller

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I'm no "Heathrow" been there only twice) expert but I do a great deal of international travel. You essentially have 4 hours from scheduled touchdown of your inbound flight and take-off of your outbound flight. This means you actual "in the airport" connection time is probably closer to 3 hours. Generally, that not enough time to leave the airport. Here's why:

It could take 15 to 30 minutes after touchdown till you deplane. You then have to clear immigration & customs which can take anywhere from 15 minutes (on a very good day) to an hour (assuming you have to claim and recheck your luggage). Now, your outbound flight will begin the boarding process 30 minutes prior to departure. That effectively reduces you "available "time on the ground to something like 2 1/2 hours and you haven't left the airport, travelled to/from the hotel, checked-in and got to your room. You'll then need at least 45 minutes to get through security and immigration when you get back to the airport.

Bring a good book and plan to stay in the airport - leaving it makes no sense.

yk

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I'd save the money and just hang out at the terminals.

Your flight into Heathrow can easily be delayed.

Transferring from T5/T4 to T3 can easily take 1 hour, as you do need to go walk quite a bit, take a connection bus, get thru security (but not immigration).

AA will likely start boarding 45 minutes before the flight is scheduled to depart.

That'll leave you just enough time to do some shopping at T3!

Do you have OneWorld elite status? If you are sapphire or above, you can enter a OneWorld lounge to relax/nap.

alanRow

Join Date: May 2005

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Just stay airside and save the joys of queuing for immigration

Of course there's a chance that you'll need to collect luggage so then you'll have to go landside & recheck, in which case those 4 hours will go VERY quickly

Hazard

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I hear what everyone is saying, but I need to clarify a few things. I don't fly frequently so I have no lounge access. Also, the Yotel is a pod hotel that is in Terminal 4. So I don't need to travel to it, I just need to go through immigration.

Also, I can't think of any reason why my bags wouldn't be checked through from Delhi to Boston. Is there something I don't know?

So again, how much time on average will it take to go through immigration to the landside of T4, and how much time to get back through immigration and security to get to the gate at T3?

If I ended up spending 2 hours in the hotel cabin, it would probably be worth it. I have no interest in shopping at Heathrow.

Hazard

yk

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The immigration line can easily be 1 hour long.

If I were you, if you have about 2 hours or more, I'd rather pay $50 for a AA Admirals Club one-day pass and use the AA lounge at Heathrow. It is very nice and has showers.

http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?...OneDayPass.jsp

Hazard

Join Date: Dec 2007

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Thanks, YK. The Admirals Club day pass is actually a much better idea, and comes at the same price. An hour in bed is probably not worth an hour fighting my way through lines in and out. I'll still get my shower, which is what I will really want.

Hazard

yk

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Hazard-

You're welcome. The Admirals Club will also have some light snacks and drinks (free alcohol).

You didn't say where you're flying to from Heathrow, but if you're flying to the US AND have another connecting flight on AA, you can go to the Admirals Club to hang out until your connecting flight. The one-day pass is good for the whole day. Enjoy.

MomDDTravel

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Hazard - sometimes a good shower is all we need! I took one in Chile after a hellish flight/re-routing and one in Korea - they had GREAT shower/day rooms in the airport there...

~Dawn

AAFrequentFlyer

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as posted by <b>yk</b>,

<i>the AA lounge at Heathrow. It is very nice and has showers</i>,

have to disagree here. The LHR AC and the FL are probably the worst in the system. The 2 lounges are in need of some serious refurbishment. The showers are nice but the clubs are very tired looking.

frogoutofwater

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Gardyloo

Join Date: Jan 2003

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I passed through T5 a couple of hours ago and plane to street took 40 min. Mind, that's mid-afternoon, not peak morning arrival time.

I'd stay inside security and hope BA transfers your bags successfully. T5 to T3 looks pretty easy; T4 is still its usual inconvenient self.

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