Heathrow Terminals Guide — terminal-aware pickup, every time · 24/7
✈️ Heathrow Airport · 4 Active Terminals · T2, T3, T4, T5

Heathrow Terminals Guide

Which terminal is your airline in, and how do you get between them? This guide covers all four active Heathrow terminals — Terminal 1 closed back in 2015 — so you know exactly where you're headed. Whichever terminal you land at or depart from, RushXO drivers know exactly where to wait. TfL licensed operator, Licence 11588.

4Active terminals
2015T1 closed to passengers
TfLLicence 11588
24/7Flight-tracked pickups

Terminal by terminal

The four active terminals

Broadly, each terminal groups airlines by alliance, though some carriers sit outside that pattern and assignments do occasionally shift. Always check your booking confirmation closer to travel — or just give us your flight number when you book and we'll confirm the terminal ourselves.

Terminal 2 — The Queen's Terminal

Star Alliance

Key airlines: Lufthansa, United Airlines, Air Canada, Singapore Airlines, ANA, Swiss, Turkish Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Aer Lingus, Air China, EVA Air.

Opened in 2014 to replace the old Terminal 2, and one of the newer, more compact terminals to navigate. Served by both Heathrow Express and the Elizabeth line from the shared Terminals 2 & 3 station.

Terminal 3

oneworld & Virgin Atlantic

Key airlines: American Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, Japan Airlines, Finnair, Delta Air Lines, Emirates.

One of Heathrow's longest-established terminals, sitting right next to Terminal 2 with a shared rail station. Tends to be busy at peak times — worth allowing a little extra buffer.

Terminal 4

SkyTeam & Gulf carriers

Key airlines: Air France, KLM, Korean Air, China Eastern, China Southern, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Saudia.

Sits apart from the main T2/T3 cluster. The Elizabeth line and Piccadilly line both call directly at T4 — but note the Heathrow Express doesn't serve this terminal.

Terminal 5

British Airways & Iberia

Key airlines: British Airways (the large majority of its Heathrow flights), Iberia.

Heathrow's largest and newest terminal, with its own dedicated satellite buildings (T5B, T5C) for short-haul departures. Direct on Heathrow Express, the Elizabeth line and the Piccadilly line.

What happened to Terminal 1?

Why there's no Terminal 1

Terminal 1 closed to passengers on 29 June 2015, after 47 years in service, with its airlines relocating mainly to the newly expanded Terminal 2. That's why Heathrow's terminals run 2 through 5 with no 1 — it isn't a typo. In 2025, Heathrow announced plans to demolish the old Terminal 1 building entirely as part of a further expansion of Terminal 2, a project still in progress rather than complete.

Closed 29 June 2015After 47 years in service
Airlines moved to T2Terminal 2 expanded to absorb them
Demolition announced 2025Part of a further T2 expansion, ongoing
Not a typoTerminals simply run 2 → 5

Moving between terminals

Connecting through Heathrow

If you're connecting between flights and staying airside, free inter-terminal transfer trains run every few minutes between all four terminals, with journeys typically taking somewhere between 5 and 20 minutes depending on the route. This only applies if your onward flight is on the same booking with baggage tagged through — check with your airline.

If your arrival and departure are on separate bookings — different airlines, or simply landing and departing at different times — you'll need to collect your baggage, leave the terminal, and check in again at the other end. That's a longer process: allow roughly 60–90 minutes once you account for baggage reclaim, the transfer itself, and re-checking in, on top of ordinary security time.

Airside transfer5–20 min, same booking, staying airside
Separate bookings60–90 min, full exit & re-entry
Confirm with your airlineWhether airside transfer applies to you
RushXO between terminalsAlso available if you'd rather not rely on the rail loop

Getting to London by rail

Heathrow Express vs the Elizabeth line

Rail options from Heathrow to central London
ServicePrice (single)Journey timeNotes
Heathrow Express£26 (from £10 advance)15 min to Paddington, 21 min to T5Doesn't serve Terminal 4 directly
Elizabeth line£15.50 flat fare~30 min to central LondonReaches Bond St, Farringdon, Liverpool St directly

Fares checked against official pricing; both operators can adjust fares, so treat these as a guide rather than a guarantee on the day.

Broadly: if you're in a hurry and heading straight to Paddington, the Express wins on speed. If your final stop is further into central London — Bond Street, Farringdon, Liverpool Street — the Elizabeth line often saves you a change and a few pounds, for a roughly 10-15 minute time cost. Either way, once you're off the train you're still relying on the Tube or a second taxi to reach your actual door — a RushXO transfer takes you there directly, at a price agreed before you set off.

Connecting from another airport?

Landing somewhere other than Heathrow

If your inbound flight lands at Gatwick, Stansted or Luton and you're connecting onward through Heathrow, that's a separate journey with its own timing to plan around — see our Gatwick, Stansted or Luton transfer pages, or the wider Heathrow Airport Transfers hub for the full picture.

Booking around your terminal

Book in three steps

Give us your terminal

Or just your flight number — we'll track it and confirm the terminal ourselves.

Get your fixed quote

Priced by your exact journey, whichever terminal you're in. No surge, no meter.

Confirm & relax

Your flight is tracked automatically. The driver waits with a name board at the right terminal, even if it changes.

Why choose us

Why travellers choose RushXO

Terminal changed? No problem

Airlines do shift terminals — tell your driver by WhatsApp and the pickup point updates.

Flight tracked, always

Delayed landing costs you nothing — your pickup time moves with it automatically.

Meet & greet as standard

Your driver waits in arrivals with a name board, whichever terminal you land at.

Reviews

What travellers say

★★★★★

"Flight got moved from T3 to T5 the night before with no warning — told the driver by WhatsApp and the pickup point was simply updated, no drama."

— Andrew L.
★★★★★

"First time flying into T4, wasn't sure where arrivals pickup even was — driver was waiting with a name board exactly where they said they'd be."

FAQ

Heathrow terminals FAQ

How many terminals does Heathrow have?

Four active terminals: 2, 3, 4 and 5. Terminal 1 closed to passengers in June 2015 and its airlines moved mainly to Terminal 2; in 2025 Heathrow announced plans to demolish the old Terminal 1 building as part of a wider Terminal 2 expansion.

Which Heathrow terminal is my airline in?

Broadly: Terminal 2 hosts Star Alliance carriers, Terminal 3 hosts oneworld airlines plus Virgin Atlantic, Terminal 4 hosts SkyTeam and several Gulf carriers, and Terminal 5 is British Airways and Iberia. Airlines do occasionally move terminals, so always check your booking confirmation closer to travel.

How much is the Heathrow Express compared to the Elizabeth line?

The Heathrow Express costs £26 for a walk-up single to Paddington (from £10 booked well in advance), taking 15 minutes to the central terminals or 21 to Terminal 5. The Elizabeth line is a flat £15.50 single into central London and takes around 30 minutes, but reaches more stations directly, including Bond Street, Farringdon and Liverpool Street. Note the Heathrow Express doesn't serve Terminal 4 directly.

Can RushXO pick me up from any Heathrow terminal?

Yes. Tell us your terminal when you book — or your flight number, and we'll track it and confirm the terminal ourselves. Pickup points differ by terminal, and your driver will know exactly where to wait, with a name board for meet and greet.

What if I need to connect between two different bookings?

Allow roughly 60–90 minutes to collect baggage, transfer terminals, and check in again, on top of ordinary security time. If it's the same booking with through-checked baggage, the free inter-terminal trains are much quicker.

Does RushXO track flight delays?

Yes, automatically and at no extra charge — your pickup time adjusts to your actual landing time, whatever terminal you're in.

Explore further

Related RushXO pages

Book your Heathrow transfer

Any terminal · Flight tracked · 24/7 · TfL Licence 11588 · fixed price, no surge