Check-in recommendations at Heathrow

[Highflier]

Heathrow Airport recommends arriving for international flights 3 hrs. in advance. Does anyone know if this is a hard rule or just a recommendation? Do you really need that much time for checking in and security? Seems excessive. How long will it take to get to Heathrow on a Saturday morning form Hyde Park?

 

Thanks for your help!!!

[wowzz]

Personally I always try and arrive about 2 hours before the scheduled departure time, which allows for a reasonable stress free check-in and time for a cup of tea [or something stronger depending on the time of day]

You don't say how you will be travelling to LHR. However, I would say that the travel time by road or rail would be about the same - 30 minutes or so.

Being a natural pessimist, I always allow a little longer to be on the safe side, so I would plan to leave Hyde Park 3 hours before the departure time.

[Cotswold Eagle]

Too many unknowns to offer firm opinions. Check-in time is always a matter of opinion, other than the hard close of both your airline check-in/baggage-drop (usually 45 mins or so) and reporting to security (usually 35 minutes or so). Which terminal at LHR? What destination? I usually cut things a lot finer in T5 than I do in T3, for example.

 

Travel to LHR depends on how you intend to do it and what you mean by Hyde Park. Direct tube from Hyde Park Corner takes 45 minutes, so the 30 minutes suggested above doesn't apply to that!

 

At the end of the day, if you do arrive 3 hours before you are very unlikely to have any trouble or stress - and have some time to wait around :)

[John Bull]

3 hours is the airport's recommendation and it's over-cautious - trying to cover pretty-well all eventualities including delays en-route to the airport.

And cautious folk tend to add to that an hour or more - trying to cover pretty-well all eventualities including delays en-route to the airport because they don't realise that the quoted 3 hours is over-cautious - trying to cover pretty-well all eventualities including delays en-route to the airport . :D

I also suspect that the airport's excessive caution is to help to take pressure off check-in staff.

 

The times quoted by the Eagle reflect our experiences, but like wowzz we reckon checking in two hours ahead as ideal.

Yes, most airlines' check-ins close 45 mins before the flight - but they also tend to want you at the departure gate around 30 minutes before the flight and that 15 minute gap for security and for the walk to the gate (may also include a shuttle train at T5) allows no margin at all.

 

Traffic is usually lighter than average on a Saturday and 30 mins is probably OK by car, and by over-priced Heathrow Express. 45 mins by tube & I'd allow the same for the Heathrow Connect.

I'd be leaving your hotel a minimum of 3 hours before flight time.

 

JB :)

[Bob++]

When I have flown from LHR it has always been a morning flight so we allow plenty of time for breakfast after the bag drop. Check in itself is really easy and best done the day before online at the hotel - they will certainly print your boarding pass for you.

 

Once you have dropped your checked luggage, allow an hour to get through security and to the departure gate.

[Highflier]

Thank you everyone. this is most helpful. We will come to Heathrow via car and depart from Terminal 2.

 

We will plan on 3 hours, including travel time from London. :)

[surebeatssailing]

Our flight from LHR is on a Tuesday afternoon @ 1640 terminal 2. We will be picked up from our hotel @ the Doubletree in Westminster on John Islip Street

 

We were going to allow 3.5 hrs for transport & check in , etc. I assume traffic is heavy in the afternoon in London but 3.5 hrs should be OK?

[wowzz]

Our flight from LHR is on a Tuesday afternoon @ 1640 terminal 2. We will be picked up from our hotel @ the Doubletree in Westminster on John Islip Street

 

We were going to allow 3.5 hrs for transport & check in , etc. I assume traffic is heavy in the afternoon in London but 3.5 hrs should be OK?

 

I would say that the time looks fine - to be on the safe side you could check with the car service once you are in London.

[John Bull]

Our flight from LHR is on a Tuesday afternoon @ 1640 terminal 2. We will be picked up from our hotel @ the Doubletree in Westminster on John Islip Street

 

We were going to allow 3.5 hrs for transport & check in , etc. I assume traffic is heavy in the afternoon in London but 3.5 hrs should be OK?

 

No worries :)

But you won't be there when check-in opens, worth considering if you don't have pre-booked seats

 

JB :)

[kerryincork]

2 weeks ago I was at the airport the recommended 2 hrs before (local flight) got to security gate and they only had 3 security lanes open for over a thousand travellers. I ended up missing my flight. I had to get a flight the next morning. It only took 5 min to get through security in the morning. You can not judge the delays until you are at the airport. I would aim to be there the recommended 3 hrs before hand. If you get through security quickly you can have a leisurely lunch and a look around the shops. Much better outcome than rushing around looking for another flight, cheaper too 😉

[Bob++]

No worries :)

But you won't be there when check-in opens, worth considering if you don't have pre-booked seats

 

JB :)

 

I don't know if it works with all airlines but you can usually check in online and reserve seats up to 24 hours ahead. Any hotel will have a computer available and in my experience they will do it for you if you ask.

[John Bull]

I don't know if it works with all airlines but you can usually check in online and reserve seats up to 24 hours ahead. Any hotel will have a computer available and in my experience they will do it for you if you ask.

 

Sorry Bob, that's "generically" what I meant ;)

Though there were computer glitches the last two times we tried to do that.:(

 

JB :)

[Iluvcruising2]

We aim to arrive 2 hours before.

 

Nowadays, we take the TUBE, which is the least expensive mode and very reliable. No fear of jams either.

 

The downside of the TUBE is that not all stations have step-free access. So if you have a lot of luggage, it can be tough.

Edited June 27, 2015 by Iluvcruising2

[Keith1010]

While typically three hours is not necessary once in a while it is if the security level has been raised.

 

If stress doesn't bother you then no need to arrive so early but if you get stressed out than I would.

 

I would error the side of caution and arrive early.

 

Keith

Edited June 27, 2015 by Keith1010

[surebeatssailing]

With all of the craziness worldwide this week it is impossible to predict security threat levels. I am sticking with arriving early , maybe having lunch at the airport. I am certain there will be several restaurants available at Terminal 2.

 

Thanks to all for suggestions/advice. We can always chill in the United lounge...never used it before but just received 2 free passes.

[Keith1010]

With all of the craziness worldwide this week it is impossible to predict security threat levels. I am sticking with arriving early , maybe having lunch at the airport. I am certain there will be several restaurants available at Terminal 2.

 

Thanks to all for suggestions/advice. We can always chill in the United lounge...never used it before but just received 2 free passes.

 

Very wise.

 

You are so right. It is unpredictable and you don't have warning.

 

For example on our most recent flight out of Heathrow last month two hours would have been sufficient but the year before it would have been a problem because of a security alert.

 

The airport lounges at Heathrow are terrific.

 

There will be restaurants there too.

 

Keith

[markeb]

With all of the craziness worldwide this week it is impossible to predict security threat levels. I am sticking with arriving early , maybe having lunch at the airport. I am certain there will be several restaurants available at Terminal 2.

 

Thanks to all for suggestions/advice. We can always chill in the United lounge...never used it before but just received 2 free passes.

 

The new United Club at Heathrow will have free food and an open bar. If you have two passes, LHR is one of the best places to use them!

[surebeatssailing]

The new United Club at Heathrow will have free food and an open bar. If you have two passes, LHR is one of the best places to use them!

 

My favorite words...FREE FOOD & OPEN BAR. We will definitely take advantage!

Thanks to all :D

[floridasun lover]

With all of the craziness worldwide this week it is impossible to predict security threat levels. I am sticking with arriving early , maybe having lunch at the airport. I am certain there will be several restaurants available at Terminal 2.

 

Thanks to all for suggestions/advice. We can always chill in the United lounge...never used it before but just received 2 free passes.

 

 

We are flying United, how do you get free passes to the lounge- sounds like a great place to wait ?

[markeb]

We are flying United, how do you get free passes to the lounge- sounds like a great place to wait ?

 

The United Club is open to members (starts at about $550/year and decreases with your Mileage Plus status), United GlobalFirst and BusinessFirst customers on international flights, and Gold and higher Star Alliance members, also on international flights. Day passes at least were $50/person. You should have the option to add them (and see pricing) on your reservation.

 

Passes come with some United co-branded credit cards.

[surebeatssailing]

We are flying United, how do you get free passes to the lounge- sounds like a great place to wait ?

 

I guess we received them because we are flying business class . We have never flown business class on an international flight. We usually fly Economy Plus to Europe. We use our United card for airline tickets & just a few months ago signed up for the Mileage Plus Explorer card.

 

So I guess one of these reasons is why we received these passes.

[markeb]

I guess we received them because we are flying business class . We have never flown business class on an international flight. We usually fly Economy Plus to Europe. We use our United card for airline tickets & just a few months ago signed up for the Mileage Plus Explorer card.

 

So I guess one of these reasons is why we received these passes.

 

The passes are for the Explorer card.

 

You don't need a pass with a business class ticket; your ticket is your pass. You'll receive club access at international locations, and at least at your US point of embarkation. I'd have to read the rules again. At one point in time, if you were flying from Denver to Washington to London and back, you'd get into the club in Washington, but not Denver, on the outbound, and London on the return, not sure about Washington. Club membership gets you in at all locations. Day passes are generally good for multiple club admissions on the same day. Again, though, you won't need the passes on the international legs if you're flying business.

[retiring soon]

Hi all!

 

I just took a shared shuttle on a Sunday morning from Lancaster Hall (near Hyde Park) to LHR. The driver picked me up at 9:20 am for a 1:45 pm flight & I had plenty of time. Had a bite to eat at the Gordon Ramsay restaurant at the terminal, time to shop & use the free for 4 hours wifi.

 

The thing that got me was your gate number isn't released until an hour before the flight, then there are signs saying how many minutes away your gate is so I found that alarming! I had done check in at the hotel so just had to drop the bag.

 

Hope this helps.

 

~ Jo ~ :)

[surebeatssailing]

Thanks markeb for the info!

 

Shirley