Heathrow Terminal 3 sits in the Central Terminal Area, facing Terminal 2 across the middle of the airport. From Surrey it is a 30 to 55 minute drive depending on where you start.
Before anything else, there is one thing about T3 worth knowing, because it is the single most expensive terminal mistake at Heathrow.
Flying British Airways? Terminal 5 is not a safe assumption
British Airways operates from both Terminal 5 and Terminal 3. Terminal 5 is its main hub and handles the vast majority of BA flights — but a selection of long-haul and short-haul routes depart from Terminal 3, and which one you need varies by destination and flight number.
Most people flying BA assume Terminal 5 without checking, and most of the time they are right. The problem is what happens when they are not.
Terminal 3 and Terminal 5 are not walkable. T5 is at the western end of the airport, a genuine journey away. Turning up at the wrong one is not a brisk walk — it is a train ride, a queue and a large bite out of the time you built in as a buffer.
So check your boarding pass or booking reference rather than your memory. Or simpler: give us your flight number when you book and we will confirm the terminal for you.
Which airlines use Terminal 3
Terminal 2 has a useful shortcut — it is Heathrow’s Star Alliance home, so if you are flying Lufthansa or United you know where you are. Terminal 3 has no equivalent rule. It is the most mixed terminal at Heathrow, with carriers from several alliances and none.
Virgin Atlantic is the main presence at T3. Also using it: Emirates, American Airlines, Delta, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, Finnair, Japan Airlines, Royal Jordanian, SriLankan Airlines, Aeromexico, China Airlines and Middle East Airlines — plus those selected British Airways routes.
Because there is no pattern to fall back on, T3 is the terminal where checking matters most. Allocations change, so use Heathrow’s own which terminal tool close to travelling.
If you end up at the wrong terminal
How bad it is depends entirely on which wrong terminal you are standing in.
Terminal 3 to Terminal 2 — a walk
They face each other in the Central Terminal Area. About 10 to 15 minutes along a covered pedestrian walkway that is flat, indoors and fine with luggage trolleys. Annoying, not serious.
Terminal 3 to Terminal 5 — a train
The Heathrow Express and the Elizabeth line both run between Heathrow Central (which serves Terminals 2 and 3) and Terminal 5. The train itself takes around five or six minutes, but realistically allow 15 to 20 minutes once you have walked to the platform, waited and walked out the other end.
Terminal 3 to Terminal 4 — also a train
Terminal 4 is on the southern side of the airport, separate from the central area, and needs the same sort of transfer. Allow similar time.
All of which is avoidable by putting the flight number in the booking rather than a terminal you half-remember from last time.
That applies at all four terminals, and it is the airport’s charge rather than a taxi firm’s.
- Blue Badge holders can claim a 100% discount, applied for at least 7 days ahead or by midnight the day after.
- If someone is driving you rather than a taxi, Heathrow’s Park & Ride car parks (previously Long Stay) allow free drop-off with a free bus transfer.
Current figures are on the official Heathrow drop-off page. Ask how the charge is handled on your booking.
Coming back: you cannot be collected from the drop-off zone
Worth stating plainly, because it surprises people on the return leg. Heathrow does not permit pick-ups or waiting in the drop-off areas. Vehicles must not be left unattended there and may be towed.
So the spot your driver dropped you on the way out is not where they collect you coming home. Give us your flight number when you book the return and we will arrange the meeting point. We use live flight monitoring, so the pickup adjusts if you land late or early — which matters at T3, where a lot of the traffic is long-haul and an hour’s variance on arrival is normal.
If you would rather your driver waited inside arrivals with a name board, ask for Meet & Greet when you book.
How long to allow from your town
| From | Typical drive to Heathrow |
|---|---|
| Leatherhead | about 31 minutes |
| Fetcham | about 33 minutes |
| Bookham | about 35 minutes |
| North Cheam / Worcester Park | about 35–45 minutes |
| Stoneleigh | about 40 minutes |
| Ewell | about 42 minutes |
| Cheam | about 44 minutes |
| Epsom | about 45–50 minutes |
| Sutton | about 45–50 minutes |
| Belmont | about 47 minutes |
| Carshalton | about 55 minutes |
| Wallington | about 56 minutes |
Driving time only — check-in and security sit on top, and long-haul desks close earlier relative to departure than short-haul ones. The Heathrow run from Surrey goes either around on the M25 or through west London on the M4, and the two behave very differently in rush hour.
If you are unsure, tell us your flight time rather than a pickup time and we will work backwards.
Which vehicle fits your luggage?
| Vehicle | Passengers | Large luggage | Small luggage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saloon | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Estate | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| MPV | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| MPV+ | 8 | 5 | 3 |
| Executive | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Luxury MPV | 7 | 3 | 3 |
| Wheelchair accessible | 3 plus 1 wheelchair | 1 | 0 |
T3 is heavily long-haul — Virgin, Emirates, Qantas, Cathay — which usually means a case each rather than hand luggage. Book by the luggage column, not the passenger column.
Booking a Terminal 3 transfer
- Pickup address and postcode
- Date, and either your pickup time or your flight time
- Flight number — confirms the terminal and lets us monitor the flight
- Passengers and cases
- Extras: child seat, wheelchair-accessible vehicle, additional stop, Meet & Greet
Call 01372 747 747, book online, or request a Heathrow quote. We run 24 hours a day.
See also our Terminal 5 guide, the Heathrow airport taxi service, what an Epsom to Heathrow transfer costs, or the full range of airport transfers.
Frequently asked questions
Does British Airways fly from Terminal 3?
Yes, for a selection of long-haul and short-haul routes, though Terminal 5 remains BA’s main hub and handles the vast majority of its flights. Which terminal you need varies by destination and flight number, so check your booking rather than assuming T5.
Which airlines fly from Heathrow Terminal 3?
Virgin Atlantic is the main presence, alongside Emirates, American Airlines, Delta, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, Finnair, Japan Airlines, Royal Jordanian, SriLankan, Aeromexico, China Airlines and Middle East Airlines, plus selected British Airways routes. Unlike Terminal 2 there is no single alliance rule, so check before travelling.
How do I get from Terminal 3 to Terminal 5?
By train. The Heathrow Express and Elizabeth line run between Heathrow Central, which serves Terminals 2 and 3, and Terminal 5. The journey takes about five or six minutes, but allow 15 to 20 overall for walking and waiting. They are not walkable.
Can you walk between Terminal 3 and Terminal 2?
Yes — about 10 to 15 minutes along a covered, flat walkway suitable for luggage trolleys. They face each other in the Central Terminal Area.
Where do taxis drop off at Terminal 3?
At the designated drop-off zone on the terminal forecourt.
Can I be collected from the Terminal 3 drop-off zone?
No. Heathrow does not permit pick-ups or waiting in drop-off areas, and vehicles left unattended may be towed. Give us your flight number when you book the return and we will arrange the meeting point.