What Heathrow.com Says About Connecting Flights and Arriving in the UK for the First Time

Heathrow.com covers both journeys in separate sections: Connecting flights (with terminal-to-terminal transfer guidance) sits under the Flights menu, while Arrivals covers immigration and passports, UK customs, baggage reclaim, and a dedicated First time in Britain page. The site also links Assistance and accessibility resources and Meeting points from the same navigation area. Use these pages before you fly to confirm which terminal you land at and how long a connection realistically takes.

Connecting Flights: What the Site Provides

The Connecting flights link under the Flights menu is the starting point for anyone changing planes at Heathrow. The site pairs it with a Terminal finder and Airport maps, plus a page on Getting between terminals — the practical detail you need when your inbound and outbound flights use different terminals.

Getting between terminals

Heathrow's guidance is organised around the terminal you arrive at and the terminal you depart from. Before relying on a connection, check:

• Which terminal your inbound flight uses — via the Terminal finder or your airline's contact details, both linked from the site.
• Which terminal your outbound flight leaves from — the same tools apply.
• The transfer method — the "Getting between terminals" page describes the options; the site also flags Changes to Terminal 4, so check that page if your itinerary involves Terminal 4.

The site does not publish a single guaranteed minimum connection time on these pages. Treat any connection as tight until you have confirmed terminal, transfer method, and whether you must clear immigration and customs (see below).

A note on "Connecting flights" vs. arriving

A connection at Heathrow can mean two different things: staying airside for a onward flight, or entering the UK and re-checking in. The site's Arrivals pages (immigration, customs, baggage reclaim) apply to the second case. If you are connecting without entering the UK, follow the Connecting flights and terminal transfer guidance instead.

Arrivals: Immigration, Customs, and Baggage

The Arrivals section of the site is structured as a step-by-step arrival sequence:

Work through these in order. The Security and immigration wait times link (also in the site's quick links) is the place to check current queues — useful for judging how long arrival formalities may take on the day.

First Time in Britain

The First time in Britain page is aimed specifically at visitors arriving for the first time. It sits alongside the Arrivals pages and is the natural starting point if you have never cleared UK border formalities before. Read it together with the immigration and customs pages rather than instead of them — the First time page gives context, while the Arrivals pages give the process.

Meeting Points and Assistance

• Meeting points: listed under Arrivals, so you and whoever is collecting you can agree a location in advance.
• Assistance and accessibility: linked from the main navigation and from the site's quick links. If you need support through immigration, baggage reclaim, or a terminal transfer, check this section before travelling — it is the site's central hub for passengers requiring assistance.

Practical Checklist Before You Fly

1. Confirm your arrival and departure terminals using the Terminal finder.
2. If connecting, read Connecting flights and Getting between terminals; check Changes to Terminal 4 if relevant.
3. If entering the UK, read Immigration and passports, UK customs, and Baggage reclaim.
4. First visit? Read First time in Britain.
5. Arrange a Meeting point with your pick-up.
6. Need support? Review Assistance and accessibility.
7. On the day, check Security and immigration wait times.

The site describes processes and links to the relevant pages; it does not state fixed connection times or wait-time guarantees, so confirm timing with your airline and check the live wait-time page before you travel.