I've been shockingly pleased with LHR as a United passenger lately.

The Iris system is great...from the time I exit the plane to the time I'm on the platform for the Heathrow Express is about 15 minutes. (I don't check a bag.)

I usually *do* check the bag coming back to the U.S., and I've never had to wait in line behind more than 1 other passenger at the UA counter to check it. (1P, flying coach or biz) Security is never more than a 2 or 3 minute wait. I'm usually on the 10:05AM flight to Chicago...

The terminal itself is the same dreary old thing it's always been, but we're just talking efficiency, right? For aesthetics, both of the big German hubs (FRA and MUC) are quite nice, but I seem to encounter a higher ratio of bus rides in FRA...especially if I'm connecting through there on a narrowbody. The United 767 from ORD (landing at 11:05) has gotten its gate on all but one of my flights this year to LHR, eliminating the need for the bus ride.