Seeking LHR Advice
 

All,

I've researched this question on the boards and failed to find an answer (please correct me if I'm wrong). Accordingly, I humbly request the group's advice and insight in maximizing my (and Mrs. PaN's) layover in LHR.

The Trip:

JFK-LHR-LIS

Flying CW to LHR, arriving T5, then connecting onward to LIS out of T3 on BA in First. I will have bags checked through. Layover in LHR is scheduled to be 4.75 hours.

LIS-LHR-EWR

Flying First on BA to LHR, arriving T3, then connecting onward to EWR out of T5 in CW. I will have bags checked through. Layover on the return is scheduled to be approximately 3.75 hours.

The Issue:

I'm traveling with Mrs. PaN and Infant PaN, both of whom will need to be entertained during the layover.

My Requests:

My limited experience in connecting inter-terminal through LHR has been to immediately go to Flight Connections and proceed along my way. Here, however, I appear to have some time to kill.

So my question is, how and where do I kill it?

For example, should I (or must I) proceed directly to T3 via Flight Connections and use the shopping, dining, and lounge facilities there, which, as I recall, are good, but not as nice as those in T5? Can I stay in T5 for awhile? How? I would assume I have to go through Passport Control, which would put me landside, and by the Arrivals Lounge. Can I renter T5 with my T3 flight boarding pass and enjoy the facilities on the Departure and Gate Levels, including the Galleries, and then take Heathrow Express to T3? Am I missing something obvious here?

In short, I'm looking for the best way to maximize my layover in LHR, while making sure not to miss my connection.

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.

Parked at Newark

You will get a good breakfast in the arrivals lounge so you could head there on the way from JFK to LIS. You cannot go airside at T5.

There is a risk that you will have to go through two queues if you visit the arrivals lounge - one for UK immigration and one for security at T3. These queues could be tedious with a youngster in tow.

On balance I think that I would just prefer the one security queue for flight connections and therefore I would head straight over to T3.

In addition to the above, please bear in mind that BA's premium cabin on LHR<>LIS is not equivalent to first on north american carriers because the seats are smaller. They are converted economy seats made a bit wider and not premium cradle seats. BA brand this product as Club Europe, which is a business class product and therefore you will not be eligible to use the first class lounge, unless you are a BA gold or oneworld emerald of course.

on your transit through LHR to LIS you will not have access to the T5 lounges - best bet to head to the T3 lounge which is fine.
On your way back the same - transfer to T5 and use the lounge there.
Incidentally it's not First to LIS it club europe = business class