Dec 30, 2015, 9:51 am
Last edit by: KARFA
Welcome to this guide. If you are arriving at LHR and connecting to, from, or within T5 than this guide should help provide some practical information about how your connection will work. There are a number of types of connections which you may end up doing at T5 and hopefully all should be covered in this guide.
- General Layout of LHR and T5 - including information on underground walkways
- Arriving and Departing Gate Information
- Diagram of FCC
- Diagram of DUB Arrivals Area
- Arriving from the UK - Connections and Arrivals
- Arriving from DUB - Connections and Arrivals
- Arriving on an International Flight (not inc. DUB) - Connections and Arrivals
- T5B to T5B Connections, T5C to T5C Connections, and T5B to T2/3/4 Connections
- T2/3/4 to T5 Connections
- Arriving at T5 and Crossing the UK Border at T2/3/4, Connecting to an AA Flight Departing From T3, Checked Bags, Connections to LCY/LGW Flights, Duty Free
- New FCC in LHR T3 (July 2018)
A Guide to Connecting at LHR T5
Jul 14, 2018, 7:56 am
#376
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
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Made the connection today.
Didn’t get off the plane until about 6:57 in the B terminal and the flight to BOS was departing C61.
Hustled through the FCC and made it to the gate as group 3 was being called... Of course, I also got SSSS’ed so I was ended up taking my seat after almost everyone boarded.
As an aside, 3/4 checked bags in our group made it. The one that did not was an oversized piece.
Didn’t get off the plane until about 6:57 in the B terminal and the flight to BOS was departing C61.
Hustled through the FCC and made it to the gate as group 3 was being called... Of course, I also got SSSS’ed so I was ended up taking my seat after almost everyone boarded.
As an aside, 3/4 checked bags in our group made it. The one that did not was an oversized piece.
i assume you made use of the smaller FCC in T5B? That probably saved a lot of time.
Jul 15, 2018, 3:06 am
#377
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, ITA Club Executive, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,599
I’ll be connecting to a JFK flight coming from INV next week. The transfer procedure seems painless, straightforward and, I imagine, also quick. How long would you reckon it’ll take from disembarking to the CCR?
Jul 15, 2018, 3:10 am
#378
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Jul 15, 2018, 9:19 am
#379
Join Date: Jul 2014
Programs: Flying Blue Petroleum, BA Exec Club
Posts: 111
I have a connecting flight, JFK-LHR-EDi coming up with 1 hour 15 mins time between. BA112 to BA1434 on a 767, which i believe can be a bus gate on occasion. Arrive in at 6:30am, leave at 7:45am
On my limited experience of LHR at 6:30am, security etc can be really busy. How likely is it we (other half and 2 kids) will make this connection. Happy to use the underground tunnels and aware of the going landside if queues are bad but havent done it before.
I appreciate there is a number of variables and assumptions to be made, assuming both on time and typical queues.
Thanks in advance.
On my limited experience of LHR at 6:30am, security etc can be really busy. How likely is it we (other half and 2 kids) will make this connection. Happy to use the underground tunnels and aware of the going landside if queues are bad but havent done it before.
I appreciate there is a number of variables and assumptions to be made, assuming both on time and typical queues.
Thanks in advance.
Jul 15, 2018, 4:32 pm
#380
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 118
Arriving on AA 136 T3 and connecting to BA 167 T5. assuming on time arrival connecting time is 2 hours. Checking bags through. Should I be worried about my luggage not making the connection? What has the history been? On the return connecting time is only 95 minutes. Cause for concern? Thanks
Jul 15, 2018, 8:10 pm
#381
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: IAD
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hilton Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 348
Arriving on AA 136 T3 and connecting to BA 167 T5. assuming on time arrival connecting time is 2 hours. Checking bags through. Should I be worried about my luggage not making the connection? What has the history been? On the return connecting time is only 95 minutes. Cause for concern? Thanks
Jul 16, 2018, 10:06 pm
#382
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Hoboken, NJ
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 194
Yes, it was the one in T5B. It was pretty uncrowded. On my flight from OSL, it seemed to mostly be either connections to BOS or JFK (the only two US connections that late, I think) or connections to India.
Jul 21, 2018, 10:42 am
#383
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Location: Leeds, UK
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New FCC in LHR T3 (July 2018)
This post covers the new flight connections centre (FCC) in T3. When connecting from a T3->T3 flight, or when connecting from a T2/4/5->T3 flight and arriving in to T3 on the airside inter terminal buses, you will arrive in to this new FCC. The post covers:
General Comments
The new FCC is open in T3. It is in a different place to the old FCC which was always temporary (and felt like it) whilst work was done to create this new bigger permanent FCC.
Arriving on the airside bus from T2/4/5
Once you get off the bus you go up two sets of stairs/escalators towards the security hall.
Area immediately at the top of the escalators/stairs:
Just before security on the left are airline service desks for BA and AA.
Also if you arrive at T3 but want to exit to immigration (i.e. joining over T3 arriving passengers) turn left in to that BA/AA service desk area, then left again down the side of the glass partitions, it is signed as "Arrivals, Baggage reclaim, Flight Connections Terminals 2,4,5". See below in the "Arriving in to T3 and connecting to T2/4/5" section with photos coming from the arrivals stream.
Fast track is to the left and normal track occupies most of the hall to the middle and right.
Beyond the security channels there is a signed one way door to the left of the security hall which is signed for "Arrivals, Baggage Claim, Flight Connections T2/4/5" - so taking that door will lead you to the arrivals stream and down to the new airside bus waiting area for T2,4,5. In the middle of the security hall past the security channels is an escalator marked down to "All Departure Gates", and to the right are lifts similarly marked.
At the bottom of the escalator is a signed path straight ahead to Departure Gates which goes through some new shops:
To the left are lifts back up and signed Arrivals, Baggage Claim, Flight Connections T2/4/5:
To the right are more airline service desks, it seems for all airlines:
Also in this airline service area to the right is a signed "Short Connect" route, this leads you down a corridor directly in to the start of the corridor for gates 23-42. This bypasses the longer route (i.e. the one signed "All Departure Gates") and is a much quicker way to the gates or lounges.
Looking back at the exit from the Short Connect corridor, this is signed to "Arrivals" and "Airline service desks" so can be taken as a route our of the airside departures area in T3 to landside via immigration.
If you choose to follow the "All departure gates" route via the shops you follow a longer route to the main waiting area of T3. Once through the shops there is a corridor which leads to the airside departures ares:
If you turn around you can see going the other way the corridor is signed as Arrivals, Baggage Claim, Airline Service Desks:
You now come out in T3 in to the main waiting area rather than on the lounge corridor:
In the figure below A is where you emerged from the old FCC (the old one way door to the arrivals stream was down the corridor towards the FCC), B is where you now emerge in to the departures area if following the "All departure gates" route via the shops, and C is where you emerge if following the "Short connect" route:
So if you are in the airside departures area of T3 and wish to exit landside you can either go via B or C following the signs to arrivals, this will lead you to immigration and landside.
Note that the old door which was just after the old FCC which let you out in to arrivals is no longer available, the first photo shows the place where the old FCC used to emerge in to the T3 airside depatures area - now all boarded up - and the second photo (curtesy of mwp1) shows that old door:
Arriving in to T3 and connecting to T2/4/5
As the FCC has now moved, so has the bus waiting area for the airside transfers to T2/4/5. Access from the arrivals stream is now on the opposite side of the corridor from the old access point:
and the old access point to the FCC on the opposite side - now closed and as of August this is also now boarded up
You head down a corridor and in to an area with an information screen and signed paths to T3 connections and T2/4/5 connections
If you head down the T3 connections route you emerge next to the BA/AA service desks which is just before security
If you head down the T2/4/5 channel you come to an escalator. stairs, and lifts to the bus waiting area
The new bus waiting area is much nicer than the old one in the temporary FCC
Arriving in to T3 from T2/4/5 and exiting through immigration to landside
If you get the airside buses to T3 but want to exit landside on arrival at T3 then you go up the escalators/stairs, left in to the BA/AA airline service desk area, left down the path next to the glass partition (signed as "Arrivals, Baggage reclaim, Flight Connections Terminals 2,4,5"), and then down the corridor which will lead you to the main airside arrivals stream. You then follow the signs to arrivals which will take you through immigration.
Area immediately at the top of the escalators/stairs:
Just before security on the left are airline service desks for BA and AA.
Follow the signs to arrivals.
This diagram should also help you understand the layout:
This post covers the new flight connections centre (FCC) in T3. When connecting from a T3->T3 flight, or when connecting from a T2/4/5->T3 flight and arriving in to T3 on the airside inter terminal buses, you will arrive in to this new FCC. The post covers:
- General Comments
- Arriving on the airside bus from T2/4/5
- Arriving in to T3 and connecting to T2/4/5
- Arriving in to T3 from T2/4/5 and exiting through immigration to landside
General Comments
The new FCC is open in T3. It is in a different place to the old FCC which was always temporary (and felt like it) whilst work was done to create this new bigger permanent FCC.
Arriving on the airside bus from T2/4/5
Once you get off the bus you go up two sets of stairs/escalators towards the security hall.
Area immediately at the top of the escalators/stairs:
Just before security on the left are airline service desks for BA and AA.
Also if you arrive at T3 but want to exit to immigration (i.e. joining over T3 arriving passengers) turn left in to that BA/AA service desk area, then left again down the side of the glass partitions, it is signed as "Arrivals, Baggage reclaim, Flight Connections Terminals 2,4,5". See below in the "Arriving in to T3 and connecting to T2/4/5" section with photos coming from the arrivals stream.
Fast track is to the left and normal track occupies most of the hall to the middle and right.
Beyond the security channels there is a signed one way door to the left of the security hall which is signed for "Arrivals, Baggage Claim, Flight Connections T2/4/5" - so taking that door will lead you to the arrivals stream and down to the new airside bus waiting area for T2,4,5. In the middle of the security hall past the security channels is an escalator marked down to "All Departure Gates", and to the right are lifts similarly marked.
At the bottom of the escalator is a signed path straight ahead to Departure Gates which goes through some new shops:
To the left are lifts back up and signed Arrivals, Baggage Claim, Flight Connections T2/4/5:
To the right are more airline service desks, it seems for all airlines:
Also in this airline service area to the right is a signed "Short Connect" route, this leads you down a corridor directly in to the start of the corridor for gates 23-42. This bypasses the longer route (i.e. the one signed "All Departure Gates") and is a much quicker way to the gates or lounges.
Looking back at the exit from the Short Connect corridor, this is signed to "Arrivals" and "Airline service desks" so can be taken as a route our of the airside departures area in T3 to landside via immigration.
If you choose to follow the "All departure gates" route via the shops you follow a longer route to the main waiting area of T3. Once through the shops there is a corridor which leads to the airside departures ares:
If you turn around you can see going the other way the corridor is signed as Arrivals, Baggage Claim, Airline Service Desks:
You now come out in T3 in to the main waiting area rather than on the lounge corridor:
In the figure below A is where you emerged from the old FCC (the old one way door to the arrivals stream was down the corridor towards the FCC), B is where you now emerge in to the departures area if following the "All departure gates" route via the shops, and C is where you emerge if following the "Short connect" route:
So if you are in the airside departures area of T3 and wish to exit landside you can either go via B or C following the signs to arrivals, this will lead you to immigration and landside.
Note that the old door which was just after the old FCC which let you out in to arrivals is no longer available, the first photo shows the place where the old FCC used to emerge in to the T3 airside depatures area - now all boarded up - and the second photo (curtesy of mwp1) shows that old door:
Arriving in to T3 and connecting to T2/4/5
As the FCC has now moved, so has the bus waiting area for the airside transfers to T2/4/5. Access from the arrivals stream is now on the opposite side of the corridor from the old access point:
and the old access point to the FCC on the opposite side - now closed and as of August this is also now boarded up
You head down a corridor and in to an area with an information screen and signed paths to T3 connections and T2/4/5 connections
If you head down the T3 connections route you emerge next to the BA/AA service desks which is just before security
If you head down the T2/4/5 channel you come to an escalator. stairs, and lifts to the bus waiting area
The new bus waiting area is much nicer than the old one in the temporary FCC
Arriving in to T3 from T2/4/5 and exiting through immigration to landside
If you get the airside buses to T3 but want to exit landside on arrival at T3 then you go up the escalators/stairs, left in to the BA/AA airline service desk area, left down the path next to the glass partition (signed as "Arrivals, Baggage reclaim, Flight Connections Terminals 2,4,5"), and then down the corridor which will lead you to the main airside arrivals stream. You then follow the signs to arrivals which will take you through immigration.
Area immediately at the top of the escalators/stairs:
Just before security on the left are airline service desks for BA and AA.
Follow the signs to arrivals.
This diagram should also help you understand the layout:
Last edited by KARFA; Aug 14, 2018 at 2:36 pm
Jul 22, 2018, 2:44 am
#384
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: WAW ✈ LHR ✈ GLA
Programs: BA GfL/GGL/CCR, HH Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 2,502
Am I correct in thinking that walking into the B channel would let me go into arrivals without much hassle? In other words - easy exit from the airside.
Jul 22, 2018, 2:53 am
#385
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Jul 22, 2018, 3:29 am
#386
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Photos now added to my post from yesterday for the new route to and the new waiting area for the airside buses.
Jul 26, 2018, 2:23 am
#387
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Lincolnshire, UK
Programs: BA GGL - maybe only briefly!
Posts: 1,378
Firstly, this is a great resource, so thanks very much.
Having tried T5 flight connections once (with no status at the time and using the north lounge) my gut feeling is to go landslide whenever feasible, although I realise that is based on a single experience and down to capacity/numbers on the day. So, looking at a future trip, if I arrive from a LH overnighter into T5, with a 2-3 hour layover before departing to EU from T5, can I go landslide, have a shower and breakfast in the arrivals lounge, and then 1st wing it back to the gold lounge? - mostly because in my (limited) experience, the showers were better in arrivals, it relieves the boredom, and more importantly I haven't tried it before. The proviso being that if timings change (eg late LH arrival) I can revert to plan B or C to meet conformance as in the wiki. (UK e-passport, bags either checked through or HBO).
And just to clarify if arriving into T3, can I take the airside bus to T5, go landslide there and back through 1st wing? In that case, would I be able to use the T5 arrivals lounge having arrived at T3? Would bringing a bottle of duty free on the LH arrival constrain you into using flight connections to get it through security?
Having tried T5 flight connections once (with no status at the time and using the north lounge) my gut feeling is to go landslide whenever feasible, although I realise that is based on a single experience and down to capacity/numbers on the day. So, looking at a future trip, if I arrive from a LH overnighter into T5, with a 2-3 hour layover before departing to EU from T5, can I go landslide, have a shower and breakfast in the arrivals lounge, and then 1st wing it back to the gold lounge? - mostly because in my (limited) experience, the showers were better in arrivals, it relieves the boredom, and more importantly I haven't tried it before. The proviso being that if timings change (eg late LH arrival) I can revert to plan B or C to meet conformance as in the wiki. (UK e-passport, bags either checked through or HBO).
And just to clarify if arriving into T3, can I take the airside bus to T5, go landslide there and back through 1st wing? In that case, would I be able to use the T5 arrivals lounge having arrived at T3? Would bringing a bottle of duty free on the LH arrival constrain you into using flight connections to get it through security?
Jul 26, 2018, 2:52 am
#388
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: WAW ✈ LHR ✈ GLA
Programs: BA GfL/GGL/CCR, HH Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 2,502
Firstly, this is a great resource, so thanks very much.
Having tried T5 flight connections once (with no status at the time and using the north lounge) my gut feeling is to go landslide whenever feasible, although I realise that is based on a single experience and down to capacity/numbers on the day. So, looking at a future trip, if I arrive from a LH overnighter into T5, with a 2-3 hour layover before departing to EU from T5, can I go landslide, have a shower and breakfast in the arrivals lounge, and then 1st wing it back to the gold lounge? - mostly because in my (limited) experience, the showers were better in arrivals, it relieves the boredom, and more importantly I haven't tried it before. The proviso being that if timings change (eg late LH arrival) I can revert to plan B or C to meet conformance as in the wiki. (UK e-passport, bags either checked through or HBO).
Having tried T5 flight connections once (with no status at the time and using the north lounge) my gut feeling is to go landslide whenever feasible, although I realise that is based on a single experience and down to capacity/numbers on the day. So, looking at a future trip, if I arrive from a LH overnighter into T5, with a 2-3 hour layover before departing to EU from T5, can I go landslide, have a shower and breakfast in the arrivals lounge, and then 1st wing it back to the gold lounge? - mostly because in my (limited) experience, the showers were better in arrivals, it relieves the boredom, and more importantly I haven't tried it before. The proviso being that if timings change (eg late LH arrival) I can revert to plan B or C to meet conformance as in the wiki. (UK e-passport, bags either checked through or HBO).
And just to clarify if arriving into T3, can I take the airside bus to T5, go landslide there and back through 1st wing? In that case, would I be able to use the T5 arrivals lounge having arrived at T3? Would bringing a bottle of duty free on the LH arrival constrain you into using flight connections to get it through security?
Can't comment on sealed duty free goods.
Jul 26, 2018, 3:37 am
#389
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,850
So long as they are sealed in a STEB bag with the dated receipt visible then you can still go via landside, it's the same rules as Flight Connections. And use the Arrivals lounge from a T3 flight so long as it is a BA service. I agree with the other points made by megaloman, provided you have e-gate access. It was generally faster this way before the First Wing, but for Emeralds the argument has just got stronger with the opening of the First Wing. The exception is after approximately 16:00 hrs (and perhaps a bit before that on Saturdays) when Flight Connections is usually the faster route, simply because there typically won't be many other people using security.
Jul 26, 2018, 5:19 am
#390
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Lincolnshire, UK
Programs: BA GGL - maybe only briefly!
Posts: 1,378
Thanks both. Good point CWS - I hadn't thought about it needing to be a BA flight (which it would be in this case). I did use the arrivals lounge in T3 once, which had recently been refurbished and was very smart - and just, well, pleasant. I suppose that would be the way to go for an AA arrival but doing that and then getting the HEX might be bit of a faff - but it would pass the time.