Any datapoints on recent security wait times at Heathrow, outbound to US:
--from ticketing completion to airside
--at the gate, into the cattle shed before embarking?

Thanks.
Rich

Hugely variable... It will depend on:

Terminal
Airline
Class of Travel and FF Status
Use of Electronic or Paddington Check-In
Checked Luggage
Day and Time of Day

It can range from 5 minutes to over an hour...

For a start, flights to the USA leave from terminals 3 and 4 depending on airline.

Normal waiting time is less than 5 minutes. In fact you normally spend more time actually being looked at than waiting to be. Which is how it should be.

Just one recent occasion, waiting time 10-15 minutes. That was unusual. But you never know how it's going to be.

At the gate, depends on the airline. In Terminal 3 (AA/UA) you go into a holding room. In Terminal 4 (BA), just wait in nearby seating. Again, no real delay.

The real hangup going to the US is the checking in queue, if you have not done OLCI or e-ticket check in. AA always seems over 30 minutes in Y (much less in F/J). BA maybe the same looking at the queues but I have always used one of the alternatives. I genuinely do not know why it takes AA so long to proces people, you are at the counter for ever.

Both T3 and T4 have gates that are a long walk from the initial security point (or the lounge).

It definately can vary... on a recent BA flight from LHR-AMS (Term 4) the wait was about 20 minutes in the "Fast Track" line!! The regular lines looked like they were taking twice as long. However, that was on Dec 19th, so the holidy traffic was starting at that point.

Thanks. My enquiry was directed specifically for the UA case, but it seemed like a more general question, so I posted here.
Rich

Unless you get into the Premier and above line or are flying business or first, the line to check in can take a while at the United counter, so that is where I would leave the most time, get there early just in case.