Parking at Heathrow Airport

Heathrow does offer free drop-off points close to the entrance of each terminal, however, there are no dedicated pick-up areas. It is recommended that those looking to pick up passengers use the on-site short-stay parking areas, which are situated close to the terminal’s entrance. Alternatively, you can avoid charges by waiting to pick up friends and family in the long-stay carpark, which offers 2 hours of free parking.

Short-stay parking at Heathrow is the ideal option for picking-up or dropping-off friends and family. The short-stay carparks are near each terminal entrance and all feature regular security patrols. Those looking to leave their car for longer stays may find short-stay parking costly so it’s recommended that they consider more cost-effective long-term parking.

With frequent patrols and 24-hour CCTV coverage, Heathrow’s long-stay parking is both secure and affordable. There are several different carparks offering a variety of services, however, with regular shuttle buses between each carpark and terminal, there’s nothing to stop you from parking in any of them. Those flying from Terminal 5 can make use of the award-winning pod parking service which takes you from your car to the doors of the terminal in 4 minutes.

You can pre-book both Meet & Greet and valet parking services at Heathrow airport. Either service requires that you meet a trained valet, who will then take your car and store it in a secure carpark, however, the valet service can be upgraded to include a full car wash and wax. When you’re leaving the airport, notify the valet and they’ll deliver your car to the terminal exit.

If you are struggling to find the correct terminal for your flight you can find it by locating your airline on the lists below (note that Terminal 1 is now inactive at Heathrow):

Terminal 2:

• Aegean Airlines

• Aer Lingus

• Air Canada

• Air China

• Air New Zealand

• Asiana Airlines

• Austrian Airlines

• Avianca

• Brussels Airlines

• Croatia Airlines

• Egyptair

• Ethiopian Airways

• EVA Air

• Germanwings

• LOT Polish Airlines

• Lufthansa

• SAS – Scandinavian Airlines

• Singapore Airlines

• South African Airways

• Swiss International Airlines

• TAP Portugal

• Thai Airways

• Turkish Airlines

• United Airlines

• Virgin Atlantic Little Red

Terminal 3:

• American Airlines

• British Airways

• Cathay Pacific

• Delta Airlines

• Emirates

• Finnair

• Iran Air

• Japan Airlines

• MEA Middle East Airlines

• Oman Air

• Pakistan International Airlines

• Qantas

• Royal Jordanian

• Sri Lankan Airlines

• Turkmenistan Airlines

• US Airways

• Virgin Atlantic

• Vueling

Terminal 4:

• Aeroflot

• Aeromexico

• Air Algerie

• Air Astana

• Air France

• Air India

• Air Malta

• Air Mauritius

• Air Serbia

• Alitalia

• ANA

• Arik Air

• Azerbaijan Airlines

• Biman Bangladesh Airlines

• Bulgaria Air

• China Eastern Airlines

• China Southern

• Delta Airlines

• Etihad Airways

• Gulf Air

• Jet Airways

• Kenya Airways

• KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

• Korean Air

• Kuwait Airways

• Libyan Arab Airlines

• Malaysia Airlines System

• Philippine Airlines

• Qatar Airways

• Royal Air Maroc

• Royal Brunei Airlines

• Saudia

• Tarom

• Transaero

• Tunisair

• Uzbekistan Airways

Terminal 5:

• British Airways

• Iberia

• Iberia Express

Due to the incredible number of passengers that travel through Heathrow, it can be extremely difficult to get the space you want by just looking on the day. If you want to guarantee a space at a reasonable price, it’s strongly recommended that you pre-book your parking.

• Arrive early: It can be very difficult to get through security quickly at Heathrow Airport as the four terminals see a daily footfall of up to 207,000 visitors. It’s recommended that you arrive at least 2 hours 30 minutes before your flight, to ensure you make your departure.

• Special Events: Check if there is anything happening at the airport on your day of travel as Heathrow often hosts special festivals and events. These festivities can be a great way to keep kids entertained and kick-start your holiday.

• Check your vehicle: Be sure that your car will fit in the carpark you’re booking as some of the multi-storey carparks have low ceilings, especially Terminal 4’s multi-storey carpark which has a maximum height of 2m.