2026 layover guide
London (LHR) connection time
At London Heathrow Airport, plan on at least 1 h 15 min for a same-terminal connection, 1 h 40 min if you change terminals. Here's why, step by step.
Verified Oct 17, 2026By Steven MoHow we check Report a correction
Comfortable: 1 h 45 min
By Flight Connections buses, inside security
Inside security, by Flight Connections buses
Quick answer
Plan on at least 1 h 15 min for a same-terminal connection at LHR, 1 h 40 min if you change terminals. You stay inside security for domestic connections.
- Same terminal
- 1 h 15 min (comfortable: 1 h 45 min)
- Changing terminals
- 1 h 40 min by Flight Connections buses
- Hub airlines
- British Airways and Virgin Atlantic
How long a layover do I need?
- Get off the plane and walk to your next gate25 min
- Transfer security screening20 min
- Be at the gate before boarding closes15 min
- Buffer for a small delay15 min
Our estimate, rounded up, not the airline's official minimum connection time. If both flights are on one ticket, the airline will rebook you if a delay makes you miss the second one. How we calculate this
Recommended layovers at LHR
Our estimates for common connections, rounded up. Comfortable times leave room for a late arrival.
| Connection | MinimumRecommended minimum |
|---|---|
Same terminal, no passport control Transfer security where required | 1 h 15 min Comfortable: 1 h 45 min |
Changing terminals By Flight Connections buses | 1 h 40 min Comfortable: 2 h 15 min |
Separate tickets with checked bags No protection if you miss it | 2 h 15 min Comfortable: 3 h |
Airlines' official minimum connection times can be shorter: if you booked both flights on one ticket, the airline has already checked that the connection is legal and will rebook you if a delay makes you miss it.
Getting around LHR
Terminals
Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Changing terminals
Connecting on one ticket, follow the purple Flight Connections signs. Free airside buses link the terminals, and a train serves Terminal 5's satellite gates. Every connecting passenger goes through security again at the departure terminal.
Passport control and transfers
On a single ticket you stay airside and don't pass UK border control. On separate tickets you enter the UK, which can require an electronic travel authorization (ETA).
Tips for connecting at LHR
- •British Airways uses Terminals 5 and 3; Virgin Atlantic uses Terminal 3.
Plan your trip through LHR
The airport guide, and the bag rules for the airlines you're likely to connect on here.
LHR connection FAQ
Airlines set their own official minimums at LHR and only sell connections that meet them, so a one-ticket itinerary is always "legal". In practice we recommend at least 1 h 15 min for a same-terminal connection and 1 h 40 min when you change terminals.
Other airports
Sources
Last verified Oct 17, 2026. Terminals and connection rules change, so check your airline's connection instructions before a tight layover.
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