Getting ready to travel

Did you know?

We are investing £6.2 billion over the next ten years to rebuild and refurbish existing terminals and provide world-class facilities.

Heathrow transformation

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Getting ready to travel

Whether it's a long-haul flight or a short hop, make sure you enjoy a pleasant, stress-free journey. It's all about being prepared.

Before you leave
  • Know your terminal: Heathrow is a major international airport and you don't want to spend precious time travelling between terminals. Your airline should tell you which one you need – if you're unsure, visit our Which terminal? page.
  • Make a travel checklist: Use the Tips and advice pages in our travel planning section to ensure you don't forget anything. Our packing tips page contains help on what you can and can't take in your hand baggage.
  • Find out about your destination: Our Destination guides are full of information about cities, countries and airports all over the world.
  • Book ahead: If you're coming by car, book airport parking online for a great deal. Need to change money? You can save time if you order currency and pick it up at the airport.

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Enjoy the journey
  • Fly comfortably: Travel pillows pack up small but make a big difference to your in-flight comfort. You'll find them – and many other travel essentials, including sleeping masks and flight socks – at World Duty Free stores in the airport. To see some of the available products, visit the World Duty Free website.
  • Eat sensibly: To avoid painful indigestion at 30,000ft, don't eat heavy meals before or after flying. To combat dehydration, drink plenty of water or juice and avoid alcohol. For healthy eating options at the airport, browse our restaurants page.
  • Don't worry: If you're afraid of flying or concerned about possible health issues, read our Travellers' health page.

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At your destination
  • Find your way: If you've forgotten to pack travel guides or phrase books, you'll find a wide selection at the airport. To find book shops at Heathrow, browse our shops page.
  • Stay plugged in: Travel adaptors can be difficult to find overseas. If you don't already have one, browse our travel essentials shopping page.

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HelpKnow the rules

See what you can carry as hand baggage for departing flights.

Find your duty free allowance for flights departing to:

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