Have you got a big trip coming up that involves flying from Heathrow Airport? This London airport has over 81 airlines and serves over 204 destinations making it a popular choice for those wanting to get out of the UK. Of course, this means that Heathrow airport is extremely busy, and it can be quite the experience, especially if you are travelling with young children or a large group of people. To help you with this, we have put together some top tips on how to survive your time at Heathrow Airport. Keep reading to find out more about travelling from Heathrow.
Airport Parking
The first thing that you are going to need to think about is how you are going to get to Heathrow airport. There are many different ways to get there with many people opting for the Heathrow Express which leaves from Paddington Station. Of course, this can be very busy as well as expensive, especially if you have a large group. Our tip is to bring your car and consider parking at Heathrow Airport. Booking in advance will save you money and guarantee you a spot. Don’t leave it to the last minute and just show up with your car if you want to avoid disappointment. If you are thinking about trying this out on your next trip, you can find out more about Heathrow Airport parking here: www.heathrowparking.com.
Give Yourself Enough Time
When booking your flight at Heathrow, you are often told to be there around two or three hours before your flight takes off. This is important advice that you should follow if you don’t want to be running around Heathrow while your flight is on its last call. Heathrow Airport has four different terminals which can be difficult to find if you have never been there before. Make sure to leave with enough time to be able to find where you need to go and make sure that you are ready at your gate for boarding. You should be able to find out which terminal you are leaving from and get a map of the area online before your trip so consider this.
Wear Comfortable Shoes
As we have previously mentioned, Heathrow Airport is extremely busy and is very large, so you are going to be doing a lot of walking. This is why we recommend wearing some comfortable shoes that will help you to get around much easier. You don’t want to have to run to your gate in a pair of high heels and potentially miss your flight. If you need to look smart or wear a certain pair of shoes for your arrival, pack these in your hand luggage and you can swap them for your flats when your plane is landing. This process is going to be a few hours at least so you need to make sure that you are going to be able to get around comfortably.
Be Ready For Security
If you are a frequent flyer then you will know that airport security has become a lot more complicated and thorough over the years. You will be asked to remove your shoes, take things out of your pockets and place them in a container that goes through the security belt. This is time-consuming, annoying but completely unavoidable, so you need to be prepared if you are going to survive it. One of the things that the security staff will ask you to do is to place any liquids in your hand luggage bag into a clear plastic bag.
This is something which you can have prepared in advance and doing so will make the whole process a lot easier. There are certain rules on what can be in the bag which you’ll need to have a look through to make sure that you have any items that aren’t allowed packed away in your hold luggage. Make sure that you and any members of your family are prepared for this and you will avoid a lot of stress at the security belt.
Try Priority Security
If you’d rather skip the long lines in security altogether then you are in luck because this is possible at Heathrow Airport. Many people decide to pay for a priority security pass which can make surviving this busy airport a lot easier as a whole. You can easily do this online before you make your trip and it can make a huge difference to your entire experience. You might need to stand in a queue to get through, but it will be much shorter and hassle-free than the regular queue that you would be in otherwise. Think about trying out priority security on your next trip to Heathrow and you should be able to survive the trip.
Bring Some Snacks
Heathrow is a very popular airport so there is a lot to do to pass the time. This includes everything from designer shops to restaurants and coffee shops. Of course, this is an airport so prices for everything are increased making a family meal quite expensive if you choose the wrong place. This is why we recommend bringing some snacks to the airport for you and anyone travelling with you. This will mean that you don’t need to spend money in the expensive restaurants or wait in long queues just to get a packet of crisps.
If you are going to bring some snacks, then you need to make sure that you are allowed to bring them through security. You won’t be able to bring any liquids over 100ml through security, so you’ll need to leave the drinks at home. Think about bringing a packed lunch for your family to make this more cost-effective and stress-free for everyone.
Organize A Meeting Point
Our final tip for those who want to survive their trip to Heathrow Airport is to organize a meeting point. This is extremely important if you are travelling as a large group and want to make sure that everyone is accounted for. This airport is very big, and your group might want to go exploring to pass the time. Think about letting everyone know where and when they are expected to meet and make sure that they have ways of contacting you if something goes wrong. You won’t enjoy sitting in one spot throughout the entire process so let your group explore and make sure that they are ready to come back when you need them to.
Final Verdict
If you have a big trip coming up that involves flying from Heathrow Airport, you should make sure that you take on board all of the tips that we have given you in this article. The first obstacle will be getting to the airport with your entire group or family, so you’ll need to have a plan in place. Consider using Heathrow airport parking or the Heathrow Express. You should also remember to bring some snacks or packed lunch and organize a meeting point to make sure that everyone makes the flight.
Follow these tips and you should be able to survive Heathrow Airport and have a great time on holiday.
