My flight from the US to Heathrow gets in at 9:05 AM and my BMI flight to Edinburgh doesn't leave until 12:50. BIG ASSUMPTION HERE : Just assuming that everything goes smoothly and we get through customs & immigration quickly, let's say 10:00 AM, what to do until 12:50? I'd want to be at the gate by 12:00 so that gives me two hours.

Are there any suggestion? Is there anything to do or anywhere to go to avoid just sitting at the gate and watching the minute hand move slowly? Can we hop a taxi and see something of interest in that short time?

I want to add that my patience level is low... extremely low.

Try to find a restaurant close to terminal, and have something to eat and drink, time will pass by fast!

there are plenty of shops & restaurants to pass the time in.

Have a cup of coffee and read a magazine. Or look around the duty-free shops. 2 hours ain't much.

I was going to say shop - Heathrow airside is a serious shopping centre - but there's limited (by Heathrow standard) shopping available for domestic departures at T1. There's still a good bookshop, and a few OK restaurants, landside at T1, though

You do NOT have time to go anywhere sensible between 1000 and 1220 (why do you need to be at the gatehours early?) - though if you wanted to just waste money, you could get the Heathrow Express into town, walk round Paddington station for 30 mins then come back again.. Incidentally, you shouldn't worry about Customs: your bags should be checked through to Edinburgh, and you shouldn't see them till you get to Scotland.

You can pray (the chapel's pretty much opposite T1). There's better shopping landside at T3. And the baa.com/heathrow site gives you a list of what else there is at the other terminals.

Personally, I'd just find a quiet spot and read a decent book. And it's very doubtful you're less patient than me.

Flanneruk,

Thank you for the suggestions. Sitting down at a restaurant after sitting on my duff for a number of hours is what I wanted to avoid. Shopping in terminal 3 is better? Great. I knew I couldn't get to London in a reasonable amount of time but I was hoping there might be a smaller city near the airport to just stroll around.
And for a non-patient person, the flight over took all I had. I know time is the real cost of the trip but I'm just trying to lower that cost if possible.

i tried the "i have 2 hours" at JFK. it isn't worth it. leaving the airport and trying to get back ends up being very stressful.

1. In time terms, the closest civilisation to Heathrow is actually central London - 15 mins away by Heathrow Express. It's up to you to decide, when you've got through immigration, whether you can do that or not.

2 The flight hasn't taken up all your patience. You THINK it WILL do. This is the opportunity nature has sent you to learn how to get more patience. See it as an opportunity for growth. Go over to the non-sectarian bit of the chapel and do some yoga.