I will be arriving at Heathrow Terminal 5 at 10:15 AM May 11, and leaving from Terminal 3 at 4:15. I'm flying coach, not eligible for any privileged spaces.

I'd love to check into the Yotel for a few hours, but it is in Terminal 4. Can't get any advice from BA about whether it makes sense to do this, or how much time I would need to get from Terminal 4 to Terminal 3 for my AA flight to New York at 4:15. Or how many times I would have to go in and out of Security, through passport control etc.

Has anyone had such experience with Yotel and Terminals 5 and 3? Is it easy to get from 5 to 4 to 3? I would have carry-on with me, other bags checked through.

Also wondering if anyone has used the "lounge" in Terminal 3. They quoted a rate of 19 pounds for 3 hours, not including wifi.


I'd be grateful for any advice, and a sensible way to avoid spending all 6 hours in the general waiting area.

I've not used it, but this is what you have to do.

You go through UK immigration and Customs (the latter almost certainly won't stop you, but if you've not been able to through-check your bags - and BA will only through check if the ongoing flight's on the same ticket, and usually only if it's on BA or a One World partner airline - you'll have to collect them and take thenm through Customs)

You then go outside the terminal to the bus station, and get the free 482, 490 or 724 public bus to T4 (15 min journey: every 10 mins or so).

Check into the Yotel (it's in the public area, so no more security).

Bus back in the same way. If you've got your bags, check them in - and, if you've not got a boarding pass or didn't check in online hours ago, check in, at whetever time your airline decrees. Then through security. Allow 2-3 hours for the faffing about

The Servisair lounge is just a lounge, inside the security area. OK, but nothing special. Generally quiet, free booze, just a few crisps and twiglets. Excellent place to work or read: none of the techie distractions you get at, say, the Virgin lounge. Three hours MEANS three hours, though they seem relaxed about 3.5!

One or other is well worth the money IMHO. T3 is a rotten place for extended sitting around, though is you go out of the main area, following signs to the gates, there are a fair few less chaotic seating areas.

Can be tricky to keep an eye on your flight that way, though, since the screens mostly refer only to flights out of the wing concerned, and you have to pop back to the central mayhem to see where your flight's leaving from if - as is almost universal at Heathrow with advance checkin - the gate wasn't allocated when you got your boarding pass.

I'd raher buy a day pass to the business class lounge than be stuck in a capsiule at a pod hotel. Probably about the same price

A day pass to AA Admiral lounge at terminal 3 is $50.00

Another vote for AA day pass. If you book Yotel but then your flight is late arriving you may have to pay for it even if you don't use it. See what you feel like when you arrive in London, make your way from T5 to T3, see what you feel like and what time is left before your next flight and then decide whether it is worth it to pay the $50 for the AA club day pass (plus VAT according to the AA website which is I belive in UK is 17.5%). Note the AA website is not entirely clear on this but the $50 AA day pass may not include free wifi access in international airports. That may be governed by the airport contract with an outside provider and you may have to pay an additional fee, whether you use wifi in Heathrow in the AA club lounge or in the regular waiting area in T3.

ditto on the AA Admirals Club idea. That way, you can decide when you get to Heathrow if you really want a place to relax. Perhaps your flight inbound will be late and leave you with not much time to spare anyway.

AAdmiral day pass (in the terminal from which my second flight leaves, which is allegedly 3) sounds like the way to go. It hardly seems worth Yotelling. I will check with AA-- my ticket is an AA ticket, even though the Athens-London part is on a BA flight, so I'm hoping they'll check my bags through to NY.

Thanks so much to all.

If your ticket is bought through AA (with the BA flight included), your luggage should be tagged all the way to NYC.

Do you have elite status with AA or BA? If you have OneWorld Sapphire status (inclu AA Platinum status), you are eligible to use the AA Admirals Club on your trip, and you can bring a guest in with you as well.

Colonna,

I was in the Admirals Club in Terminal 3 at LHR two weeks ago. It was undergoing major renovation. I think the relative crowding and limited facilities might disappoint if you are not aware of the construction. I don't know when completion is projected.

When you get to area H, you will know if the construction is continuing if there is a sign directing you to a temporary entrance. If you still choose to get a day pass, which I think is a good value in any case, continue to your right in the club, and, on the right after the entrance to the bathrooms, there is a separate room with large chairs and dim lighting. It is quieter than the rest of the club because it has no pass through traffic; that made it a good place for a nap.

Of course, if the construction is completed by May, none of this will be relevant.

I vote for the Yotel. My son has used it several times. (I don't know anything about the Lounge - can you lie down and sleep? Shower?). The "pod" at the Yotel is quite nice, and gives you a private bed, bathroom with shower, and use of the internet/TV. You pay by the hour with a minimum of 4 hours. If you don't want to reserve in advance, call when you arrive and see if they have room. My son said he wouldn't use it if he were connecting to a short slight, but he had a long layover from San Francisco, followed by another long flight to Nairobi, followed by another long layover and flight to Entebbe. He thought it was totally worth it to be able to shower and sleep for 3 hours (of course, we were paying for it!)

Hi,

If you're coming from Athens, assume no major jet lag. I would not go to the extra hassle of getting to the Yotel in terminal 4.

I'd combine the AA day pass with lunch at one of Terminal 3's restaurants--none are great but better than what awaits on the plane! Stroll around a bit in the duty free, the book store--the time will go faster than you think.

Again, thank you! I'll be very well prepared.

When we were in Terminal 3 in December the Admiral's Club was being renovated. Because of the lack of space we were redirected to the Flagship Club--pure luck, but who knows how long that remodelling is taking!

Coming from Athens? I wouldn't bother with the Yotel either! It's not like you'll need a nap or a shower, just a place to relax.