London Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 Map (Most Up-To-Date)

Heathrow Terminal 3 is a hub-and-spoke layout: a central post-security departures lounge (“duty-free bowl”) feeding multiple gate piers, with the longest pier running out toward high-numbered Gates 23–42. Arrivals and connections flows split in the inbound corridors before UK Border. Vertical changes (down to buses/remote stands, up/down for connections processing) add hidden latency. Scale warning: the far-gate pier can stretch close to 1 km end-to-end.

Map Table

Zone	Key anchors	Connection	Typical walk time
Arrivals corridor split	Purple “Flight Connections” signs; Yellow “Arrivals/UK Border” signs	Flight Connections Centre vs UK Border/Arrivals	1–3 min to choose
Flight Connections Centre	Boarding pass gates; transfer desks; connections security	Airside transfers; T3–T5 bus gates	5–15 min (plus queues)
Central Departure Lounge	Duty-free bowl; main seating; central FIDS screens	All piers; shops; lounges	0–10 min to pier starts
Gates 23–42 pier	Gate 24/28 node; Prayer Room; toilets; water near Gate 40	Long-walk gates; some bus-gate variants	15–25 min to far end

London Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 Map Strategy

• Treat “Flight Connections vs Arrivals” as the point of no return: follow purple signs early, before anything labeled Arrivals/UK Border, and never “go with the crowd” in the inbound corridor split.
• Assume the far-gate reality: Gates in the 40–42 zone can mean an 800–1,000 m walk and a 20-minute clock, especially if the gate appears late on the screens.
• Add a bus buffer everywhere: remote-stand bus arrivals/departures and the T3–T5 airside bus create hidden minutes (waiting + drive + vertical transitions) that don’t show on a simple map.
• Reduce uncertainty by pre-positioning: hold near the Gate 24/28 node (toilets + mid-pier placement) to cut worst-case sprint distance, and default to lifts for step-free routing when carrying luggage.

2025 London Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 Map + Printable PDF (Official 2024 Edition)

In 2025, Terminal 3 continues operating as a pier-based terminal with a central post-security lounge and long walking distances to the far-gate pier (notably the 40–42 area). Day-of-operations can shift gate usage, remote-stand bussing, and where queues form, so rely on purple/yellow wayfinding and the live flight information screens for the last-mile details.

London Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 Arrivals Onward Travel Ground Floor Map 2025-2024

London Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 Arrivals Ground Floor Map 2025-2024

London Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 Check-In Ground Floor Map 2025-2024

London Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 Check-In Level 1 Map 2025-2024

London Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 Departure Lounge Level 1 Map 2025-2024

2025 London Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 Map Guide

Where is the Flight Connections entrance in Terminal 3, and what is the exact decision-point to avoid accidentally going toward UK Border/Arrivals?

The Flight Connections entrance in Terminal 3 is reached by following the purple “Flight Connections” signs in the inbound arrivals corridors, before you descend into the UK Border/Arrivals stream.

At Terminal 3, the exact decision-point is the first major split in the arrivals corridor flow where signage divides into purple “Flight Connections” versus yellow “Arrivals / Baggage Reclaim / UK Border.” Stay with the purple route that peels off into a dedicated channel leading to the Flight Connections Centre (boarding-pass scan gates and transfer desks). If you continue with the yellow-signed stream toward the immigration descent, you’ve committed to landside processing and you cannot reach airside connections without a major backtrack via landside terminal transfer and re-screening.

What is the walking distance from Gate 42 area (long-walk gates) to Flight Connections inside Terminal 3?

Walking takes about 10–15 minutes from the Gate 42 area to the Flight Connections Centre in Terminal 3, covering roughly 800–1,000 meters before any queuing.

Segment	Landmark anchors	Approx. distance	Typical walk time
Gate 42 area → pier corridor backtrack	Gate 42 holding pen → main long-pier corridor	300–500 m	5–8 min
Pier corridor → central building junction	End of long pier → Central Departure Lounge edge	300–400 m	4–6 min
Junction → Flight Connections	First “Arrivals vs Flight Connections” split → purple-signed channel → Flight Connections Centre	150–250 m	2–4 min

Where is the airside inter-terminal shuttle bus stop for T3 to T5, and what is the exact walking route to reach it from Flight Connections?

The T3→T5 airside shuttle bus stop is at the Flight Connections bus gates on the lower level of Terminal 3, directly after the Flight Connections Centre processing area (boarding-pass scan gates) and its down-to-buses escalators/lifts.

Step	Exact path	Landmark anchors	Typical walk time
1	Start at Flight Connections Centre	Boarding-pass scan gates; transfer desks behind you	0 min
2	Continue straight on the purple-signed “Connections buses” route	Purple “Flight Connections / Connections buses” signs overhead	1–2 min
3	Go down one level	Down escalators beside the purple bus-direction signs; lifts adjacent for step-free	1–3 min
4	Enter the bus waiting area and bus gates	Indoor bus bay holding area; “Terminal 5” shown on bay screens/signs	1–2 min

After arriving at Terminal 5 via the airside bus from T3, what is the walking distance from the bus drop-off to the connections security checkpoint?

Walking is about 100 meters and usually 3–5 minutes from the T5 airside bus drop-off to the T5 Connections security checkpoint, excluding any queue time.

At Terminal 5, the bus drops you at the ground-level T5 Connections Centre arrivals point (airside). From the drop-off, follow the Connections flow straight ahead to the escalators/lifts immediately in front of you (step-free via lifts), ride up to the Connections level, then walk a short corridor to the Connections security queue entrance. The distance is short, but the mandatory vertical transition and the security line are the real time variables—don’t judge progress by “meters walked” once you hit the queue.

Where are the bus gates / remote-stand boarding points in Terminal 3, and what is the walking route from the central departures concourse to those bus gates?

Bus-gate (remote-stand) boarding in Terminal 3 happens at specific gate areas that route you down to tarmac-level bussing after the gate desk, often shown with an “a” suffix (example: Gate 24a) or by on-screen “Bus gate” messaging.

Step	Exact route from central departures concourse	Landmark anchors	Typical walk time
1	From the Central Departure Lounge, follow the pier corridor toward Gates 23–30 when your screen shows a bus gate there	Main FIDS screens in the duty-free bowl; entrance to the long pier	5–10 min
2	Go to the numbered gate holding area shown (example cluster around Gate 24/25/26)	Gate 24/28 node near Prayer Room + toilets; gate desks in the pier	2–6 min
3	After scanning at the gate desk, follow “Bus/Coach” directions down	Stairs/escalator down beside the gate holding pen; lifts nearby if signed	2–4 min
4	Queue in the enclosed bus loading bay until directed onto coaches	Indoor/covered bus bay immediately below the gate area	0–10+ min

If you arrive at Terminal 3 via remote stand (bus arrival), where do buses drop passengers, and what is the walking route from that drop-off point to UK Border/Immigration?

Remote-stand arrival buses drop passengers at Terminal 3’s dedicated airside arrivals bus drop-off point that feeds into the same inbound corridors used by jet-bridge arrivals, just before the main split for Flight Connections vs Arrivals/UK Border.

From the bus, follow the passenger stream into the arrivals corridor until you see the yellow “Arrivals / Baggage Reclaim / UK Border” signs. Stay on the yellow-signed route (not the purple Flight Connections channel), continue toward the immigration descent, and remain in the main Arrivals flow into the UK Border hall. The walk itself is typically about 200–300 meters (around 5–8 minutes), but the bus-to-terminal unload and corridor funneling can add extra minutes before you even reach the border queue.

From security exit in Terminal 3 departures, what is the walking distance to the farthest common gate zone (for example, high-numbered gates like 40 to 42)?

Walking is roughly 800–1,000 meters and typically about 20 minutes from the Terminal 3 security exit to the far-gate zone around Gates 40–42.

At Terminal 3, you exit security into the central duty-free departures lounge, then follow the main pier corridor toward the long south-eastern pier serving Gates 23–42. The route is not a straight line: it threads through the retail “maze,” then becomes a long corridor with segmented moving walkways and occasional pinch points. If you’re carrying bags, traveling with kids, or walking against peak crowds, treat 20 minutes as the baseline and add margin—especially when the gate number appears late on the flight information screens.

Where is Fast Track security in Terminal 3 relative to Virgin Atlantic or partner premium check-in, and what is the shortest walking route between them?

Fast Track security in Terminal 3 is on the Departures (Level 1) security complex, while Virgin Atlantic premium check-in is at the far end of the landside check-in hall around Zone A; the shortest walk is to go up to Departures Level 1 and then cut along the check-in frontage to the Fast Track entrance.

From Virgin Atlantic/partner premium check-in (Zone A end), face toward the main terminal interior and follow signs to Departures Level 1 via the nearest lift/escalators by the Zone A check-in area. Once on Level 1, keep walking along the check-in hall toward the main security search area; Fast Track is the dedicated lane at the security complex edge (use the overhead “Fast Track” signs rather than airline branding). If you instead route through the Virgin Atlantic Upper Class Wing, that’s a separate private channel that deposits you airside near the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, bypassing the general Fast Track lanes.

Where is the re-screening security checkpoint used for airside connections involving Terminal 3, and what is the exact path from Flight Connections to that checkpoint?

The re-screening security checkpoint for airside connections involving Terminal 3 is inside the Terminal 3 Flight Connections process, immediately after the Flight Connections Centre boarding-pass gates and before you enter the main Terminal 3 departures lounge.

From the Flight Connections Centre, pass through the automated boarding-pass scan gates (or the transfer desk area if you need assistance), then follow the purple “Flight Connections” / “Departures” direction signs straight ahead to the connections security search entrance. The checkpoint is on the same controlled connections route—once you join the security queue, you complete screening and exit directly into the Terminal 3 airside departures lounge (near the central retail bowl). If your connection is T3→T5, this T3 re-screening may occur as part of the connections flow before you’re routed down to the connections bus gates.

If gates can be assigned late, where is the best “central hold point” in Terminal 3 airside that minimizes worst-case sprint distance to either end of the gate areas?

The best central hold point in Terminal 3 airside is the Gate 24/28 node on the long-pier side, near the Prayer Room and the nearby toilets.

This spot sits past the duty-free bowl but before the deep 30s/40s corridor, so it cuts the worst-case run to Gates 40–42 roughly in half while still keeping Gates 1–22 reachable without committing all the way down the pier. Use it as your “ready position” when the gate is still TBD: you’re close enough to pivot back toward the Central Departure Lounge screens, but already staged on the correct spine toward the long-walk gates. If you need step-free positioning, hold by the same node’s lift/escalator banks rather than deeper in the pier.

Without lounge access, where are the closest reliable seating zones near the long-walk side (example area: toward Gate 42), and how far are they from the main concourse?

Reliable seating without lounge access is most consistently found around the Gate 24/28 node and again near the Gate 30 amenity cluster, both on the long-walk pier toward Gates 23–42.

Seating zone	Landmark anchors	From main concourse (Central Departure Lounge)	Typical walk time
Gate 24/28 node seating	Near the Prayer Room; toilets nearby	~300–500 m	6–10 min
Gate 30 area seating	Near the small café/newsstand cluster around Gate 30	~500–700 m	10–15 min

After clearing security in Terminal 3, where are the nearest toilets and water points, and what is the shortest route to reach them before walking toward far gates?

The nearest toilets and water points after Terminal 3 security are in the central departures lounge restroom blocks just beyond the duty-free area, with additional reliable options at the Gate 24/28 node and a water point near Gate 40 on the long pier.

• Central departures lounge toilets + water: Exit security into the duty-free bowl, then angle to the nearest main toilet block off the central seating/retail area; water fountains are typically placed beside these restroom entrances.
• Gate 24/28 node toilets: From the central lounge, follow the main pier corridor toward Gates 23–30 and stop at the Prayer Room/toilets cluster around the Gate 24/28 node.
• Gate 40 water point: If you’re already committed down the far corridor, continue toward the high-numbered gates and refill near the signed water point around Gate 40 before the final push to Gates 41–42.

For a landside terminal transfer starting at T3 Arrivals, what is the exact route (walking segments plus station access points) to the free inter-terminal rail platforms (Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express) inside the airport?

The free inter-terminal rail platforms for the Elizabeth line and Heathrow Express are accessed via Heathrow Central (Terminals 2 & 3) station, reached from Terminal 3 Arrivals by following “Trains/Underground” signs down to the subway level and into the central station entrances.

Segment	Exact route	Station access point	Typical walk time
1	Exit Customs into Terminal 3 Arrivals hall, then follow yellow signs for “Trains” / “Underground”	T3 Arrivals hall wayfinding to subway	2–5 min
2	Take lifts/escalators down to Level -1 (subway/tunnel level)	Down to the underground pedestrian subway	2–4 min
3	Walk the underground corridor toward “Heathrow Central / Terminals 2 & 3 Station”	Station entrance doors off the subway	5–10 min
4	Enter the station concourse and follow signs to the Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express platforms	Platform access via gates/barriers	2–5 min

On a self-transfer starting at Terminal 3 (separate ticket scenario), what is the exact route from Arrivals to re-check desks to departures security, including the walking distance between each stage?

A self-transfer in Terminal 3 is Arrivals → UK Border → baggage reclaim → Customs exit → check-in (Departures Level 1, Zones A–H) → main security, with most of the distance coming from the vertical move up to Departures and the walk across the check-in hall to your airline zone and security entrance.

Stage	Exact route	Approx. distance	Typical walk time
1	Arrivals corridor → UK Border	Follow yellow “Arrivals / UK Border” signs into immigration hall	150–300 m
2	UK Border → baggage reclaim	Continue on Arrivals route to carousels	100–250 m
3	Baggage reclaim → Customs exit	Walk to “Nothing to Declare”/exit lanes into Arrivals hall	50–150 m
4	Arrivals hall → Departures Level 1	Take lifts/escalators up to Departures/check-in level	0–100 m
5	Check-in zones → departures security	Walk from your airline’s check-in zone to the main security complex	150–400 m

Archive London Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 Maps

 Below are all historical map versions for London Heathrow Airport. Each year includes the official map available for that period, presented as both WebP and PDF.

2024-2025 London Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 Maps (Official 2024 Edition)

2018-2023 London Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 Map (Official 2018 Edition)