My wife and I are traveling from the US to Munich with a connecting flight at Heathrow. All flights are booked on one ticket. Do we need an ETA at Heathrow to make our connecting flight to Munich. We will arrive in Terminal 3 and depart from Terminal 5. Apologies if this topic has already been discussed. Thanks in Advance!
Posted by
Massachusetts
1702 posts
The answer is no.
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/greece/uk-eta-requirment-layover-at-heathrow
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/uk-eta-on-a-layover-from-nice-fr-to-boston
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/electronic-travel-authorisation-eta
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/transportation/eta-requirements
Posted by
114 posts
Just returned 21 Feb '26 from a RS London tour. Got my UK ETA simply and cheaply months before my trip. Even if you are just passing thru Heathrow, you may not need one. But--what if you are delayed and need or want to stay in the UK, to or from your trip?
Even tho--an ETA is inexpensive, good for years (next trip?). Get one for both you & your spouse as it's only about 5 pounds.
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
10029 posts
The price is more than 5 pounds. The actual cost is 16 pounds. You can change terminals airside so you don't pass border control. I like to have options, so I would get one just to know that I had the freedom to leave the airport if I wanted. They are good for two years.
If you decide to go for an ETA even though it is not required, be sure to use the official site or app. There are many clones that will cheerfully charge you much more.
Posted by
114 posts
$13.05 usd was what my ETA actually cost. Get one. ab
Posted by
Used to be Steilacoom, now it’s Las Vegas
2526 posts
Traveling from the US west coast we find ourselves more vulnerable to travel hiccups going through Heathrow, so we got our ETAs last year just in case. We got stuck in an IT meltdown in 2023 and we’ve seen connection times evaporate on other flights. For us, it’s just peace of mind.
Posted by
Salem, Oregon, USA
3838 posts
$13.05 usd was what my ETA actually cost. Get one. ab
AlanBush the cost has gone up since you got one. Still, at 16 pounds (approx. $21US) is a small amount for insurance for a potential travel kerfuffle. Even if you didn't have one, I suspect the border control would account for the unexpected need to enter the UK and help sort it out.
Also to clarify the duration of an ETA is electronically tied to an individual passport and it is good for two years from the approval date or the date your passport expires if earlier than two years.
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
13382 posts
An ETA costs £16.
https://www.gov.uk/eta
Originally it was 10GBP ( ~13.xx USD)
At today's exchange rate, it is now just a bit over $21 USD
Posted by
Freedonia
18648 posts
You do not need an ETA for your journey.
There are some here who believe if you don't have an ETA and have an unscheduled delay they will make you sleep on the tarmac or sit in the departure area all night.
With this thinking, anyone traveling to Europe should get an ETA just in case their plane has mechanical problems or there are weather issues, and is forced to land in the UK.
That's not what happens. What will happen is you will be processed manually by an immigration officer. Since you did not plan to travel to the UK, and the ETA is nothing more than an authorisation allowing you to travel to the UK, you'll be fine without one.
BTW, having an ETA doesn't guarantee you entry into the UK. You could still be denied.