Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 - Meeting with a friend

I believe on arrival I will have to go through Immigrations and then Customs, and my friend will meet me at Arrivals.

Since you are entering the UK you will need to apply for an electronic travel authorization (ETA).
https://www.gov.uk/eta

We will then go to Departures where I will acquire an on board pass at the airline ticket counter

If this is truly a connecting flight then you should get your boarding pass when you check-in for your Dubrovnik to Heathrow flight.

After coffee I will then go to Terminal 5 Fast Track Departures which has its own security entrance 1 hour before my flight.

I’ve never been eligible for fast track, but this could be cutting it close. Flights to North America often start boarding at least 30 minutes before departure. For some flights it can easily be 20 minutes to walk to the gate. I’ve been on flights where a remote stand was used and passengers were bussed to the plane.

Normally, connecting from Dubrovnik to the USA you would not have to go through immigration and customs. You would just follow flight connections.

But to meet your friend you will need to go through immigration and customs. And apply for an ETA.

One hour is not enough time to get through Fast Track and get to your gate. I've gone through many times. Just because it's Fast Track doesn't mean there may not be a line.

Flights to the US usually leave from Satellite buildings B or C which means you have to go down to the lower level of the main terminal 5 and take a tram to one of the two satellite buildings. This could take an extra 15 minutes.

As stated previously, when you check in at Dubrovnik you should get boarding passes for both flights.

Thank you Frank II. I do have a follow up question. I already have an ETA assigned to me. Can I go through the connecting flights area and leave that area, spend some time with a friend (30 minutes would be okay) and then go to Satellite Building B or C as required, and then on to the Fast track. Would it require that I go through Customs and Immigrations Control even that way also?

Thank you

Jordan

Four hours is really not realistic to clear passport control, meet your friend and then clear security and head to your gate. If you really need to meet your friend then I would recommend that you stay overnight at LHR or in London.

Would it require that I go through Customs and Immigrations Control even that way also

To meet your friend, you need to cross the UK border, and then go to wherever you want to meet. You'd have to make your way to Terminal 5 departures. You don't say which terminal you're arriving at.

I have done this, and it’s absolutely possible! Of course, if your first flight is delayed you may need to rethink but four hours is definitely enough time. Assuming you have your boarding pass already and no bags to recheck I would be heading back through security about 1.5 hours before your flight. I fly thru Heathrow all the time and this is absolutely plenty of time.

Flight connections is only for passengers who are not entering the UK. By meeting your friend, you are entering the UK and have to go through immigration and customs.

Fast Track security is before you get airside in the Terminal. When you clear security you are in the main terminal. When your gate is announced you can then proceed to it. You can't get airside or to the two satellite buildings without first clearing security.

In fact, even if you used Flight Connections at Heathrow, you would have to go through security. Heathrow requires all passengers connecting at the airport, whose incoming flight did not originate from a UK airport, to go through security.

Fast track at Heathrow is barely any faster than the standard security line simply because there are so many people eligible to use the fast track line.

Assuming carryon luggage...

When I used to visit my daughter in London, I had it timed. It was pretty much 45 minutes through the doors from plane to after immigration and customs. In April, although I didn't time it, with the digital border control (I don't know what it's really called) there was no time wasted. It was so much faster, but I didn't time it, but I was constantly moving from flight to outside the security zone. Entering has always seemed pretty fast to me as well. Of course, your hours of arrival and departure may vary. It also depends where you are sitting on the plane. I'm usually in the middle.

So assume it's an hour each way, because you really have to plan that your flight is leaving 30 minutes before it says it is. You would have up to 2 hours with your friend. IMO. To be safe, stick to an hour visit. Worse case scenario, If you get out of the secure area, give a hug and have to go back in, what have you lost?