Anyone have recent experience with approximately how long is it taking to clear security and customs upon arriving in Terminal 3. I am travelling first week of September.
Posted by
London
1680 posts
To answer your question, we would need to know whether you are eligible to use the e-gates- this would include anyone with a passport from the US, Canada, or EEA countries (plus some others), and anyone NOT travelling with a child under 8. If you're able to use the e-gates it normally only takes a few minutes. If you need to wait to see a person it can take longer, but it depends on how close your arrival is to another flight that will have a lot of people not eligible to use the e-gates.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
US citizen arriving from Dulles International Airport on Virgin Atlantic
Posted by
USA
683 posts
From USA as US citizens it only took my daughter and me a few minutes this May.
Posted by
Freedonia
19421 posts
Ditto to the above,,,
Normally, you don't go through security arriving at Heathrow unless you are connecting to another flight.
Are you connecting to another flight? If so, the procedure is different.
Posted by
Minneapolis
740 posts
Some of the Delta/VA gates at T3 are a gargantuan distance from the street. So could be 20 minutes of just walking.
Posted by
PA
3181 posts
As noted, if you are connecting to another flight going to other than the UK, you will not go through Passport Control but follow Flight Connections - unless you are on separate tickets and need to go through Immigration in order to collect bags and get new boarding pass.
And do not forget- if you are staying in UK then you need in advance the ETA.
Posted by
Tennessee
506 posts
US citizen. I've arrived at Terminal 3 on a Delta flight twice in the past year, most recently in early August. Passport control at the E-gates took 5 minutes. As mentioned above, the walk from the gate to passport control could take 15 minutes.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Thanks for all the information. It was very helpful. Looking forward to my visit to London.
Posted by
Land of La
10304 posts
As I always fly Virgin from LAX to Heathrow will say it’s a long walk ( you use the people movers ).
Was 10-20 from my flight to my cab. Carry on traveler.
Posted by
West Virginia
254 posts
I have flown from Dulles on Virgin a number of times, and it’s pretty quick with the e-gate. As Claudia mentioned, be prepared for the long walk.
If you are returning to Dulles and don’t have Global Entry, the wait will be longer. It seems like I breeze through at Heathrow and stand forever in line at Dulles. I used the mobile passport control app this summer and got through a bit faster.
Happy Travels! London is amazing!