Immigration

In Venice since Great Britain is not part of the Schengen visa agreement.

Is it one ticket or two? Will you need to enter the UK?

England isn’t a nation state so can’t be part of Schengen. The United Kingdom isn’t part of Schengen. But if you are on two tickets and need to pass UK Immigration you will also need an ETA (assuming you don’t need a visa).

Assuming one ticket you will follow the purple signs for continuing travel on from Heathrow. It is kind of a trek involving some distance and escalators or elevators to change levels. If you need to go to the bathroom after getting off the plane go ahead there's no reason to hurry the long walk. You will probably come into Terminal 5 and if you leave through Terminal 5 you will need your password and ticket and immediately go through security again. This has never taken very long because while it is a small area there are many lines. If you are leaving from another Terminal you will need to make that transfer before security recheck. Follow the instructions for transferring to the other terminals.

Once on the other side of T5 security there are shops, restaurants, Starbucks, Pret A Manger and other options. If your flight leaves from B or C gates head there sooner rather than later. Food options at the other gates are limited but the tram transfer takes 15 minutes or so and delay is not your friend if your flight is announced. Sometimes they will say "leaves from C gates" before your flight is there to give you a heads up.

If you have two separate tickets you will need to follow the blue signs, cross through immigration, collect your bags, and then recheck in at the counter before heading to security to get back into the airport.

Hope that helps, good luck at Heathrow!
=Tod

You will only arrive at Terminal 5 is you fly British Airways. Some BA flights operate out of Terminal 3. . United and JetBlue use Terminal 2. American, Delta and Virgin Atlantic also operate out of Terminal 3.

Go to the Heathrow Flight Connections webpage, put in your flight information, and you will get detailed instructions on how to make the connection.

Whether or not you can use Heathrow Flight Connection depends on a few variables:

If this was bought as one ticket, then any checked bags you have will be transferred to your next flight and you follow Flight Connections. No immigration at Heathrow but you will have to go through security.

If this is two separate tickets, and you only have carry on AND have the boarding passes for your next flight, you can also use Flight Connections. No immigration but there will be security.

If this is two separate tickets and you have checked luggage, you will have to go through immigration, pick up your bag, transfer terminals if necessary, recheck in, and go through security.