6 Things to do During a 6+ Hour Layover at Heathrow Airport Terminal 3
- Allison
- Jun 16
- 8 min read
London Heathrow Airport, or LHR, is one of the busiest airports in the entire world. Heathrow Airport has a total of 4 terminals, with terminal 3 being home to some of the major airlines in the world including:
British Airways* (also operates at terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport)
If you have a layover greater than 6 hours at Heathrow Airport in Terminal 3, there are several things you can do to get refreshed and pass the time in a productive way. Here are 6 things you can do during your 6+ hour layover:
REFRESH AT AN AIRPORT LOUNGE
One of the best ways to spend time at Heathrow Airport terminal 3 is at one of its several lounges. Some of the lounges are open to all passengers whereas some lounges are airline and credit card specific. Lounges available for all travelers at terminal 3 include:
Won the “World’s Leading Airport Lounge” in 2021
Complimentary food and non-alcoholic drinks
Champagne, prosecco and cocktails available for additional cost
Family friendly children are welcome
Shower facilities available
Quiet zone and business services available
Max stay 3 hours before departure
Prices start at £34.99/person ($47.40 USD)
Variety of hot and cold food and beverages
Fully tended bar including beer, wine and spirits
Family friendly children are welcome
TV lounge with movies and major sports available
Quiet zone and business services available
Max stay 3 hours before departure
Prices start at £34/person ($46.06 USD)
Boasts as "the ultimate luxury pre-flight travel experience"
Complimentary morning and afternoon menu featuring made-to-order hot and cold dishes and à la carte dining
Hosted table service with a dedicated waiter
Extensive bar menu featuring award-winning wines, bottled beers and premium spirits, cocktails
Only people above the age of 12 are welcome to enter
Max stay 3 hours before departure
Prices start at £48/person ($65.02 USD)
Airline and credit card specific lounges at terminal 3 include:
Choice between waiter service or online ordering
Food and beverages brought to you, no need to get up
Freshly cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner
Deli bar
Menu for children
Retreat area for meditation and quiet time
Multiple quiet areas
Separate dining areas
Shower facilities
Outdoor rooftop terrace
Only accessible to Upper Class, Flying Club Gold Member on Virgin Atlantic or Delta One, Delta SkyMiles Platinum or Diamond travelling in Premium and Flying Blue Platinum travelling in Premium on Delta International and Virgin Atlantic
Available 3 hours before departure
American Airlines Admirals Club
Complimentary food and beverages
Full-service bar including champagne bar
Shower facilities first come, first served basis
Self-serve food spread
Capacity for 120 travelers
Accessible to annual and lifetime Admirals Club members, credit card Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard primary cardmembers, ConciergeKey members, AirPass members with Admirals Club privileges, qualifying First and Business Class American Airlines passengers, AAdvantage Executive Platinum, AAdvantage Platinum Pro and AAdvantage Platinum members, Non-AAdvantage oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members, Admirals Club One-Day Pass customers, Citi / AAdvantage Executive Card and U.S. military personnel traveling in uniform traveling on a same-day flight operated by American
American Express Centurion Lounge
Dedicated workspaces and conference rooms
Private wellness rooms
Locally and internationally inspired cuisine and beverages including specialty cart
Premium cocktails
Large flat screen TVs
Shower facilities
Family friendly children below age of 2 no cost, children ages 2-17 additional cost $30 USD/person
Accessible to American Express Platinum Card Members and Delta Reserve Card Members
Available 3 hours prior to departure
British Airways Galleries Club Lounge
Dining space with casual seating
Plentiful food options including hot and cold food items
Fully stocked bar
Business space
Shower facilities
Accessible to British Airways passengers travelling in First, Club World or Club Europe, British Airways Club Gold and Silver members, plus one guest, oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members, plus one guest and AerClub Platinum and Concierge members, plus one guest, when travelling on a transatlantic itinerary, excluding Caribbean
Cathay Pacific Business Class Lounge
Comfortable seating booth style
Noodle bar can make meal orders
Small buffet available as well with grab and go food items
TVs featuring news
High end shower facilities
Individual work stations
Luggage storage
Newspapers and magazines available to read at lounge only
Family friendly children welcomed
Accessible to Cathay Pacific First and Business Class passengers, select Cathay and oneworld partner members
Spacious area encompassing 2 levels
Business workspaces
Choice between waiter service on level 1 or buffet on level 2
Australian, local and international cuisine options
Cocktail bar with alcoholic beverages and Quench hydrating bar with select teas and juices
All day barista service
TVs featuring news
Private shower suites with luxurious Aurora skin care amenity kits
Family friendly pop-up Kids Zone
Private pods and VIP rooms available upon request
Available to Qantas First and Business customers, eligible Qantas Frequent Flyer, Qantas Club, Emirate's and oneworld members and their guests
2. AIRPORT SHOPPING
In the mood to shop...there are several stores to purchase a range of goods including fashion, accessories, beauty products, fragrances, jewelry, luggage, bags, gifts, souvenirs, shoes, health products, books, magazines, newspapers, technological items, toys and children's products. For luxury lovers, terminal 3 at Heathrow Airport has the following brands:
Tom Ford
Prada
Briggs & Riley
Bulgari
Cartier
Chanel
Dior
Dolce & Gabbana
Giorgio Armani
Givenchy
Gucci
Hermès
Jean Paul Gaultier
Jimmy Choo
Louis Vuitton
Rolex
Some things to know before shopping at Heathrow Airport
Heathrow Airport offers complimentary personal shopping service
Multi-lingual, accredited international stylists
Shoppers have access to all terminals in addition to terminal 3
Need to book 48 hours ahead of travel
Staff will contact you ahead of time to discuss budget, what you're looking for and time you have available
Personal shopper will make arrangements to meet after security with their contact information
Your shopper will create a shopping plan to ensure efficiency
Heathrow Airport offers Heathrow Rewards where members can earn points when purchasing items and exchanging currency at the airport
For every £1 you spend, you’ll receive 1 Heathrow Rewards point
For every £10 you exchange at currency exchange, you’ll receive 1 Heathrow Rewards point
Points can be redeemed for:
Shopping vouchers: 500 points = £5 at Heathrow
Parking discounts: 500 points = £10 off pre-booked Official Heathrow Parking
Partner airline points: Every 250 points can be converted to 250 Avios/Miles
Currency exchange: 1 point = £10 exchanged at Travelex
3. DINE
It is a guarantee you will get hungry during your 6+ hour layover at Heathrow Airport. Terminal 3 has several restaurants with a variety of cuisine options to choose from including:
Black Sheep Coffee: Coffeehouse with takeout
Caffè Nero: Coffeehouse with takeout
Giraffe: Sit down restaurant with international food items for breakfast, lunch and dinner including American, Mexican, Indian and British, family friendly with children's menu
Pret A Manger: Coffeehouse with takeout
Spuntino: Fun sit down restaurant with Italian and American food and variety of alcoholic beverages, Spuntino also has a donut machine and roller-skating hosts, family friendly diner
The Curator: Sit down British pub and restaurant with artisan cocktails, craft beers and ales, champagne and wine collection serving traditional British cuisine, family friendly with children's menu
The Evergreen Bar & Restaurant: Sit down restaurant serving traditional British food and beverages known for its artisanal breads and local Sussex cheeses, family friendly with children's menu
The Oceanic: Sit down restaurant and pub serving international foods including American, Mexican and Italian food with takeout options
YO! - Popular kaiten, or conveyor belt, restaurant serving Japanese food with hot and cold food with takeout options
Good to know about dining at Heathrow Airport terminal 3:
Food and beverages can be pre-ordered from select eateries before landing and enjoyed at the airport as well as onboard your plane
To pre-order, travelers need to download Heathrow App on Google Play or Apple Store
Children eat free at Heathrow Airport during select dates
Available during school holidays and following time periods:
26 May to 2 June
18 July to 2 September
27 October to 3 November
19 December 2025 to 5 January 2026
Offer applies when adult orders from main menu
Only select restaurants participate, visit website to find out which ones are participating in children eating for free
4. SLEEP AT AIRPORT
If you have a nighttime layover at Heathrow Airport, reserve a room at Aerotel London, the only in-terminal hotel at Terminal 3 Arrivals. This is a new, 3-star hotel that is easily accessible after landing.
Aerotel London has 82 rooms including:
Solo Plus Room with solo bed
Double Plus Room with 1 double bed or 2 twin beds
Family Room with 2 double beds
Private bathrooms offering amenities including shampoo, bath gel, body lotion,
dental kit, bath towel and hair dryer
If you're hungry, Aerotel London has a Library Lounge that provides light refreshments including snacks, coffee, tea, juices, soft drinks, beer and liquor available 24 hours a day
Aerotel London also has flexible hourly rates, contact hotel ahead of time to make arrangements
5. LAYOVER TOUR OF LONDON
If you have enough time to spare, leave Heathrow Airport and explore the beautiful city of London. There are several layover tours you can book on Viator and Get Your Guide. Some of the most popular sites to visit in London include:
Tower Bridge
Westminster Abbey
London Eye
Big Ben
Tower Hill
Buckingham Palace
Houses of Parliament
Trafalgar Square
St. Paul's Cathedral
Tower of London
An efficient way to beat London traffic and save money is by taking Heathrow Express
Heathrow Express states its "the fastest way between London and Heathrow"
Trains run every 15 minutes
Once you get on the train, it takes 15 minutes to get to Paddington Station from Heathrow Airport, which is a major underground station close to Hyde Park and Oxford Street, from this station you can catch mainline trains to the West, South-West and south Wales
Important to know before exploring London:
Make sure to verify if you need a visa to explore London, find out more here
Ensure you arrive back to Heathrow Airport at least 3 hours before your next flight departs to not miss your connecting flight
Take into consideration Heathrow Airport encompasses a large area, with trains to switch between terminals; it takes time to walk throughout the airport to get to Heathrow Express and airport exits
As a major city, London has a lot of traffic, especially during rush hours during mornings and afternoons/evenings, make sure to take this into account if you decide to leave Heathrow Airport to explore London to allow for enough time to return back to airport
6. CARRY-ON ENTERTAINMENT
Another thing you can do to keep you entertained during your layover at Heathrow Airport is packing items in your carry-on that are engaging and stimulating. Some ideas to pack include:
Portable charger or power bank
Headphones
Books (travel books like Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert can be inspiring)
Listen to music on app such as Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, etc.
Watch videos on YouTube
Scroll on social media
Play game apps on your cell or tablet
Chronicle your journey on a travel journal
Wordsearch or crossword puzzles
Adult coloring books
Happy travels 🗺️
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