Bypass Long Lines At Europe's Busiest Airport In London With This Free And Easy Hack
London's Heathrow airport, which served nearly 20 million passengers in 2021, also happens to number among the worst airports in the world, with plenty of travelers unimpressed with the security there. Thankfully, the airport has introduced a way to get through that security line a lot quicker. The best part? It's free!
The Heathrow Timeslot lets you reserve a security line time for up to five people from the comfort of your home. Once you sign up with your email address and flight number, you'll get an email confirmation with a QR code. Then, at your designated time (plus or minus 15 minutes), show the QR code to security, and they'll send you to your security lane — as easy as that!
Travelers can book their security time up to three days in advance; set a reminder as the slots can fill up fast. You must choose a spot at least 90 minutes before international flights and an hour before domestic flights, meaning you still have to plan to get to the airport ahead of your flight. But with this new system, you don't have to hope you've left yourself a large enough window to get through security.
Heathrow Timeslot helps take the guesswork out of airport timing
Note that the system doesn't have a connection to the lines at the check-in desk. So, if you can't avoid the hassle of checking luggage, make sure to leave yourself time to do that. Heathrow Timeslot started on a trial basis in London Heathrow's Terminal 3 towards the end of 2023, and not all flights and all airlines out of Heathrow have access to it. You can check your flight's eligibility via the booking system.
"This new trial will give passengers that extra added bit of certainty and reassurance ahead of their journey, and we think it will be particularly popular for those with families or nervous travelers who may want a bit more confidence in their journeys," Mark Powell, Operational Planning Director at Heathrow explained in the statement announcing the program. If all goes well with the trial, Heathrow Timeslot may expand to other airlines and terminals.