HEATHROW TERMINAL 3

TERMINAL THREE INFORMATION

In 1961 the airport constructed a terminal to handle long haul flights, ‘The Oceanic Building’, on the site that is now terminal 3. The terminal opened on 13th November 1961. The terminal was only used for flight departures. In 1968 it was renamed to Terminal 3. In 1970 terminal 3 was extended to allow its use for arrivals as well as departures. The extension was also notable as seeing the very first moving pedestrian walkways in the UK. Further modernisation took place in 2007/2008 improving the check-inn areas and external forecourt/set down points.
Terminal 3 is Heathrow's second busiest terminal handling over 17 million passengers a year. Most popular destinations from here are to the USA followed by Canada, Japan and Singapore. Notable is that terminal 3 has its own dedicated landside prayer area.
This is the major terminal for long haul intercontinental flights and airlines. The departures level is on the ground floor and arrivals are on the first floor. The taxi/car drop-off area is outside the departures level. If you need to leave your car unattended you must use the short term cap park. There are fixed computer internet access console locations both airside and landside of terminal 3. This is in addition to the WI-Fi access that is available throughout all terminals provided by multiple suppliers. Cash machines (ATM’s) and currency exchange counters are provided both landside and airside. There are a large selection of beauty shops, fashion shops, bars and food outlets both landside and airside of all terminals. There are information desk on both the check-in and arrivals (open 05:30-22:30) and departures level (open 07:00-21:30). There is also a separate dedicated bus and coach information desk.
There are two offices for left luggage services (for a charge of course):
Departures level, open 06.00 - 22.00) by Check-in Zone C opposite Turkish Airlines.
Arrivals level open 05.00 - 23.00 by the Arrivals Hall near the car hire desks.
If you have a need for posting facilities you will find both a post box and stamp machine in terminal 3. Heathrow is a no smoking area except for designated areas. For terminal three this is on the outside of the terminal by the main entrance to the arrivals area. Airside in the departure lounge area there is are glass-walled room where smoking is permitted. Terminal three has self service check-in facilities that can currently be used by passengers flying with Air Canada, American Airlines, British Airways, Gulf Air, Japan Airlines, SAS and Virgin Atlantic Airways. Some airlines let you check-in online. Check with your carrier but currently these airlines have this facility British Airways, Cathay Pacific, SAS, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.
This terminal has shower facilities located in the departures lounge.
You will find shuttle bus services to the pickup points at stands 4 and 5 on the forecourt pickup area outside departures on the ground level for rentals on the airport. For off-airport pickups use stand 7.
For the Hotel Hoppa Bus use stands 8 and 9.
Major car rental companies have desks inside the terminal including Avis, Hertz, National, Europcar, Budget and Enterprise. You will find shuttle bus services to the pickup points at stands 2 and 3 on the forecourt pickup area outside departures on the ground level for rentals on the airport. For off-airport pickups use the pickup point at terminal 2.
For the Hotel Hoppa Bus use stands 12-14.

Terminal 3 Layout Map - Click to image enlarge