London Heathrow airport is a major travel hub — if you are traveling through England en route between another continent and a European nation, chances are you’ll stop here. It is also a commonly used airport for anyone whose final destination is London. The airport is comprised of five different terminals, some of which are used for international travel, and others which are reserved for shorter, domestic flights. Terminal 4 was constructed in 1986 and sees more than 14 million travellers in any given year. Most flights arriving to and departing from terminal 4 are long international trips, though some shorter European jaunts also operate out of the terminal.
Airlines that use Heathrow Terminal 4
While many airlines use terminal 4, most of the flights that use this Heathrow terminal are operated by British Airways and KLM. Other airlines that use the terminal include Air India, Air France, China Airlines, Korean Air, and Saudi Arabian Airlines. These airlines offer flights to many world regions, like North America, Asia, and Australia. Depending on how long your flight is, you may be asked to get to terminal 4 as early as three hours before your flight departs. For shorter European trips, you might only need to get to the airport two hours before the plane is scheduled to take off.
Some airlines operating out of this terminal afford you the ability to perform a self-check in process. Self-service check in can sometimes be performed at home on your computer, and is always allowed at the airport using one of the special self-check in kiosks. KLM, Gulf Air, and Air France all allow for a self-service check in. Gulf Air, however, only allows it at an airport kiosk and not online. Kiosks are located near the departure desks on the first floor of terminal 4.
Heathrow Terminal 4 Hotel
Terminal 4 is one of the only Heathrow terminals to have a hotel attached to it. The Hilton London Heathrow hotel can be reached from terminal 4 via a walkway, and you can also get to terminal 5 from this hotel via a shuttle bus. The Hilton hotel has amenities like a fitness centre that is open 24 hours a day, a heated indoor pool and sauna, and suite accommodations that have a separate living room and work desk. Guests can also select from a range of dining options right at the hotel, including a buffet style restaurant and a spot that serves eastern cuisine.
Travellers who need to keep busy without leaving terminal 4 will find shopping and eating within the concourse. Retailers with locations in Heathrow’s terminal 4 include Boots, Burberry, Escada, Harrods, and Michael Kors. The terminal also has a World Duty Free shop for people not interested in spending a lot of money. This shop has food like snacks and candy, fragrances, and other British souvenirs. Best of all, anything purchased as duty free is untaxed, and the customs agency in your destination country can’t count the goods against you import restrictions. The departure flights are all located past the security check point, while shops for travellers who are landing at Heathrow terminal 4 are located in the arrivals concourse.
On top of shopping, you can also grab a bite to eat or a cocktail while you wait for your flight’s boarding time. Among the places to get food in terminal 4 are Bridge Bar and Eating House, which features English Ales and contemporary cuisine, and the Caviar House & Prunier Seafood Bar which has a menu boasting Prunier caviar and smoked salmon. In short, travellers don’t have to settle for cheap food at Heathrow’s terminal 4 — you can actually enjoy a fine meal while you kill time before a flight departure.