Heathrow Airport

London's major international hub

Noteworthy for: Heathrow handles more international passengers than any other airport worldwide.
Word to the wise: Local mini-cab companies offer much cheaper rates for taxis to and from Heathrow than black cabs, but always leave extra time.

Heathrow is the world’s third busiest airport, with an annual 67 million passengers passing through. Located in Hounslow, west of London, it has five terminals all linked together. Terminal 5 handles all British Airways flights; Terminal 4 is for long-haul transatlantic flights; most US airlines operate out of Terminal 3, and Terminal 1 is predominately inter-European flights. Terminal 2 is currently closed for reconstruction.
The Piccadilly line will take you from Central London to Heathrow in around 50 minutes for the price of a single journey to zone 4 (GBP 5), making it by far the most cost-effective. Tubes operate from around 5am to 12midnight.

A black cab should cost you between GBP 50-85, and will take between 30 minutes to an hour depending on traffic. Always leave extra time. Pre-booked cars can be cheaper.

The Heathrow Express is the most stress-free way to travel, with air-conditioned trains running every 15 minutes from Paddington station for GBP 34 return direct to your terminal. Heathrow Connect also operate trains taking around 30 minutes with multiple stops on route for GBP 9.10 single.