Free planning tool · Not a taxi
What time should I leave for Heathrow?
Live flight + live traffic from your postcode.
Example searches
Your flight
Drive from you
Leave time
Leaving from Heathrow
Terminals
Heathrow has four passenger terminals: 2, 3, 4 and 5. They are far apart, so check your booking. We show the terminal when the flight data has it and never guess.
Dropping off
£7 each time a vehicle enters a terminal drop-off area, paid online or by phone by midnight the next day — you can’t pay at the kerb. Free drop-off at the Park & Ride car parks, with a free bus to the terminal (allow extra time). Heathrow’s drop-off page (checked 2026-09-23)
Time at the airport
We plan for you to be inside 90 minutes before a short-haul flight with cabin bags, 120 with a checked bag, and longer for long-haul. That’s our policy, not a live queue.
This is
A calculator for the person flying out. Free, no account, no booking.
This isn’t
A taxi, transfer or parking company. We never take payment for a journey.
Flying from Heathrow
What time should I leave for Heathrow?
It depends on your flight and your traffic, which is what the planner above works out. We aim to have you inside the terminal 90 minutes before a short-haul flight with cabin bags only (120 with a checked bag), and 150 minutes before long-haul (180 with a bag), then add a few minutes to drop off and your drive on top.
How early should I get to Heathrow?
Our allowance is a planning figure, not a live security queue — we can't see today's queues. Your airline's own check-in and bag-drop deadlines always come first.
Can I be dropped off at Heathrow?
£7 each time a vehicle enters a terminal drop-off area, paid online or by phone by midnight the next day — you can’t pay at the kerb. Free drop-off at the Park & Ride car parks, with a free bus to the terminal (allow extra time). (From Heathrow's own website, checked 2026-09-23.)
Does FlightLeave book a taxi to Heathrow?
No. It is a free planning tool. We don't operate vehicles or take payment for journeys. After you get a leave time we show links to transfer companies in case you want one; you book and pay them directly.