Many airlines operate from Terminal 4 but almost all only operate one route.
The major airlines and their destinations are as follows:
- Aeroflot operate a daily flight from Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport. Moscow has amazing architecture and the history of the Soviet Union to be uncovered in its many museums.
- Travellers from Paris’ Charles De Gaulle Airport can take Air France’s daily flight to the UK. If you’re here on business or are returning from a short break in the city of romance, you’re likely to arrive at Terminal 4
- Air India use Terminal 4 for their flights from Delhi, India’s capital and Mumbai, the country’s biggest city.
- Flying in from Rome, the eternal city or Milan, the fashion capital of Europe, will see you using Alitalia’s slot in the terminal.
- America’s Delta Airlines are one of the few multi-route airlines operating at Terminal 4. They serve the cities of Atlanta; America’s hub airport, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, full of history relating to the struggle for independence and the west coast city of Seattle, best known as the home of Starbucks.
- Security is usually tight for the El Al flight in from Israel’s fun city; Tel Aviv, whilst Etihad will bring you to London from the Emirates city state of Abu Dhabi.
- Coming into London from Africa, there’s a good chance you will have made a connection onto Kenya Airway’s flight from bustling Nairobi.
- A very short flight on Dutch national carrier KLM will get you to London from culturally important Amsterdam.
- Eastern travellers from Korea’s hi-tech capital, Seoul are also welcomed at Heathrow’s Terminal 4
- Also flying in from the east is Malaysia Airlines flight from the country’s capital; Kuala Lumpur. Time spent there enables you to scale the lofty Petronas Towers which, at one point, were the world’s highest man-made structure.
- The flight from Manila, the Philippines’ capital and largest city also finishes at Terminal 4
- Doha in Qatar is served by the national airline whose home at Heathrow is Terminal 4
- Another airline offering two routes is Royal Brunei which serves its country’s capital as well as having a stop in Dubai.
You access Terminal 4 via the second level where you’ll find check in desks and a walk through to departures. For those wanting to do their last bit of UK shopping, the duty free mall is well-stocked with a wide range of shops, eateries and other facilities.
If you’re an arriving passenger, you’ll enter the terminal on the ground floor and after passing through security and passport control, you’ll end up in the baggage reclaim area. There, you’ll need to watch the information screens for which of the ten carousels your luggage will arrive on. Once you’ve collected your belongings, head to the centre of the arrivals hall for the passage through customs and out into the public part of the hall. As in all Heathrow’s terminals, you’ll be shepherded through the World Duty Free store which straddles your exit. There, you can buy last minute cut price gifts, alcohol, tobacco and perfumes, saving you having to carry it with you from your departure airport.
Once through the shopping temptations, you’ll find yourself in a broad public area. Tourist Information and a hotel booking service can be found in the booths to your left, near the ticket counter and departure points for the Heathrow Express.
Heading back towards the two exits you’ll pass WH Smith where you can catch up on the latest news and magazines as well as grabbing pre-wrapped snacks and drinks for your onward journey. Currency exchange bureaux are located right next to the exits whilst if you’re collecting car hire, the desks will be ahead of you now, near the exit to the underground.
If you’re hungry or just in need of light refreshment, The Windsor Castle is a JD Wetherspoon pub and there’s also a Costa Coffee outlet.
Once you’ve completed the car hire formalities, you’ll be taken outside to a courtesy bus for the short distance to the collection point for your vehicle. This only applies to customers whose car is provided by Avis, Budget, National, Europcar, Enterprise and Hertz. If you’re collecting a car from a Dollar, Thrifty or a Sixt agent at the airport, you’ll have a slightly longer courtesy bus trip off the airport site and the bus for these can be accessed near the short stay car park entrance.