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June 26, 2014London Heathrow Spotting Guide
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- last modified on August 24, 2020
London Heathrow is one of the most popular, if not the most popular airport for planespotting and with over 80 Mio. passengers in 2018, the busiest airport in Europe. Amongst London’s airports, Heathrow is the largest and busiest, followed by Gatwick, Luton, City, Stansted and Southend. Spotting in Heathrow is pretty easy. With only two runways, usually one for the arrivals and one for the departures, you will get what you are after. Getting around and moving between spots is not only easy but also cheap! There are free buses and tubes within the travel zone around the airport.
The big boss at LHR is British Airways by having the largest of its main hubs here and calling Heathrow home. Virgin Atlantic ranks second as it has been expanding tremendously in recent years. London Heathrow Airport wouldn’t be the same without its North American carriers Air Canada and American Airlines, United and Virgin Atlantic’s best friend – Delta Air Lines. Most airlines use heavy equipment like the A380, 747 or 777 to serve London and single aisle aircraft are mainly used by the European carriers. But not only these well-known airlines are serving Heathrow, but also some very exotic airliners can be regularly encountered at the world’s second busiest airport! Biman Bangladesh (77W/787), Royal Brunei (788), Philippine Airlines (77W/359) or Garuda Indonesia (77W) are coming along. You will hopefully not miss one of these airlines but LHR has got a great advantage for us spotters – all movements take place during the day as there are flight restrictions during the night.
If you are hunting for BA’s retro jets and would like to know where they are flying to the next days have a look at this twitter page.
+++UPDATE JUN 2019: Airport Police is sending more and more spotters away from different positions due to new anti-drone constrcutions. Mostly spots near to terminals are a problem!+++
Written by Severin Hackenberger, Julian Mittnacht, Jan Seba, Jeremy Denton, Cristian Baló (spot 20), Dave Potter (spot 22), Alan Edwards and Marlin Lehmann / regular visitors (last Update:February 2020)
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| Airport Information | |
| Runways | |
| 09L/27R | 3.902 m (12.802 ft) |
| 09R/27L | 3.660 m (12.008 ft) |
| Terminals | |
| Terminal 1 | This terminal permanently closed on June 30, 2015. Used to handle BA flights into particular destinations including a few from Spain, France and medium-haul-flights into the Middle East in its last days. |
| Terminal 2 | Mainly Star Alliance members and Star Alliance partners e.g. Eurowings. Aer Lingus and a few other non-alliance airlines also operate from here. |
| Terminal 3 | Mainly Oneworld including American, Delta, Virgin Atlantic. A few BA flights are also operate from here, fully depending on the flights destination. Non-alliance partners e.g. Vueling and Emirates are also boarding here. |
| Terminal 4 | All SkyTeam members and following airlines do use T4: Malaysia Airlines, SriLankan, Etihad Airways, Air India, Air Algerie, Air Astana, AZAL, Gulf Air, Royal Brunei and many more. |
| Terminal 5 | British Airways* and Iberia only (However, some BA flights are operating from Terminal 3, depending on their destination) |
| Airport Chart |  |
| Spotting Information | |
| Ladder | No ladder needed at any of the locations desrcribed below. Furhtermore we don`t really recommend to use one these days. Police will not tolerate it! |
| Car/Public Transport | Not required as travelling with public transport is easy here. You can use the free buses within Heathrow’s travel zone. There is a detailed description at each spot how you get there by public transport. Visit this website for more information or download the map. |
| Restrooms | At some spots, restrooms are nearby. Please check the particular ‘Misc’ box at each spot for further details. |
| Drinks/Food | Gas stations and other facilities are next to almost every spot. There are also a couple of grocery stores around Heathrow to buy your provisions for the day. |
| Hotels | There are plenty of hotels around London Heathrow:
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| Season | There is no peak season as Heathrow offers almost the same flight schedule both winter and summer. The UK’s weather is not reliably predictable in advance. Last minute trips to London are possible as the flights are pretty cheap from almost every major airport in Europe. The light conditions in the winter are perfect due to the low position of the sun and it runs parallel to the runways for the whole day. |
| Runway Usage | |
| General Information | At Heathrow, one runway is usually open for the arrivals whilst the other is used for the departures. At 3pm these operations will be switched. The runway, that was used for the arrivals is now open for the departures and vice versa. This operation switch will not take place when the wind is blowing from the east (so-called Easterlies). In case of Easterlies, 09L is used for arrivals whilst 09R is used for the departures (and some rare arrivals – mostly Arab heavies) for the entire time of 09-runway operation! Landing runway Alternation Programme 2015 by LHR. During times with less movements, especially on weekends, it is possible that airlines will be using the runway which is the closest to their terminal/gate no matter if 09 or 27 is active. For example: Sri Lankan is deplaning and boarding passengers at Terminal 4 and does therefore always prefer a 27L or 09R arrival to avoid a long taxiway rides from the northern runway. During peak times, both runways are used as landing runways. This happens in the early morning hours. We have also noticed that some A380 flights don’t use the main runway for arrivals because of the heavy turbulence they do generate. Due to the location of the parking stands, British Airways A380 flights usually land on 09L/27R. Visit the offical “Heathrow Noise” twitter account to gather the latest active runway information! |
| 09L/27R | Used in all directions, except 09L departures |
| 09R/27L | COMPLETLY CLOSED until August 02 2020! NOTAM: A2356/20 – RWY 09R/27L CLOSED. OPERATORS SHOULD CONSIDER DIVERSION OPTIONS. 12 JUL 23:00 2020 UNTIL 02 AUG 05:00 2020. CREATED: 12 JUL 12:24 2020 Used in all directions, except that there are only a few 09R arrivals |
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Hatton Cross Footbridge - 27L arrivals
| WHERE | This location is easy to find as it is directly at the Hatton Cross station. When having arrived by bus or by tube you will immediately see the skywalk when you leave the bus or the station building. This skywalk bridges the Hatton Road as it is diffucult and dangerous to cross Hatton Rd as a pedestrian. |
| WHAT | All arrivals into runway 27L. |
| TIME | This is a good spot for the very early morning and evening hours during the summer only; useable from May to August. In winter unuseable. |
| MISC. | A lavatory and a snack shop is inside the station. You can also walk to the BP gas station which is in easy walking distance. This BP garage is marked in the map above. It is located south of Hatton Cross. No lightpoles will block your view as your are on a higher level. Travelling here by public transport is more than easy. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Boeing 777-300: 70mm; A319: 155mm; B788: 90mm |
Horse meadow - 27L arrivals
| WHERE | This spot is located along the walkway by the roadside of “Great South-West Rd”/”A30”. Your exact position depnds on the shot, angle and sunposition, as you might move around with the sun. The spot can be reached easily from Hatton Cross Station, as it’s on the way to Myrtle Avenue spot. |
| WHAT | Arrivals on runway 27L. |
| TIME | Normally this spot is used for front shots, so the best time here is from afternoon till evening (~5pm till ~7pm). Best season here is spring or fall, when the sun sets “on” the runway – in this time such front shots are the best ones! |
| MISC. | No ladder needed and NOT recommended! Everything needed inside nearby gas station or Hatton Cross underground station. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Depending on what kinda shot you wanna take, but for our example ones 70-300m were totally enough. |
Myrtle Ave - 27L arrivals
| WHERE | This is the most popular spot in LHR! When travelling on public transport, use Piccadilly line and exit at Hatton Cross. When you leave the station building in direction of the Great South-West Rd, cross the street to the other side of the street (if you don’t do here, you won’t have the possibility to do so a few yards further). Walk southeastwards for about 0.3 miles. You will pass the BP gas station on this route. Walking from the station to the Hatton meadow will take you approx. 7 minutes when walking at a normal speed. Limited parking is available at Myrtle Ave or Cains Lane.
By public transport: The Piccadilly line stops at Hatton Cross serving routes to London City (direction Cockfosters or Amos Grove) and to Heathrow Terminal 1,2,3 and 5. Please note: Passengers for Terminal 4 have to change the platform at Hatton Cross or previous stations.Bus lines from Hatton Cross station: Stop B: 423 (Hounslow), 482 (Southall Town Hall), Stop E: 90, 203, 285, H25, H26, X26, Stop Hatton Cross station: 203 to Elmsleigh Bus station |
| WHAT | All 27L arrivals here. You are very close to the approach line so go to the other end from of the meadow to get an adequate angle. |
| TIME | In winter, this position can be used all day, while it is suitable from 9AM to 4 PM in summer. |
| MISC. | There is a BP gas station in easy walking distance for this spot with toilets and some snacks. Hatton Cross station also offers aplenty facilities. Trees spending some shadow in the summer.
The locals are fine with plane spotting etc., but there have been many incidents where spotters have parked and blocked residents in/out which causes conflict. Spotters should instead consider parking in a different road with more room, e.g. the streets off of Cains Lane. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 100 mm for an A320, 50 mm for a 777-300 |
Bedfont Football Club - 27L arrivals
| WHERE | Located at the Myrtle Ave and Hatton Rd crossing is the Bedfont Football Club. The spot is located on the north-east side of the football pitch right next to a small trench and you are shooting across a large field, so you don’t have any obstructions. Getting here is pretty simple and basically the same as for the Myrtle Avenue spot, just keep a few moments walking. Just grab a bus or a tube to Hatton Cross, cross the A30 road and then the quickest way is to take the Hatton Rd from there. |
| WHAT | This is the best location for RWY 27L arrivals. It is a bit further away than Myrtle Ave, so you get a better angle for your shots and thus also more shots per aircraft. |
| TIME | In winter, this position can be used all day, while it is suitable from 9AM to 4 PM in summer. |
| MISC. | Remember that you are on private property here and it may happen that members of the club ask you to leave. If so, just use the spot on a field next to the football ground (tagged on the map). Its possible that you can´t access the spot as the club is closed! Also make absolutely sure that you don’t leave any trash behind. There is a pub across the street, where you can get something to eat or drink. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | B773 is just below 100mm and an A320 is a bit over 180mm. |
UPDATE AUGUST 2018: A new fence is being built, but regarding to locals spotters will still be able to enter the Football Club.
Update March 2019: Fence constructions were finished, but it’s still okay to go onto the field some football club members told us!
Great Southwest Rd - 27L Arrivals
| WHERE | There is another good position for 27L arrivals located a little bit more southwards than Hatton Cross on a small green strip at Southern Perimeter Road. When you start at Hatton Cross, do not cross the street as you would walk towards Myrtle Ave. Just walk on the sidewalk along the Great South-West Road and pass the previous spot to your left. There is a sidewalk and a grass strip which spends enough space to the busy main road. In general you can stand all along the point as marked on the map. The angle here is slightly better as at the Myrtle Spot but there is a new fence around the field which is much higher than the previous one and causes parts of it in your picture. Walking from Hatton Cross Underground Station to this spot will take you about 17 minutes and is a distance of 0.6 miles. |
| WHAT | Arrivals into 27L and heavy departures from 09R. |
| TIME | In winter, this position can be used all day, while it is suitable from 9AM to 4 PM in summer. |
| MISC. | There are facilities and a restaurant on the first floor of the Premier Inn Hotel, which is quite nearby. Walking to Terminal 4 will take you about 15 minutes, walking to the BP Hatton Cross Connect about 17 minutes. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | A380 = 100mm; 789 = 60mm |
A30 - 09R departures
| WHERE | To reach this spot, just follow the A30 (Grand South-West Rd) for approximate 10 Minutes starting at Hatton Cross. Pass Myrtle Avenue spot and a small office building before you will encounter a small meadow next to the road. Walking from Hatton Cross station to this location will take you not more than 13 mins, when walking at a normal speed. Walking from Heathrow’s Terminal 4 tube station is rather unadvisable due to a prohibition of crossing the streets by pedestrians at some parts. |
| WHAT | Good for heavy 09R departures – lighter ones might be already too high. |
| TIME | In winter, this position can be used all day, while it is suitable from 9AM to 4 PM in summer. |
| MISC. | There are facilities and a restaurant on the first floor of the Premier Inn Hotel opposite Spot #19. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 300 mm for a 737, 150 mm for a 747-400 |
Premier Inn Hill - 09R Departrues + 27L Arrivals
| WHERE | The raised grass mound opposite the Premier Inn Hotel offers interesting views for those who are tired of Myrtle Avenue and want to see landings on to 27L with a cool backdrop and a pleasant place to sit. It is also great for shots of heavy 09R departures, though lighter aircraft may already be too high at this position. From Hatton Cross use bus lines 482, 490 or 555 and get off at Sheffield Way. By train or underground exit at Terminal 4. From the bus station you just have to cross the main street but be careful! No parking at the stop. |
| WHAT | Heavy arrivals into 27L and heavy departures from 09R. |
| TIME | For 27L arrivals it can get quite hazy on summer days so we recommend visiting only during the winter or summer mornings from roughly 09:00 – 11:00. There are no such problems for 09R departures which can be photographed all day in the winter and between about 09:00 and 16:00 in the summer. |
| MISC. | Thanks to Monty Rumbold for handing in the infos. However, spotting here is a bit tricky as you have to catch exactly the right holes in between the poles and other clutter here. You get very little warning of 09R departures which appear suddenly from behind the buildings. Also, it’s unwise to rely on Flightradar24 as many of the aircraft don’t show on it until they’re airborne, so it’s best just to stay alert. There is shade at this spot and there are facilities and a restaurant on the first floor of the Premier Inn Hotel opposite. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 27L arrivals: 300mm – 500mm (samples were taken in the summer). 09R departures: 150-300mm will cover most things from here, though anything smaller than an A320 may require a greater magnification or some cropping of the photo. (The Dash 8-400 photo was taken with a 55-300mm lens and cropped.) |
Feltham Parks - 09R departures
| WHERE | There is a public park called Feltham Park near the A312, 2,5 km south of Hatton Cross Station. Adjacent to the park are Glebelands Playing Fields and Feltham Arenas. Any of these locations would be ok although Feltham Park is quite busy. You can park on residential roads nearby eg Shakespeare Ave/Shaftesbury Ave/Helen Ave and it’s a short walk into the park. By public transport use bus 285 or 490 from Hatton Cross or you walk for approximate 30 minutes. |
| WHAT | Banking shots for 09R departures only and the best aircraft to spot from here are departures to southern Northamerican (Miami, Atlanta, Houston or Washington for example – Canadian departures mostly bank to the left side, so they aren’t that nice), Arabian (Dubai, Doha or Amman for exmaple), Asian (Mumbia or Singapore for example), African (Accra, Johannesburg or Cape Town for example) or Australian (Perth for example) destinations as they bank to this side. |
| TIME | This position can be used from late morning on all the day during winter. In summer the sun will be too high. During winter the sun is lower then around midday, when this spot has its best light. |
| MISC. | It is mainly residential so probably best to take what you need with you. There is a Tesco Superstore about 5mins drive away on Faggs Rd/A312. Take care of the dogs, which aren’t on a lesh sometimes and might disturb you while shooting pictures, and some strange people in this area especially in dawn and dusk. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 300-400mm lens needed for wide-bodies. Minimum 400mm for narrow bodies. |
Grass roadside - 27L departures
| WHERE | To reach this spot, take one of the buses at the Hatton Cross station to get to the Stanwell, adj Bedfont Road, station. After leaving the bus (the bus station is next to a gas station), just follow the road parallel to the longford river until you reach the ‘Rising Sun Pub’, which is a known spot for local spotters, and cross the ‘Longford River’ to reach the southern perimeter road. There just walk a couple of meters westwards where you will find a small meadow.
You can also stay infront of the pub but its not so easy as the sight is blocked by gas tanks and buildings and you see the planes very late. By public transport: take bus line 490 to Heathrow Terminal 5 (every 6 minutes) at dismount at Heathrow Cargo Area (7 stops from Hatton). Walk southwards from Stirling Road and cross the Southern Perimeter Road to get to the other side of the road. Turn right and follow the Southern Perimeter Road in its west direction for about 0.6 miles. This will take you about 26 minutes from Hatton Cross. |
| WHAT | Stay along the road to get the aircraft departing on 27L. You see them rotating very late as there are some constructions obstructing your view. There are some disturbing light poles of the road which complicate the photography too. |
| TIME | In winter, this position can be used all day, while it is suitable from 9AM to 4 PM in summer. |
| MISC. | A gas station (Esso) is just next to your. The Rising Sun pub is also nearby. No ladder needed! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 200 mm for an A320, 100 mm for an A380 |
Samples from the Southern Perimeter Road
Samples from the pub
Water Reservoir - 27L Departures
| WHERE | The spot is next to the King George VI Water Reservoir south of Terminal 5 and the village of Stanwell Moor. To reach this spot from Terminal 5, take bus 442 (VAN) that runs depending on the day and on the time of the day at different intervals from 60mins to 90mins. It will leave you at Horton Rd and the stop is the Post Office. Continue straight to Hithermoor Rd and turn right until the end of the street. You will see the fence surrounding the reservoir.
This will lead to the bridge that it is shown on the map. You can either shoot from around that area but not many options or continue for another 15 mins walk to reach the best spot. Cross the bridge and follow the fence. From google maps it says 0.3 miles or 6 mins. And you will have an open path to your right. It is VERY muddy so wear appropriate shoes specially if it has been raining before. Continue on that muddy path until you reach an open space with 2 wooden fence doors on both sides of the path (see photo below). |
| WHAT | Banking shots for 27L departures only and the best aircraft to spot from here are departures to Arabian (Dubai, Doha or Amman for exmaple), southern Asian (Mumbia or Singapore for example), African (Accra, Johannesburg or Cape Town for example) or Australian (Perth for example) destinations as they bank to this side. |
| TIME | This position can be used from sunrise till midday during winter. In summer the sun will be too high. During winter the sun is lower then around midday, when this spot has its best light. |
| MISC. | The trees are blocking some of the angles so jump over the fence and get inside towards the reservoir and the view is great. Is VERY isolated and a calm place so take everything with you. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Long length needed! 500mm at least. |
Terminal 5 Car Park - 09R Line-Up's
| WHERE | The position of this spot is difficult of explanation as it is located directly one level below the approach road of the terminal. When you enter the terminal building proceed to any of the stairways. After proceeding one level lower, exit the building to the west and walk to the southernmost point of the car park. |
| WHAT | Line-up’s onto runway 09R are visible as well as some taxyings from through Terminal 5. Please note queueing airplanes sometimes block the view onto the runway and the Auxiliary Power Unit of the planes cause massive heat haze on some photos. Queueing airplanes can also be photographed very well. |
| TIME | Early morning hours and late afternoon during summer only. |
| MISC. | Drinks and foods are available inside Terminal 5, lavatories are also to be found inside of the terminal building. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 80mm – 300mm |
Terminal 5 South - 27L Departures
| WHERE | This spot is situated outside of Heathrow´s Terminal 5 departure level. When coming from the city centre or from Hatton Cross, take the Piccadilly line to Heathrow Terminal 5 and exit the train at its final stop. The Piccadilly trains terminate here. Walk from the station to the departure level and leave the building at any exit. Make sure that you now walk southbound to runway 09R. It is difficult to describe the exact position of this spot, please check the map for further details. |
| WHAT | All landings on runway 09R as well as heavy 27L departures are perfectly visible. This spot is a good bet for 09R-arrivals in the morning in summer month. The sun shines perfectly onto the airplane. |
| TIME | Early morning hours and late afternoon during summer only. |
| MISC. | Drinks and foods are available inside Terminal 5, lavatories are also to be found inside of the terminal building. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 80mm to 300mm |
Terminal 5 North - 09L Arrivals + 27R Departures
| WHERE | This spot is situated outside of Heathrow´s Terminal 5 departure level. Where all taxis drop people, you have a big parking area where you can photograph. When coming from the city centre or from Hatton Cross, take the Piccadilly line to Heathrow Terminal 5 and exit the train at its final stop. The Piccadilly trains terminate here. Walk from the station to the departure level and leave the building at any exit. Make sure that you now walk northbound to runway 09L. Then search your favourite position between all those light poles and roads on the 4th or 5th floor, you can use both! Below you can find the options where to stay…Option a – Parking deck 4th floor outside: Arrivals from the front and some taxiing aircraft on the apron. Departures not that nice from here. Free view except of some lightpoles.Option b – Rental car parking 4th floor indoor: Everything more or less possible due to the fence. Apron, Arrivals and Departures from the front – all seeable. Spotting through holes difficulter, but mostly better angle.Option c – Terminal driveway 5th floor: Arrivals and Departures seeable, but arrivals are mostly just sky shots due to the disturbing light poles from the side.+++UPDATE JUN 2019: Airport Police is sending more and more spotters away from this spot to protect new anti-drone constructions.+++ |
| WHAT | All arrivals into 09L as well as heavy aircraft which are departing from runway 27R. Some taxiing aircraft near T5 apron as well. |
| TIME | In winter all day and in summer from late morning till afternoon. |
| MISC. | Drinks and food can be bought inside Terminal 5. There are also aplenty of lavatories in T5. Piccadilly trains are running every 10 minutes. Please note that the example photos of taxying aircraft were taken over the way. Police sometimes checks this area and may ask you to leave this location at it is located on a narrow pavement next to the terminal access road. Heat haze can be a problem during spotting as wlel as the many light poles and signs on the driveway. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 100mm to 350mm |
Option a:
Option b:
Option c:
Meadow - 09L Arrivals
| WHERE | This spot is located on kinda meadow between all those roads. Difficult to discribe how to get here, but taxe the groundfloot exit from Terminal 5, then pass the Sofitel building into northern direction. After you passed this on your left, you’ll see a parking area into northwestern direction, where you have to head to. Once arrived there, cross the road between this parking and the marked meadow. Difficult to discribe, please see the map for more details! |
| WHAT | All arrivals into runway 09L. |
| TIME | In winter all day, in summer from Late morning till afternoon. |
| MISC. | Everything needed inside Terminal 5. No ladder needed. BE AWARE OF FAST CARS/DRIVERS WHILE GOING TO THE SPOT! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70-250mm 90mm = B747 |
Grass Embankment - 09L arrivals
| WHERE | Right next to the bridge above the A3044, there is a grass embankment, which can be used as a location to stand. Getting here is a bit trickier though, the best solution is probably to walk from Terminal 5, so just take a bus there, get off and walk to the northern side of the terminal. Stick to the sidewalk there, which leads you along the fence and to a queue of taxi drivers. From there you have to walk right at the street curbstone, so be very careful and always look out for the traffic. Get to the round-about, cross it and the bridge after it as well. Then just jump over the crash barrier to your right and you are there. |
| WHAT | This is the location for arrivals on RWY 09L. |
| TIME | In winter you can use this location all day, in summer it should be used from 09:30 AM to 4 PM. |
| MISC. | There is nothing close to this spot. Nearest facilities inside T5. No ladder recommended and needed. BE AWARE OF FAST CARS/DRIVERS WHILE GOING TO THE SPOT!
Security/Police information: It’s okay, to stand behind the barrier on the grass (northern side), but you’re not allowed to stand on the highway, so on the other side of the barrier (on the side walk) or the bridge – otherwise the police might ask you to leave! We have heard expiriences that the officers received calls, because “people are standing on the street” and it should be our interest to be allowed to stay there and to take pictures, so please don’t stand on the southern/other side of the barrier! So it’s illegal to be on the highway, which means the way to this spot would be illegal (if we’re exact). But the police condones us (while walking there), that’s why it’s even more important, to stay on the grass side at the spot! The offical and legal way would take about 20 minutes amnd not 5 minutes – like the current one! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Around 100mm for a B744 and 190mm for an A320. |
Stanwell Moor Rd - 09L arrivals
| WHERE | Use bus line 423 which runs between Hatton Cross and Heathrow Terminal 5 and get off at Heathrow Close (Stop K). Then walk back the Bath Road into south-western/western direction for about 150 meter to a big roundabout. If you want to make close-ups or front shots (like the BA744/AA772 example shot) stay at the roundabout, but if you want to make “whole aircraft pictures” (like the Oman example picture), then turn right onto Stanwell Moor Rd/A3044 and follow her for about 100-200 meter – this depends on the angle and view you want to have. The Oman/Air India/Asiana example pictures are taken from the street sign on the left roadside (looking into nothern direction). |
| WHAT | You get all landings on runway 09L. |
| TIME | The light is perfect in the morning hours when the sun comes from the front. Suboptimal in the evening as light is coming from the back. Position is only advisable during the summer months! |
| MISC. | Nothing close to the spot, except at the Heathrow Lodge Hotel and a little bar. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Roundabout: 50-400mm Street sign: 100-300mm |
Thistle Hotel - 09L arrivals & 27R departures
| WHERE | The Thistle Hotel is located on Bath Road and you can easily get there by bus from T5 or Hatton Cross with line 423. When coming from Hatton Cross, take bus line 423 at Hatton Cross (Stop E) to Heathrow Terminal 5 and exit the bus at Heathrow Park Thistle Hotel (Stop J). When travelling from T5, take bus 423 to Hounslow Bus Station. Take a seat at the hotel’s ‘First Edition’ restaurant & bar terrace.
+++ UPDATE JULY 2019: seems like spotting is tolerated, even if you are not a hotel guest. Its no longer allowed to take videos from here, but taking photos is okay says a sign at the entrance. Anyway, the hotel is not a fan of people with big tripods and lenses: All infos here. +++ |
| WHAT | All landings on runway 09L as well as heavy 27R departures are perfectly visible. |
| TIME | Early morning hours and late afternoon during summer only. Latter is not the best option. |
| MISC. | Drinks and foods are available at the bar or the restaurant. Terrace is not glazed – looks like this. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 80mm to 300mm |
Terminal 2 driveway - Runway 09R/27L + southern apron
| WHERE | This spot is difficult to discribe as well, just leave Terminal 2 at the departure/drop off level and walk to the southern front, from where you’ll have a clear view onto the apron and runway. Terminal 2 can reached easily by Underground and Heathrow Express services, therefore just leave the train at “Terminal 2 and 3”.
You have two main options to stay at to spot form there for this spot: Option a – Top floor smoking area: Spot is located on the top floor at the southern side. Overview of T2/T3 apron is very limited, therefore eastern apron of T4 seeable from here well. Nice view onto 27L arrivals from the front, therefore 09 departures can be seen very late only. Spotting difficult through the fence or the gap below (see overviews). Option b – Parking gate driveway sidewalk: Spot is located one floor below then top one. Overview of T2/T3 apron into southwestern direction. Western part of T4 apron only and no touchdown shots of 27L arrivals, therefore nice front shots for 09 departures. No such big problems with fences or holes here. +++UPDATE AUG 2020+++ We received reports that spotters have been alerted by armed Services/the Metropolitan Police that this location should not be shown to anyone due to the danger of taking pictures with a fatal drop below with busy traffic only a few feet behind you. Spotters were asked to leave the spot for safety and security reasons. We can’t recommend the Usage of this spot anymore to avoid that spotters getting detained by the police and missing their flight or getting into unnecessary trouble as we also received reports that the police once even threatened to wipe all the photos on a camera. +++We never had problems here while spotting often for hours. Anyway keep a low profile and remind of the danger to be send away from here when planning your spotting stay at LHR.+++ |
| WHAT | All activities on Runway 09R/27L as well as some nearby apron activities. |
| TIME | Runway 09R/27L: Early summer mornings or late evenings.
Apron might be okay on summer mornings. |
| MISC. | Usage of ladders is NOT recommended as it’s very dangerous! BE AWARE OF FAST CARS/DRIVERS AROUND THE SPOT AND THE POSSIBILITY THAT YOU WILL BE CHECKED, SENT AWAY OR KEPT FOR A WHILE BY POLICE! Everything needed inside Terminal 2. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 50-400mm |
Option a:
Option b:
Line-up - 27R
| WHERE | Coming from Hatton Cross – take bus 423 up to Compass Centre (stop BW) and walk 250 metres west, then turn left into the car rental parking entrance (if it’s open). Pictures can also be taken when the entrance is closed but the angle is more limited. |
| WHAT | 27R departures (ONLY narrow-bodies, wide-bodies can be photographed from the rear only) |
| TIME | Early morning hours and late afternoon during summer only. No problems with heat haze. |
| MISC. | There are a few kiosks and hotels along Bath Road, as well as some restaurants. Light poles disturbing the sight. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Around 150-200mm for A320 family aircraft, 150mm for the A350 and 330mm for the A340. |
Renaissance Hotel - Runway 09L/27R
| WHERE | This spotting location is for hotel guests only! The Renaissance Hotel is a five-star-hotel located on Bath Road north of the airport. Terminal 1,2 and 3 are just minutes away from here. This hotel is located very convenient: Mondial Way Bus Stop (Stop BL towards Heathrow Terminals 1,2,3 and 5 and BK towards Hatton Cross and Uxbridge/Harrow) is right on the doorstep which is served by bus line 81, 105, 111, 140, 222, 285, 423 and N9. |
| WHAT | All runway movements of 09L/27R. The rooms also offer a splendid view onto the north side of the terminals, you can also photograph taxyings to the take-off runway from here. When 09s are in use, there will be no departures from the northern runway. |
| TIME | Early morning hours and late afternoon during summer only. |
| MISC. | You should better leave a notice in your booking that you wish to have a room which is aligned to the airport and located in the upper storeys and not to Bath Road. If you still get a room without a view to the airport, spotting from the corridor window at the easternmost part is possible also (but limited angles). If you have access to the Club Lounge which is located in the top floor, you can also take photographs from here, it offers a splendid view, even better than from the rooms as you have a view onto the line-up threshold also.Noise created by aircraft at night may cause disturbance to your sleep in this hotel, but due to Heathrow’s night ban, the airport interrupts the most operations from 11pm to 4.30am.The windows cannot be opened fully as at all airport hotels, but proper photographs are still possible. The window glass is clear and not tinted. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 80mm – 300mm |
Northern Perimeter Rd - 27R arrivals
| WHERE | Select one of the free buses between Terminal 1-2-3-5 and Hatton Cross to reach this location. Exit at Hatton Road North (Stop K) when coming from the terminals. When you are travelling from Hatton Cross tube station. use bus lines 90, 285, 423 and dismount at Northrop Rd (Stop L). Cross the street and walk to the meadow which is immediately located the other way. The meadow is between two parking decks/bays. |
| WHAT | Great place for the 27R arrivals. There are some light poles which may disturb your view at some parts but we can still absolutely recommend this location. |
| TIME | The light is perfect in the late afternoon hours when the sun comes from the front. Suboptimal in the morning as light is coming from the back. Position is only advisable during the summer months! |
| MISC. | Closest facilities are in the Bath Road like McDonald’s and plenty of hotels. You should bring everything along by yourself. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70-300mm |
Eastchurch Road - 27R arrivals
| WHERE | Here you are much closer to the action and the angle is different than at the spot a bit south-east of this one here. Select one of the free buses between Terminal 1-2-3 and Hatton Cross to reach this location. Exit at the Eastchurch Road stop when coming from the terminals. When you are travelling from Hatton Cross tube station use bus lines 555, 90, 285, 423 and dismount at Northrop Rd (Stop L). Walk back to the roundabout (about 0.2 miles). |
| WHAT | Great place for the 27R arrivals. Be aware of the light poles along the road! Light poles will not disturb your view when spotting from Elgin Crescent. |
| TIME | In winter, this position can be used all day, while it is suitable from 9AM to 4 PM in summer. |
| MISC. | Closest facilities are in Bath Road like McDonald’s and plenty of hotels. Bus stops are about 0.1/0.2 miles from here. Due to the recent redesign of the snowbase and the crash gate area there is not much space left to stay. Airport security may ask you to stay not to close to the crash gate and the perimeter fence. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 100 mm for an A320, 50 mm for a 777-300 |
Eastern Perimeter Road - 27R arrivals
| WHERE | The spot is located at the Eastern Perimeter Rd right next to a crash gate. There is a small grass area next to the fence where you can stand (or sit in summer). The spot is a bit further away from all the bus stops, but the ideal one to get off would be Eastchurch Road if you are coming from the north. When coming from Hatton Cross or spots nearby, you can also embark bus line (Stop C) 555, 90, 285 or 423 and dismount at Envoy Ave (1 min journey). You can also walk this short distance if there is now bus leaving in the next minutes. Walk Envoy Ave to its end until it snaps off to the left. After having turned left, continue another 0.2 miles on Eastern Perimeter Rd.
As you can`t park there with your car you can stay at #23 and walk from there to this spot trough the park (if you don`t like the angle there). There is a small bridge tucked away which is accessible from the park, which leads to a nature reserve. Carry on walking through the reserve (being mindful of any animals grazing in the area) and you will reach a fence bordering onto Eastern Perimeter Road. You can look into the BA maintenance hangar/surrounding parking spots from here as well as get similar photos as if you were actually at spot 21/22/23. There is a gate which is usually left unlocked which will allow you to access spots 21/22/23 whilst still parking at Waye Avenue. |
| WHAT | The location is good for 27R arrivals and offers a slightly better angle and more time to shoot than Spot 6. |
| TIME | In winter, this position can be used all day, while it is suitable from 9AM to 4 PM in summer. |
| MISC. | There is nothing close to this spot. You need a long lens objective. Airport security may ask you to stay not to close to the crash gate and the perimeter fence. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Around 110mm for an A346 and 220mm for an A320. |
Waye Ave Park - 27R arrivals
| WHERE | From Bath Ave/A4 turn into Waye Ave and park at the end of the loop. It is residential but there is normally room to park. Walk into the park and head to the southern part for the best angle. This spot is an alternative to spot #23 and #24, but it’s much easier to park your car here, that’s why we marked this one as well – therefore distance and angle aren’t that good here.
From there you can reach the spots along Eastern Perimeter Rd. There is a small bridge tucked away which is accessible from the park, which leads to a nature reserve. Carry on walking through the reserve (being mindful of any animals grazing in the area) and you will reach a fence bordering onto Eastern Perimeter Road. You can look into the BA maintenance hangar/surrounding parking spots from here as well as get similar photos as if you were actually at spot 21/22/23. There is a gate which is usually left unlocked which will allow you to access spots 21/22/23 whilst still parking at Waye Avenue. Furthmore there is another path which can be used to get there from Hatton Cross Sation (about 2km long). |
| WHAT | All 27R arrivals. |
| TIME | In winter, this position can be used all day, while it is suitable from 9AM to 4 PM in summer. |
| MISC. | No facilities nearby but there is a Tesco Express at the junction with Bath Rd. The locals do not seem too tolerant of plane spotters here and I would recommend keeping out of their way and being courteous. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70-200mm is adequate for most things (QR A320 135mm, UA 773 98mm) |
Terminal 4 Observation deck - Runway 09L/27R + T4 apron
| WHERE | This spot is located airside in Terminal 4 and can be found after the security check. Once you passed this, just go to the terrace, which isn’t signed well unfortunately! It is located at one of the northeastern ends inside the terminal between the gates 15 and 16.
The terrace is literally just a glassclube, so it offers a good view in many directions, but this structure does also have disadvantages (mentioned below -> MISC.). |
| WHAT | All activities on runway 09R/27L and the apron and taxiways infront of this box. Some 09R Departures might be too high already.
Most narrow aircraft are a bit far away from here, so the spot is mostly better for bigger aircraft. |
| TIME | In winter, this position can be used all day, while it is suitable from morning to early afternoon in summer, depending on what exactly you wanna spot. |
| MISC. | All facilities you need can be found inside the terminal. Heat haze is a big problem here in summer. This spot can only be reached WITH A VALID BOARDING PASS and is LOCATED AFTER THE SECURITY CHECK thus AIRSIDE! Disadvantages: Window reflections are a big problem here as well as blurry pictures due to the windows, so spotting isn’t that easy here (90-degree-shots are mostly impossible for example due to the windowangle)! Apart from this, it might be very hot inside the cube during summer days! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 100-400mm
Heavy departures = 200-300mm |
Coppermill Rd - 27R heavy departures (banking)
| WHERE | Another pretty nice location for banking shots if they departure on runway 27R- The spot is very far away from all the other spots and we recommend a car to get there. It is at the “Coppermill Rd” which runs parallel to the Wraybury water reservoir. Just park your car on the side of the road and start your session from the marked position. You might be able to walk from Terminal 5 / spot 15. Walk down to on the path to airport way and cross the motorway at the pedestrian bridge. Then continue all the way around the reservoir. Be careful as cars pass by at speed and the pavement disappears quite often. The nearest public transport stop is the train station at Wraysbury. |
| WHAT | Banking shots of 27R HEAVY departures only and the best aircraft to spot from here are departures to Arabian (Dubai, Doha or Amman for exmaple), southern Asian (Mumbia or Singapore for example), African (Accra, Johannesburg or Cape Town for example) or Australian (Perth for example) destinations as they bank to this side. |
| TIME | This position can be used from sunrise till midday during winter. In summer the sun will be too high. During winter the sun is lower then around midday, when this spot has its best light. If it’s cloudy be sure the clouds are above 2500ft. |
| MISC. | Nothing nearby. Trees will obscure your view and there’s about a 15 second window of opportunity to take photos in the clear. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 300-400mm 789=330mm; A388=350mm |
Hotel Premier Inn Terminal 4
| WHERE | Premier Inn Terminal 4 Hotel offers great views of runway 27L. You can reach the hotel directly from T4 by following the signs leading to the hotels and walk through a covered walkway. Directly in front of the hotel bus lines 482 and 490 will stop at Starlight Way (direction Hatton Cross) and Sheffield Way (dir. T4/T5). During your booking ask for a runway facing room on the 5th, 6th or 7th floor. Rooms ending with x65, x67, x69, x71, x73, x75, x77, x79, x81, x83, x85, x87, x89, x91, x93, x95 will offer good views (x = floor number). |
| WHAT | All landings, departures and line ups on 27L. Also aircrafts taxying south of T2 are easy to catch. |
| TIME | From around 9:00 till late afternoon |
| MISC. | The rooms have two layers of glass. A sticker reminds you the windows cannot be opened, but with a simple four cornered shaft you can open the first window. Please always close the window properly before leaving the room, as the staff will not be happy about opened windows. A radar tower in front of the hotel is limiting the views, but photographing is still possible. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Between 350mm for A320 on the rear taxyway and 130mm for B747 on the runway. |
Horton Road, Stanwell Moor - Traffic landing on Runway 09R
| WHERE | By car from Terminal 5, exit the terminal by way of Western Perimeter Road heading southbound. At the first roundabout turn right onto Southern Perimeter Road and at the second roundabout take the second exit straight ahead onto the A3113, Airport Way. Take the next left onto Sprout Lane and then in Stanwell Moor village turn left onto Horton Road. Turn left at the T- junction to stay on Horton Road and follow this road for approximately one minute, passing Stanwell Moor Village Hall on the left, to get to Spot #28. Parking is available just past the spot on the right.
Bus 442 runs approximately hourly or so from T5, direction Staines, and it will take you along Stanwell Moor Rd until Horton Rd Stop (aprox 7min ride). From there you have walk into the Horton Rd and walk until you reach the marked position. |
| WHAT | Traffic landing on Runway 09R (barely in use except for some traffic for Terminal 4 or cargo). |
| TIME | In summer from mid morning till approximately 4pm; in winter all day. |
| MISC. | There are no facilities here so bring what you need. Bear in mind that this is a residential area and therefore please be responsible and respectful of the locals. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | A321: 170mm, 777-200F: 130mm, A380: 115mm |
138 Comments
Hello! Will planes be coming in over Myrtle Avenue tomorrow?
This is not a spotting question per se, but is it legal to listen to ATC communications in the UK? I know that liveATC.com does not cover LHR but I not sure if there are other options.
Hi Frank!
Unluckily I have to pass here, I don’t know…
-Sev
From memory it is but it isn’t enforced. It is also advisable to use an ear-piece/headphones so not to disturb others.
Looks like the last Air Astana B757 will now be operating out of LHR on Sunday 15th March….The first Airbus A321 Neo Long Range will be in Thrsday 19th March 2020…..
Hiya, might I add, spot 26 was with a Canon 80D, which is a crop sensor, so may want a 500/600mm if you’re on full frame.
But thanks for the guide, I’m off to LHR soon!
Hi Toby!
All FL data are given for crop sensors here on our page.
Thanks,
Severin
Ah okay, I’ll take my 600mm though, thank you!
If you are photographing 27L arrivals from spot 7, the lamp posts will play havoc with your photos.
Info added, thanks.
-Severin