Update December  2023: the bridge has been removed. You can use any other place around Hatton Cross instead, just be mindful of lamps. But there is plenty options with some interesting angles mainly for evening arrivals.

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

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.
The green gets extremely muddy when wet, especially in winter and sometimes up to a week after it has rained. Bring welly boots and something (old picnic blanket, plastic bag…) to keep your stuff on.

By public transport: 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.

Parking available in Oaks Road, just bump your car up the kerb.

The nearby gas station works well for arrivals onto 09R too but you will never get a directly side on shot without the fence obstructing your shot. Stand just before the petrol station for the best shots. For last minute “shoot and go” shots, the petrol station has 25min free parking, just make sure you pop into the shop before leaving or you’ll be caught on camera and charged £75. Any further down the road and you will have your view blocked completely by the concrete noise barrier. The fence is pretty obtrusive for touch down/smoke shots.

By public transport: From Hatton Cross take bus line 203 (to Staines) and exit at Bedfont Rd. Walk westwards along the River to the pub or the gas station.

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).

+++ UPDATE JULY 2022: the sight is limited because of a new installed high wall +++

There is small mound under the automated people mover if you go down the hill and cross the road. From there you can photograph the 09L line-up over the fence but there are disturbing objects in the lower part.

By car park in on of the back roads neighboorhood west of the M25 at Bath Road. From there walk back eastwards on the sidewalk, cross the M25 and continue till the next roundabout. There’s a bridge that goes over a mini river/reservoir (that joins the Bath Rd roundabout to Wright Way). It has a sign indicating ‘no pedestrians’, but it says cyclists are allowed. Just walk through it. Cross at the traffic lights, follow the road down to the spot and walk up it to the final position. The traffic lights have been broken for pedestrians for well over a year now. Walking time from the parking is 20-25 minutes.

There is no nearby car parking except Terminal 5.

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!

Updated June 2023: Unfortunately the trees are now quite high and will nearly always obscure parts of the aircraft, especially the larger ones. The Emirates A380 photo shows how the trees have grown. There is a gap between the trees but unfortunately there is a lamppost right in the middle (see Cathay A350 photo).

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.+++

Apron might be okay on summer mornings.

Parking available at the Heathrow Long Stay Parking T2&T3. You can park for up to 2 hours free, after that it gets very expensive. No return within 24hrs. Do not use more than once or twice a week or they will start questioning if you are using it for commercial use.

Parking available at the Heathrow Long Stay Parking T2&T3. The free parking is now “up to 29 minutes” 30-120 minutes is now over £9. No return within 24hrs. Do not use more than once or twice a week or they will start questioning if you are using it for commercial use.

Parking available at the Heathrow Long Stay Parking T2&T3. You can park for free up to 29 minutes, after that it gets very expensive! No return within 24hrs. Do not use more than once or twice a week or they will start questioning if you are using it for commercial use.

If you need to park longer stay at #24 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.

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).

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.).

Most narrow aircraft are a bit far away from here, so the spot is mostly better for bigger aircraft.

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). The hotel staff is very accomadating and they understand the need for plane spotters and would help to allocate a runway facing room.

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.

By public transport: From Hatton Cross take bus line 203 (towards Staines) and exit at Bedfont Road.

By public transport: From Hatton Cross you can easily walk for around 15 minutes but there is a bus stop as well.

By public transport:  The next bus stop is Harlington Corner (Stop E).