London Heathrow sits at Hillingdon, about 24 km west of central London, and is the UK's largest airport and one of Europe's two busiest. British Airways operates its main hub from Terminal 5, with Virgin Atlantic, American, United, Lufthansa, Emirates, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines among the major long-haul carriers. The route network reaches every inhabited continent.
Major carriers: British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa, American Airlines, Emirates.
What's the IATA code for London?
London uses the metro code LON for searches that should fan out across all six commercial airports: LHR (Heathrow), LGW (Gatwick), STN (Stansted), LTN (Luton), LCY (City) and SEN (Southend). Flightmussy's multi-airport origin filter handles this expansion automatically so you don't miss a cheaper fare from a different London airport.
Which terminal does each airline use at Heathrow?
British Airways and Iberia operate from Terminal 5, with most BA short-haul there. Star Alliance carriers including Lufthansa and United use Terminal 2. SkyTeam carriers including Virgin Atlantic, Delta, Air France and KLM use Terminal 3 alongside several Gulf and Asian airlines. Terminal 4 hosts SkyTeam and several oneworld carriers. Always check your booking confirmation.
When should I book long-haul flights from Heathrow?
Long-haul fares tend to bottom out 3-5 months before departure for most routes, with last-minute prices spiking. Premium cabins follow different curves and reward flexible dates. Flightmussy's 12-month fare heatmap shows you the cheapest week across the year, free and without an account, so you can pick a low-demand departure.
Are there direct flights from Heathrow to every continent?
Yes. Heathrow has direct year-round services to North and South America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Oceania, with Antarctica reachable via one stop. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic run the largest UK long-haul programmes, joined by every major Gulf, Asian and North American flag carrier. Flightmussy ranks them all by total price.