Dropping off at Heathrow and collecting someone are two different problems, and the second one catches people out. Here is how picking up from Terminal 5 actually works.
You cannot wait outside arrivals
This is the part that surprises most people. Heathrow does not permit passenger pick-ups on any terminal forecourt, Terminal 5 included. The area directly outside is a drop-off zone only, with a ten-minute limit, and it is monitored by number plate cameras. Stopping there to wait for an arriving passenger risks a penalty on top of the charge.
Where the Terminal 5 pick-up point actually is
Collections are made from a car park rather than the kerbside. There are two options:
- Terminal 5 Terminal Parking (previously called Short Stay) — a short covered walk from arrivals, charged by how long you stay. Published 2026 drive-up rates start around £8 for up to 29 minutes.
- Terminal 5 Long Stay Park and Ride — free for the first 29 minutes, with a free shuttle bus between the car park and the terminal. Your passenger collects their bags, takes the shuttle out, and meets you there.
The free option most people miss
The Long Stay Park and Ride is Heathrow's official free collection method. It costs nothing if you are away within 29 minutes. The trade-off is the shuttle transfer at your passenger's end, which adds time and is less appealing with heavy luggage or after a long-haul flight.
Terminal 5 is exclusively British Airways and Iberia
T5 serves British Airways and Iberia, plus a small number of partner flights. Airline terminal assignments do change, so check the boarding pass rather than assuming.
The pre-booked alternative
With a pre-booked private hire transfer, none of this is your problem. Your driver monitors the flight, deals with the car park, and meets you inside arrivals with a name board. The price is fixed at booking, so waiting time and parking charges do not change it.
See our Terminal 5 transfers page, or our Terminal 5 drop-off guide if you are departing rather than collecting.