Celebrate our 80th in style, with some exciting live musical performances that span the decades. Look out for our musicians performing in terminals every Friday throughout June, July and August.
Bestselling poet David Larbi has penned a lyrical tribute to Heathrow, that will be visible only to passengers flying in and out of Heathrow. Look out of your window during take off and landing to spot the poem etched in giant letters into a nearby field.
Pop on a pair of virtual reality goggles to take a journey back in time, and experience what Heathrow would have been like back in the day. Look out for our pop-up sites in each terminal.
To mark 80 years of Heathrow, we’re giving you the chance to win one of 80 prizes, from unforgettable experiences to luxury treats and travel-ready essentials.
From tented terminals to becoming the UK's gateway to the world, take a look at the top ten iconic moment's in Heathrow's history.
London Airport, as it was then known, opened to passengers in 1946. The first commercial flight to take off was a converted Lancaster bomber called Starlight that flew from London to Buenos Aires.
At the time, the passenger terminals were repurposed RAF military marquees along the Bath Road, fitted out with floral armchairs and wooden boards to protect passengers' shoes from the muddy airfield.
Thousands of screaming fans, struck by "Beatlemania", gathered at Heathrow to welcome them home from their first American tour. They had departed a few weeks earlier on a Pam AM flight to New York, just one week after their hit single "I want to hold your hand" reached number one on the Billboard Charts.
In 1970, the first jumbo jet arrived at Heathrow. The Boeing 747, Pan Am flight carried 324 passengers from New York to London. Heathrow had been preparing for their arrival, with a multi-million pound refurbishment, making room for the new, larger planes and the expected increase in passengers they would bring.
Iconic aircraft Concorde made its maiden voyage from Heathrow on 21 January 1976. The British Airways flight took off from London to Bahrain at the same time as the Air France flight departed from Paris to Rio.
Concorde was famous for its speed. The supersonic jet was faster than the speed of sound, and could cross the Atlantic in under four hours.
Heathrow Express, the airport's high-speed rail link, opened on 21 June 1998. The service provides passengers with a way to travel into central London in just 15 minutes.
Terminal 5 was officially opened on 14 March 2008 by Queen Elizabeth II. Her Majesty described the new terminal as a "21st-century gateway to Britain". The first flight landed at the terminal from Hong Kong a few weeks later.
Today, the terminal serves millions of passengers every year, to more than 100 destinations.
In 2013, British Airways became the first UK airline to operate the Airbus A380. The iconic double-decker liner can carry more than 500 passengers, making it the world's largest passenger plane.
The A380 landed at Heathrow for the first time on 18 March 2008 with a Singapore Airlines flight from Changi.
In June 2014, Heathrow opened Terminal 2, designed to serve 20 million passengers a year. United Airlines was the first airline to move into the terminal, running 17 arriving and 17 departing flights on its first day of operation.
Terminal 2 was named 'The Queen's Terminal' in honour of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who officially opened the terminal at a ceremony on 23 June.
In 2012, Heathrow was proud to be the host airport for London's Olympic and Paralympic Games.
During the Games, 75,000 journeys were made through Heathrow by Paralympians, Olympians and team officials.
The airport also welcomed over 20,000 members of the media, and more than 5,000 oversized bags, containing everything from canoes and bikes to javelins and pole vault poles.
In 2026, as we celebrate our 80th birthday, work begins on the planning application for a third runway at Heathrow. Fully funded by private investment, expansion will deliver more flights and more airlines at Heathrow - meaning greater choice and lower fares for holidaymakers.
Colleagues, passengers and members of the local community bring to life the history of Heathrow with their personal stories and memories.
