Planes Over Heathrow — What Are You Seeing?
Last updated: January 2025
Heathrow Airport (LHR) is the busiest airport in the UK and one of the busiest in the world. If you live in west London, Berkshire, or parts of the Home Counties, you're likely under Heathrow's flight paths — and wondering what all those planes are.
Why So Many Planes Over Heathrow?
Heathrow handles over 7,000 flights per week across two runways. It's a major hub for British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, with connections to destinations worldwide. The sheer volume of traffic means aircraft are constantly arriving and departing, creating one of the busiest airspace corridors in Europe.
Typical Aircraft You'll See
- Airbus A320 family — Short-haul European routes (British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair)
- Boeing 737 family — Short-haul European routes (Ryanair, Jet2)
- Boeing 787 Dreamliner — Long-haul transatlantic and Asian routes
- Airbus A350 — Long-haul routes (British Airways, Virgin Atlantic)
- Boeing 777 — Long-haul routes (British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, international carriers)
- Airbus A380 — High-capacity routes (British Airways)
- Boeing 747-400 — Cargo and some passenger flights
Heathrow Flight Paths
Heathrow uses two parallel runways (09L/27R and 09R/27L), and flight paths depend on wind direction:
Westbound (Runways 27L/27R)
- Departures climb west over the Thames, Berkshire, and into the Channel
- Arrivals approach from the west over Slough, Windsor, and Staines
- Common over: Slough, Windsor, Staines, Sunbury, Twickenham, Hampton Hill
Eastbound (Runways 09L/09R)
- Departures climb east over Hillingdon, Uxbridge, and the M25
- Arrivals approach from the east over Ruislip, Ickenham, and Hillingdon
- Common over: Hillingdon, Uxbridge, Ruislip, Ickenham, Hayes
Standard Instrument Departures (SIDs)
Aircraft follow specific routes after takeoff to ensure separation. Common SIDs from Heathrow include:
- LON SIDs — Head towards London area waypoints
- BNN SIDs — Head towards Bovingdon
- COW SIDs — Head towards the Cowley waypoint
How to Identify Planes Over Heathrow
What Plane? shows the nearest aircraft on your iPhone home screen — type, airline, altitude, speed, and direction — without opening the app. For Heathrow traffic, you'll frequently see:
- British Airways (BAW) — The largest operator at Heathrow
- Virgin Atlantic (VIR) — Long-haul transatlantic specialist
- International carriers — American Airlines, United, Lufthansa, Air France, Emirates, Qatar, and many more
The widget's compass ring shows which direction to look, and the altitude tells you whether the aircraft is on approach (low) or climbing after departure (gaining height).
Night Flights
Heathrow has a night restriction between 23:00 and 06:00, but flights are still permitted within a quota. Night-time traffic is dominated by:
- Cargo operations — FedEx, UPS, DHL, and Royal Mail
- Late arrivals from the Americas — Red-eye flights from New York, Los Angeles, etc.
- Early departures — Morning flights to Europe and the Middle East
If you hear planes at night, this is likely the reason.
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Ready to identify planes instantly? Download What Plane? on the App Store →