While waiting

Shop

Heathrow Airport has 48,000m² of retail space. Buy books at WH Smiths, toiletries at Boots, gadgets at Dixons, smart gifts at Harrods and accessories from top designer names. Enjoy duty-free liquor and tobacco, fragrance, skincare and cosmetics, confectionery, sunglasses and watches.

If travelling within the EU, shop on the way out and collect on your return with the free Shopping Collection Service. Ask for a special receipt when you buy and pick up your purchases inside the Arrivals World Duty Free Stores at Terminals 1, 3 and 4, at Terminal 2's BAA information desk and Terminal 5's Shopping Collection Point on the ground floor of Arrivals.

Look out for the green uniforms of personal shopping consultants in the departure lounge for free advice on special offers and gift ideas.

Eat & Drink

Cafés and restaurants abound in all five terminals, most are beyond security control. Try Caviar House for seafood (all terminals), Giraffe for a family atmosphere (Terminals 1 and 5), Chez Gérard for French sophistication (Terminal 3) and Gordon Ramsey's innovative Plane Food in Terminal 5. Major café chains – including Starbucks, Caffè Nero and Pret A Manger – jostle for business. The cost of all food and drink sold at Heathrow Airport is identical to UK high street prices.

Internet

Wireless high-speed internet access (with T-Mobile, BT Openzone and The Cloud Networks) is installed throughout the airport. There are also T-Mobile laptop stations so you can charge your computer, and fixed terminals if you don't have a computer with you.

Business

Contact your airline for lounge access with complimentary drinks and snacks, phone and fax, and staff to hand. For more far-reaching business services, contact the Heathrow Business Centre (tel: +44 (0) 20 8759 2434) located in the Queen's Building between Terminals 1 and 2 (before security). Facilities include 20 meeting rooms and a conference suite for 60 people.

Family

Buy baby essentials at Boots and enjoy child-friendly dining at Garfunkels, Giraffe and Terminal 5's Carluccios (all with children's menus). Baby changing facilities are located before and after security control in all terminals. Children (aged two to six) can relax in the unsupervised play areas – there's one in Terminal 1 by Gates 35-56 (international departures) and several in Terminal 5. There are runway views at The Tin Goose and Caffè Nero in Terminal 1.

Unwind

Indulge in beauty treatments and massages at Terminal 1's Rejuve spa (on the mezzanine level of the international departure lounge) with gym, barber, hot showers and juice bar.

Special Needs

All terminals are wheelchair-accessible, with elevator and ramp access, automatic doors, modified telephones and bathrooms, low-level phones, electric buggies and special parking areas. Seeing-eye dogs are permitted, and a wheelchair-accompanying service is available.