Terminal 3 was opened as The Oceanic Terminal on 13 November 1961 to handle flight departures for long-haul routes. At this time the airport had a direct helicopter service to Central London from the gardens on the roof of the terminal building. The Oceanic Terminal was renamed as Terminal 3 in 1968 and was expanded in 1970 with the addition of an arrivals building. Other facilities were also added, including the UK’s first moving walkways. In 2006, the new £105 million Pier 6 was completed in order to accommodate the Airbus A380 superjumbo; Singapore Airlines, Emirates and Qantas now operate regular flights from Terminal 3 using the Airbus A380. Redevelopment of Terminal 3′s forecourt by the addition of a new four lane drop-off area and a large pedestrian plaza, complete with canopy to the front of the terminal building was completed in 2007; these improvements were intended to improve passengers’ experiences, reduce traffic congestion and improve security. As part of this project, Virgin Atlantic was assigned their own dedicated check-in area, known as ‘Zone A’, which features a large sculpture and atrium. BAA also have plans for a £1bn upgrade of the rest of the terminal over the next ten years which includes the renovation of aircraft piers and the arrivals forecourt.

The car park at terminal 3 is able to handle the demand and there is absolutely nothing to worry about if you need to find a space. You can book online if you want to, but the reality is that it is large enough to accommodate you.