If All Airports Were Like This...London Heathrow Terminal 5

I'm not a huge fan of flying, and even less of a fan of most airports. Just as British Airways' "Club World Sleeper Service" is the first flight I thought was too short, Heathrow's new Terminal 5 is the first airport I wouldn't mind spending more time exploring.

What makes the different here is the design, both the look of it as well as the layout, which was done with constant forward motion in mind. The terminal is airy and futuristic; I almost expected to see Jetsons-style personal transporters whizzing in through one of the enormous glass walls and gliding to a stop on the suspended floor. Ninety-six check-in kiosks, followed by over a hundred luggage drop desks. I'm told the luggage system is one of the most high-tech in the world, able to handle 12,000 bags per hour. All I know is that there were no lines to be seen.

Once past security, Terminal 5 offers weary passengers plenty of upscale souvenir options, including Harrods, Prada and a Caviar House. Gordon Ramsay's only airport restaurant in the world, Plane Food, serves croque monsieurs, foie gras and lamb chops in a sleek dining room overlooking bi-level planes taking off to exotic destinations like Singapore. (The restaurant will pack you a fabulous to-go meal in case you're not a fan of airplane peanuts.)

All that said, perhaps my favorite part of London Heathrow Terminal 5 is what's connected to it. I stepped off the plane, claimed my luggage, walked down a hallway and into an elevator, and emerged in the first airport hotel I was in no hurry to leave -- you'll want to hear about this one.

Pictures of London Heathrow Terminal 5

^{Image copyright David Latt}