On this page (7 sections)
Scheduled arrival 05:40, London time, into Terminal 3.
See how CX251 is running today on the Heathrow arrivals board, or follow the aircraft on Flightradar24.
Which terminal this flight arrives at
Arrives at Terminal 3, in the Central Terminal Area, home to most of oneworld plus Virgin Atlantic, Delta and Emirates. Immigration and baggage reclaim are on the arrivals level. It shares the Heathrow Terminals 2 and 3 station under the central area, on the Elizabeth Line, the Piccadilly Line and Heathrow Express, a short covered walk from the arrivals hall. See the Terminal 3 guide, and T3 parking if you are collecting someone.
Arriving from Hong Kong: entry and eGates
Arriving from Hong Kong. Before you travel, check whether your nationality needs a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (an ETA, £20) or a visa, and whether you can use the automated eGates at Heathrow. The gov.uk eligibility checker at gov.uk/eta settles it in a minute. Hong Kong is outside the EU, so the non-EU UK customs allowances apply to anything you carry in.
A pre-dawn arrival
Lands before the first Underground trains: the Piccadilly Line starts around 05:00 to 05:30. If you land earlier, the options are a night bus, a black cab or a private transfer. The border is usually quiet at this hour.
Meeting someone off CX251
The Terminal 3 meeting point is in the arrivals hall, marked by the four-arrows ceiling sign. Wait there rather than at the exit doors, which get congested. The common mistake is to arrive when the board shows Landed: for a long-haul flight like CX251, the passenger still has passport control and baggage ahead of them.
How long after landing until arrivals
A realistic window to actually see someone is about 45 to 70 minutes after CX251 shows Landed. The aircraft taxis to the stand, the passenger walks to UK Border and queues, then waits at baggage reclaim, where first bags reach the belt 35 to 50 minutes after a long-haul arrival, and finally clears customs into the hall.
Getting to and from Heathrow
If you are collecting someone, the cheapest wait is Terminal 3 parking, using the Park & Ride free 29-minute window or short-stay at the door. Forecourt pick-up is not allowed and the £7 charge applies to drop-off. For onward travel into London, compare the Heathrow Express, the Elizabeth Line, black cabs and private transfers.