Heathrow Airport/car rental return estimate help needed

[TravelingChris]

So I am attempting to book one way car rental from Southhampton to London Heathrow.  Our flight leaves at 12:15pm UK time.  I have never flown into or out of Heathrow, just dropped off my brother there when we were visiting Britain together and we lived in Belgium.   I already know about the horrors of UK immigration coming in but how much time do I need to leave for rental car drop off and getting through security, etc.   We are flying United and they have no guidance about how early to be at Heathrow though they do have at some other airports like Dublin and Lima.  Any help appreciated.

[TravelingChris]

This will be in mid October

[mumto2]

We haven’t flown out of Heathrow in years so we are far from experts on that airport but I will tell you what Dh and I think from what we hear from others.

We would allow for 3 hours at the airport in part because of the rental car return.  That extra hour may be needed and used during the trip up from Southampton.  The M3 by Southampton seems to be notorious for long traffic jams and we have sat there frequently.   The same for the area around Heathrow......last month we spent over an hour watching the planes when the M25 turned into a parking lot by Heathrow.  So I would also build an extra hour at least into your travel drive time just in case.  No matter what google or your sat nav says.

We flew out of Gatwick last month in the early afternoon.  Security was pretty quick at that time and I was impressed but I would still go through as soon as you can.  There will be plenty of places to window shop and eat on the other side.

[TravelingChris]

59 minutes ago, mumto2 said:

.  That extra hour may be needed and used during the trip up from Southampton.  The M3 by Southampton seems to be notorious for long traffic jams and we have sat there frequently.   The same for the area around Heathrow......last month we spent over an hour watching the planes when the M25 turned into a parking lot by Heathrow.  So I would also build an extra hour at least into your travel drive time just in case.  No matter what google or your sat nav says.   Super thanks for telling us that.  

We flew out of Gatwick last month in the early afternoon.  Security was pretty quick at that time and I was impressed but I would still go through as soon as you can.  There will be plenty of places to window shop and eat on the other side.

1

We are not returning from Southampton because we are getting off the ship, waiting to rent a car (disembark is 6 am and since it is Sunday, no one is open till 8 at earliest) and then embarking on a separate mini vacation going west to Cornwall and not sure which way we are returning.  I am planning to start another thread about that.

Going to Southhampton, our plan is to take smaller roads depending on how fast we get out of Heathrow and get our car and how we are doing physically.  We are going a day earlier to make sure we get there and staying overnight in Southhampton before Cruising the next day.  Possible visits to Jane Austen house, Winchester Cathedral-- they have a vesper service at 5pm, and some monastery that has been in operation for ages (can't recall name of it right now).  We also do not have to be on the ship until 1:30 pm the next day (though we do have to return rental car too) so depending on how we (most likely me) is feeling, we will go somewhere that morning (possibly in the New Forest near Southhampton).

[mumto2]

Sounds like you will have lots of great adventures!  We love driving in the New Forest........sounds silly but we just look at the horses and the other wild life.  

 

[TravelingChris]

22 minutes ago, mumto2 said:

Sounds like you will have lots of great adventures!  We love driving in the New Forest........sounds silly but we just look at the horses and the other wild life.  

 

Yes,  we love wildlife too and we love gardens, history, geology, astronomy,etc, etc, etc.

I am going to be so excited seeing the moors, too.