UK ‘airside transit' ETA exemption for connecting flights explained
Travelers transiting through UK airports like Heathrow or Manchester without entering border control no longer need an ETA. Full rules, conditions, deadlines and costs explained.
The United Kingdom has introduced an Electronic Travel Authorisation system—ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation)—similar to the U.S. ESTA or South Korea’s K-ETA. ETA is mandatory for passport holders from many visa-exempt countries planning to enter the UK. Initially, the requirement also applied to transit passengers, prompting pushback from the airline industry.
Temporary Exemption for Airside Transit Passengers
Good news for connecting travellers: the UK government has created a temporary exemption from ETA rules for passengers who remain in the ‘airside' transit zone and do not pass through UK border control. This currently covers only London Heathrow and Manchester—the UK’s two airports with airside transit facilities.
Why the exemption? The decision follows industry feedback warning that mandatory ETA checks could complicate Heathrow connections and potentially reduce airline revenue, notably for carriers such as British Airways.
What it means in practice: If you follow the purple Flight Connections signs at Heathrow and stay landside, you do not clear UK immigration and therefore do not need an ETA. If your connecting flight is in another terminal and you must use the Underground or a shuttle that exits sterile area, you will go through immigration and will need an ETA.
Exemption Conditions
The temporary ETA waiver applies only to passengers who remain in the ‘airside transit' area—i.e. they do not present themselves to UK border control.
If you reclaim baggage and re-check it—common with split tickets or airlines that don’t offer through-check-in to your final destination—you must clear UK immigration and therefore obtain an ETA.
The exemption is subject to ongoing review and may be modified or withdrawn, though aviation industry representatives doubt the online permit will return for connecting passengers.
The current cost of an ETA is £10 (€11.57). Avoiding this fee is the main practical benefit of the exemption. Note: the government has proposed raising the ETA fee to £16 once parliamentary approval is secured.
Although most applicants receive ETA approval within minutes to hours, processing times can vary. The optional UK ETA mobile app provides a convenient alternative for travel-ready verification.
Upcoming ETA price increase |
Who Still Needs an ETA?
ETA remains mandatory for virtually all visa-exempt passport holders who actually enter the UK—not just those in transit.
Starting 2 April 2025, citizens of 34 European countries—including France, Germany and Spain—will need an ETA to enter the UK.
Holders of passports from 54 non-European visa-exempt countries already require an ETA; this list includes the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and South Korea.
How to Apply
Applications are filed online or via the ‘UK ETA' mobile app. Most approvals are granted within minutes to hours. Once issued, an ETA is valid for up to two years (or until passport expiry) and allows multiple visits of up to six months each. No physical document is issued; the ETA is electronically linked to the passport presented during the application.
Important: the ETA’s validity cannot exceed the expiration date of the passport used in the application, which occasionally means less than two years.
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