Gabriel Tadafe and Lee MacPherson distracted their victims by causing a disturbance before making off with the briefcases and hand luggage of wealthy businessmen on long-haul flights.
The two men, both 38, dressed smartly and carried luggage to look like genuine passengers. Their primary targets appear to have been travellers from the Middle East.
Tadafe, of Willesden Green, north London, who denied conspiracy to steal between September 2002 and January 2004, was sentenced to six years, while MacPherson, of Clapham Common, south London, who admitted the charge, was jailed for five years.
A third man, Yuri Harris, 43, jumped bail early in the proceedings. Police have issued a warrant for his arrest.
Robert Colover, prosecuting, told Isleworth crown court that the three men were caught on CCTV on various dates stealing luggage containing jewellery, Rolex watches, credit cards and foreign currency at Heathrow.
He said: "There would be a disturbance caused by one of the defendants, followed swiftly by the surreptitious theft of high value items such as briefcases and hand luggage. The least value of items reported stolen over the period was in excess of £70,000."
Tadafe denied that it was him on the tape. Both he and MacPherson, who had 10 aliases, had served three-year sentences for similar offences.
The judge, recorder Nigel Wilkinson, said: "You had mobile phones, acting almost in a military way so as to size up victims and remove their belongings. Quite apart from the meanness of what you did, this type of offence is prevalent. It brings with it adverse consequences for this country and its economy.
"Saudi Arabian businessmen targeted by you are less likely to come here to do business in London and the image of the airport is tarnished by this sort of behaviour. It calls for deterrent sentences."
