In late 2023, British Airways revealed plans to open its own lounge in Miami. There’s now an update, as the airline has confirmed that this lounge is expected to open in 2025, which is earlier than initially expected.
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British Airways Lounge coming to Miami Concourse E
A British Airways Lounge is expected to open at Miami International Airport (MIA) at some point in 2025. The lounge will be located in Concourse E at Miami Airport, on the fourth floor of the satellite terminal. The lounge will measure 12,973 square feet, so it’ll be quite a large space, at least for an outstation lounge.
For what it’s worth, Miami Airport commissioners approved a lease agreement for this space in October 2023. The airline will pay annual rent of $1,747,463.10 for this space.
Currently British Airways primarily sends its passengers to American Airlines’ lounges in Concourse D, including the Admirals Club and Flagship Lounge.
British Airways’ history with lounges at Miami Airport is interesting. From 1999 until 2007, British Airways had its own roughly 6,000 square foot lounge in Concourse D, though that lease ended up being canceled due to the North Terminal Development Consolidation project, which resulted in British Airways’ operations being moved.
In 2014, British Airways was supposed to open a lounge in Concourse D near gate D21, coinciding with the airline planning on flying the Airbus A380 to Miami. However, construction plans ended up being canceled because British Airways’ operations got moved to the Concourse E satellite to accommodate American Airlines’ growth in Concourse D.
British Airways has plans to offer two daily year-round flights to Miami as of 2025, so this lounge will get some good use.
This lounge will be great for passengers
A British Airways Lounge Miami is great for passengers on several levels:
- British Airways lounges in the United States tend to belong to Priority Pass during non-peak hours, so this will likely result in a new Priority Pass option in the terminal
- While American’s Flagship Lounge is a nice facility for premium passengers, it’s quite out of the way for those departing on British Airways
- British Airways having its own lounge will alleviate crowding in other lounges in the terminal, including the Flagship Lounge
This seems like a win-win-win, so I’m looking forward to this lounge opening.
Now, I would manage my expectations in terms of quality of the lounge, even prior to British Airways departures. While some British Airways lounges in the United States have pre-flight dining facilities, this tends to be at airports in the Northeast, where the overnight flights are very short. I wouldn’t count on this lounge getting one of those.
On the plus side, the lounge is expected to feature a new design concept, which British Airways will use for its lounges going forward. So I’m curious to see what exactly the lounge space will look like.
Bottom line
British Airways will be opening its own lounge at Miami Airport in 2025. The roughly 13,000 square foot lounge will be located in the Concourse E satellite, so it’ll be conveniently located for British Airways’ departure gate. Hopefully the lounge is also open to Priority Pass members throughout the day, when not serving British Airways passengers.
What do you make of the British Airways Lounge Miami?
British Airways has always traditionally offered two daily year-round flights, obviously. Due to crew shortages they had AA temporarily take over the second flight during July-September 2023 and April-October 2024.
The Concourse E Satellite terminal is a disgrace, but typical of MIA. After the demise of PA, it was used mostly for some one-off Latin Carriers (BOA) and charter operators.
Not much has been done to this concourse. Reeks of 3rd world. Actually most airports in Latin Am are vastly superior to the squalor that is Satellite E gates.
Plus Mayor Daniella's 30-year old train to the satellite is often OOS and limited...
The Concourse E Satellite terminal is a disgrace, but typical of MIA. After the demise of PA, it was used mostly for some one-off Latin Carriers (BOA) and charter operators.
Not much has been done to this concourse. Reeks of 3rd world. Actually most airports in Latin Am are vastly superior to the squalor that is Satellite E gates.
Plus Mayor Daniella's 30-year old train to the satellite is often OOS and limited to one train.
It's MIA - 30 year old infrastructure with broken elevators, walkways escalators etc.
Nailed it. Worst dining options I’ve ever seen. And the international arrivals journey is one of the longest out there, as you have to walk all the way to D
Not a great terminal. But The train was replaced and is brand new.
The only reason BA has to do this is because the AA Admirals Club is so dismal. The only positive is that "hopefully" the AC will become less crowded.
Original BA MIA lounge was in Concourse A (before A-B-C-D became D) where the AMEX lounge is today.
I wonder what this will mean for the closed joint BA/IB/AA/QR lounge in the Terminal E (not satellite). That lounge space was MASSIVE and it would be a shame to lose the space to another airline. I guess the only threat would be LOT or Air Europa but lets be honest they wouldn't be using that massive space. Terminal E also has the Turkish Lounge which is PP and I am surprised to find out...
I wonder what this will mean for the closed joint BA/IB/AA/QR lounge in the Terminal E (not satellite). That lounge space was MASSIVE and it would be a shame to lose the space to another airline. I guess the only threat would be LOT or Air Europa but lets be honest they wouldn't be using that massive space. Terminal E also has the Turkish Lounge which is PP and I am surprised to find out they have two lounges in MIA, but Terminal E which is not connected to their gates post security. I hope they bring it back as an Admirals Club to take the pressure off the other lounges. Any ideas anyone?
I think other Oneworld airlines might also directly send their passengers to this lounge, since they all depart from the Concourse E Satellite Terminal as well. This includes Iberia and Qatar. However, all three of these airlines have their flights departing around the same time (with the exception of QR's morning flight from MIA). So, that probably explains why the lounge is 12,000 sq ft. Currently, QR sends their passengers to the Turkish Lounge. That...
I think other Oneworld airlines might also directly send their passengers to this lounge, since they all depart from the Concourse E Satellite Terminal as well. This includes Iberia and Qatar. However, all three of these airlines have their flights departing around the same time (with the exception of QR's morning flight from MIA). So, that probably explains why the lounge is 12,000 sq ft. Currently, QR sends their passengers to the Turkish Lounge. That might stick given that the TK lounge has Halal Meat, but I can also see QR canceling that contract. If that happens, then the BA lounge will definetly be quite crowded in the evenings and at night.
Royal Air Marod and Finnaie and Aer Lingus also use Concourse E.
RAM uses Turkish lounge.
Def good news. It’s not only a pretty long walk from the D FL and AC to the far E gates, but BA have no staff in the lounges so you can’t get any assistance.
I wonder if this will be treated as a true 1W lounge, as both IB and QR flights depart from far E gates as well.
Problem is it's still in third world Satellite E...
And Priority Pass access might not happen/be difficult. I'm assuming the rest of the int'l OneWorld carriers, who all use the E Satellite, will be encouraged to use this lounge. Iberia has 2x daily, QR 2x most days, plus Finnair and Royal Air Maroc's flights
"win-win-win" indeed.
Just not OWE who wins.
BA lounge in US have denied access to non-US OWE flying AA/AS domestic, which is allowed per policy.
BOS - Denied
IAD - Denied
IAH - Denied
PHL - Denied
ORD - Denied, when it was at T5.
SEA - Denied
SFO - Denied
EWR - Denied
JFK - Soho technically not a BA lounge
I'm willing to bet MIA - Denied.
So back to the Flagship lounge.
Imagine the over-crowding if they let those OWE pax in too. It'd be worse than any Sky Club!