Review: British Airways Arrivals Lounge Heathrow Airport

It's annoying that the lounge exterior has the Oneworld Priority symbol, which suggests Emeralds have access, when in fact they don't. However, I think the AA Arrivals lounge *is* open to all oneworld Emeralds, but correct me if I'm wrong.

Don’t forget the Iberia arrivals “lounge.” Which you reviewed in Madrid.

You can also get your clothes pressed at this lounge. Did you notice the door within the door to the shower room? It's to hang items you want pressed (pants, shirt, etc.).

No running water is absurd. I would have demanded for them to arrange access to the AA T3 lounge at that point. British engineering at its finest.

I always get access to this lounge as an AA exp, even when not traveling premium. I don’t think the information you wrote is correct. In fact, there is an emerald logo posted at the door.

"Note that American Airlines has an arrivals lounge at Terminal 3 (where all American flights arrive, and where select British Airways flights arrive). That has similar access requirements, and is also open to American first and business class passengers."

Unless I'm not reading this right, it seems obvious to say in the last sentence that it is open to American first and business class passengers, as it's an American lounge. Do you mean to say "BA first and business class passengers?"

I believe it's also the arrivals lounge for Cathay Pacific.

This lounge is in many ways very Spartan and basic, but it’s better than any other arrivals lounge I’ve used and it’s so very welcome as you stumble off a red-eye.

(Virgin’s LHR arrivals lounge, also used by Delta, looks like it was shoved together from leftover building materials they happened to find round the back. A stark contrast to the BA v. VS departures lounge smack-down).

No water is pretty disastrous: in fairness, I have never encountered that issue over multiple uses over several years. Not living up to your name there, Lucky...

BA Arr T5 : Access only for passengers arriving from long haul flights . You should land at Terminal 5 ! Emerald pax can access even if they are on basic economy long haul . Then ofcourse First and Buisness Class pax . No guest allowed

Ex : BA Gold ( emerald ) pax landing from Brussels ( C or Y class ) have no access as its short haul flight.
But pax landing from Dubai ( Emerald , F, C class ) Can access !

American at T 3
My favourite - Excellent food choice, faster internet , good shower Excellent Staff from AA even though they are super strict with their entrance and guest policy .

Managed by AA crew
Access

Concierge Key - Yes ( No guest)
EP - Yes ( No guest )
BA Gold - Yes ( No Guest)
Cathay Pacific Emerald - Yes( No guest)
First - Buisness pax from AA , CX , BA, Qantaz landing from long haul flights at Terminal ONLY can access that lounge.
Qantas Emerald - strictly No access
Jal Emerlad - No access
Fin air Emerald - no access

EXAMPLE :

If you are a JAL - Emerald pax landing from Narita at T3 dont have access because Jal currently dont have an agreement.

But if you are JAL Emerald landing on Ba flight from Accra you can access even if you are on Y class ticket .

Remember- Arrivals lounges are working under special agreement eventhough it's own by one world airlines . American is bit complicated but staff very good in explaining it. They really appreciate premium pax irrespective whether you are Cathay or British Airways passenger.. I have used it several times .

@Will M mediocre at best. Although the shower rooms are nicer than the BA ones, there are only 5 or 6 available (and are "shared" with the hotel rooms), so you may have trouble getting one on early arrivals. Add to the equation the hostile associate working there and that’s a no-go for me.

On my last visit I found those shower compartments to be pretty gross.....whole place is in need of an update.....

I laughed when I read about the “no water” situation for the showers. I had the same experience there after arriving on a BA flight from JFK. The announcement came as I was packing up my stuff in the shower room to leave. I heard a few yells from nearby visitors who presumably were stuck with shampoo in their hair or all soaped up with nothing to do but try to towel off. I sat in the dining area for breakfast wondering whether the water situation would be resolved shortly. An hour later, the water was still off, and the dishes were piling up as they couldn’t run any of the dishwashers either.

Hello... in fact from London this week. @Lucky: You're usually quite correct, so I'm sorry to differ; but as Emerald (AA/EXP) I use both the BA/T5 and AA/T3 Arrivals Lounges (depending solely on who I flew in with), and that's also after flying in Premium from the shorter points (NYC, BOS, etc.). Each lounge has its high (and occasionally low) points, so the choice is more that of the arrival terminal more than anything. Yet for the Spa services, if one has the time, obviously the T5 lounge is the option to go with... except for the absurd wait times more often than not. Cheers to everyone!

I second the comment about the hidden compartment within the door. These showers are designed with function in mind so that you can get to the office quickly and the pressing service using the hidden compartment is excellent.

Lucky,

In terms of the location of this lounge, I think you meant to provide directions for your readers after they exit the baggage hall and customs hall, rather than the immigration hall.

Last week, I experienced the Arrivals Lounge in T5 for the first time after 25 years of flying BA (of course T5 hasn't been around that long). I had low expectations and was impressed by my experience. Everything worked in terms of being assigned the shower room immediately on asking for one, the shower pressure was better than I had expected, breakfast selection was good, although I only had a banana as I was not hungry.

Think that I will definitely use the Arrivals Lounge in T5 again.

I am not sure BA highlights the arrivals lounge very well. I typically take the A380 out of LAX which arrives after it closes but on the off chance I take the 747 rarely do they mention that it is available. Almost like they want to limit use. Maybe just my experience though.

I have never set foot in it but it actually looks decent for an early arrival (something that doesn't happen coming from LAX).

How does it compare to Virgin Atlantic arrivals lounge at LHR?

Can arriving passengers from a BA F flight at T5 who are connecting to BA CE at T5 (when CE is highest class available on the connecting flight) access the CCR? I've seen different feedback on various blogs.

@ Amarillo by Morning -- Absolutely can.

@ Matt

The BA arrivals lounge is approximately 1,000 times better than Virgin’s. It’s a complete reversal of the rankings for departure lounges.

With a 5 hour wait between two flights in First, is it worth going through customs/security to do the arrivals lounge...or just go straight to the CCR?
(In theory I guess someone could get a free Elemis treatment in the arrivals lounge and another one in the departures lounge.)

I’m glad to read other comments saying AA EXP does indeed get access, because I have used the lounge a number of times as an AA EXP/CK and read Lucky’s “access rules” starting to either think I was crazy or the rules had changed since I was last there.

We're flying AA Flagship J from DFW mid-September. I'm hoping the BA Arrivals lounge will be open by then now that AA Arrivals lounge seems to be permanently closed in T3. Geez, how long can they blame the pandemic for closing down the lounges! 😉

So when my BA flight leaves Vancouver at 8:30pm and arrives in London 9 1/2 hours later at 1:50pm they will be closing up shop at that time?
It would be so nice to have a shower while waiting 3 hours for my connecting flight!

I got to try this lounge back in September as a newly minted BA Silver member and I gotta say I too really enjoyed the table service via the QR Code. Very well done and I hope it stays post-COVID.
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SuzannR - That's when you go to the departure lounge, which also has showers.