British Airways has invested $65 million in Terminal 7 at JFK, which is the terminal they currently use. This has seen them renovating check-in areas, gate areas, and also lounges.
Last October British Airways opened their new First Lounge at JFK, which can be accessed by oneworld Emerald members (this is different than the Concorde Room, which is a separate lounge). While I still wouldn’t call it a world class lounge, it’s no doubt a huge improvement over their old lounge, in particular in terms of design.
Well, now British Airways has unveiled their new Club World Lounge at JFK, which can be accessed by oneworld Sapphire and oneworld business class lounges. Given British Airways’ massive presence at JFK, this lounge can get really crowded. Just for context, here’s a review of the lounge before it was renovated.
This is British Airways “flagship” US lounge, and spans 22,000 square feet.
Here’s how British Airways describes the new space:
The new space includes elegant, relaxed seating areas as well as ample work stations with power outlets to maximize time in the office. Other spots include an entertainment room with state-of-the-art entertainment and sound from Sony, and a newly reopened Elemis Spa, offering a range of treatments to help travelers relax and recharge ahead of their journey.
They’re also making some improvements to drinks, especially with cocktails and beer:
There will be a granite topped Quaich Bar, created in partnership with the Quaich bar at the Craigellachie Hotel in Speyside, Scotland. An experienced bartender will be on-hand at peak times to serve a full range of fine wines and cocktails such as the Broadway Copper Cup made with Copper Dog whisky, orange bitters and berries.
An innovative new addition to the lounge is a Brewdog craft beer room in partnership with the brand which recently launched Speedbird 100, a beer designed specifically for British Airways using its flight call sign. The beer is also available on flights from May 1.
As before, the highlight of the lounge is that business class customers can use the pre-flight dining facility, which features a full meal service. I reviewed this space late last year, and I believe that space had already been renovated.
Here are some pictures that British Airways has shared of the new lounge:
Admittedly these aren’t the most inspiring pictures — the furniture looks nice enough, but the lounge also looks bland. However, this is a massive lounge and the old furniture was outdated and worn, so it looks like a significant improvement to me.
Interestingly British Airways has just invested $65 million in Terminal 7 at JFK, though the airline is moving to Terminal 8 at JFK in 2022, so this will only be their lounge for the next few years.
If anyone has the chance to visit British Airways’ new JFK lounge, please report back with your experience!
Interestingly I’m just sat in the same space it’s now a contract lounge using the same area before the entire terminal gets demolished.
Agreed the design direction is similar but it is almost like they were trying to achieve the same look but using cheaper materials and workmanship. There was no premium lighting or art or stonework for example.
@GC2000 I meant...
@JW the design cues actually look very similar to Rome, I would assume the standard is quite similar. The square footage of the JFK lounge is much more but the ceiling heights in that terminal are quite low.
I for one am glad for any improvements - I don’t mind the minimalism as the lounge can get quite busy at peak times - better not to overcrowd the space with furniture/decor. It will never be...
@JW the design cues actually look very similar to Rome, I would assume the standard is quite similar. The square footage of the JFK lounge is much more but the ceiling heights in that terminal are quite low.
I for one am glad for any improvements - I don’t mind the minimalism as the lounge can get quite busy at peak times - better not to overcrowd the space with furniture/decor. It will never be a breathtaking lounge but I applaud BA for (finally) committing (much-needed) investment in the terminal despite only 3 years being left until it’s demolished.
Flying out of there next weekend and look forward to checking out the new F and J lounges.
Sterile and alien like design. Looks like it was designed by a machine. Where is the warmth.
BA being "only as good as it needs to be" while charging insane prices means this market is ready for competition.
Alpha/Paul
JetBlue is going way beyond its existing remit in trying to compete with BA and there is no assurance that it cans cale that way, or even get all the airpot slots it wants in the uK, especially LHR.
So BA is only as good as it needs to be to get great load factors in premium cabins, which it routinely does.
Yeah maybe the service on Emirates or Lufthansa is better, but who...
Alpha/Paul
JetBlue is going way beyond its existing remit in trying to compete with BA and there is no assurance that it cans cale that way, or even get all the airpot slots it wants in the uK, especially LHR.
So BA is only as good as it needs to be to get great load factors in premium cabins, which it routinely does.
Yeah maybe the service on Emirates or Lufthansa is better, but who wants to fly that extra distance and have to change planes when BA takes you right to London. Overall BA is the ebst choice to London and I don't see JetBlue ever competing on thats cale
Looks better than what was there before, but the physical space is outdated, with low ceilings, bad lighting, and BA's lounges at JFK, and Terminal 7 itself, are impossibly crowded at peak times, in the evening. Yes, the terminal will close in 2022 and BA will move to T8, where it will be building out brand new facilities including lounges there.
Curious as to why Qatar doesn't move their morning departure out of JFK to T8. Nearly everyone else in OW has moved over.
Why could they not bring the JFK lounges to the same standard as their lounge in Rome?
https://www.godsavethepoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/british_airways_rome_lounge-4.jpeg
@ Alpha
I’m guessing the threat of JetBlue is what finally prompted BA to revamp its J class seat - and to push to get it fitted across the whole fleet in just 3 years (compared to Qatar, which says it will take 5-8 years to fit the new Y seat throughout its fleet. 8 years?).
BA is an archetypal competitive monster: like all good capitalist outfits, it praises the virtues of competition while...
@ Alpha
I’m guessing the threat of JetBlue is what finally prompted BA to revamp its J class seat - and to push to get it fitted across the whole fleet in just 3 years (compared to Qatar, which says it will take 5-8 years to fit the new Y seat throughout its fleet. 8 years?).
BA is an archetypal competitive monster: like all good capitalist outfits, it praises the virtues of competition while actually seeking to establish a monopoly from which it can squeeze maximum rents at minimum cost (look at the US3 for this behaviour, too).
VS is a no-hoper competitor, as was Norwegian. The US3 are notoriously weak. So BA has had the bulk of that high-volume, J-heavy TATL traffic. Until now.
JetBlue has proved its savvy, and has a large and profitable domestic network from which it can cross-subsidise its TATL flights (unlike poor Norwegian, which was just too weak to battle BA). BA faces a serious fight here, and it needs to respond.
So, a new J seat; a new terminal at JFK; and, in the meantime, upgrades to the existing terminal.
Will these seats be world class? Of course not: they’ll be the minimum-cost changes BA get away with, to protect existing profits and, they hope, to generate more (hence reduction in F and Y seat-count, to provide more space per J seat and, I’d guess, ultimately more J seats).
DITTO: just from the pictures it looks like a Hyatt Place lobby
DITTO: We were shocked that this was the best BA could do.
And stay away from the lounge "next door" run by the little airline that thinks they invented First Class.
Decent lounges at JFK:
AA Flagship Lounge (+Flagship dining)
Etihad Lounge
VA Clubhouse
Alaska Lounge
I really can't wait until JetBlue opens up this route. BA is garbage, this terminal is garbage, and BA's in-flight product is abysmal. It's downright sad flying ex-JFK I can get a better product to SFO than LHR at 1/10th of the price.
This is the first ever J lounge I experienced , over a decade ago and set me off on this crazy points race. Was snowed in at JFK and I made good use of the free flowing liquor. Happy memories
I´ve yet got to see a decent lounge at JFK...
I visited. Not impressed. Limited food options in late-ish afternoon (prior to ANA JFK-HND flight). The F lounge was pretty packed.
Yuck. What a waste!
The walls look clinically bare...
We were there a few weeks ago in the morning before flying Q-Suites. It was terrible. Food, decor, overcrowding—everything. We were shocked that this was the best BA could do.
Lucky, do your readers a favor and provide a link to your review of the new Alaska lounge literally next door that accepts Priority Pass. It was so much nicer in all respects. We regretted the time we spent in the BA lounge and wished...
We were there a few weeks ago in the morning before flying Q-Suites. It was terrible. Food, decor, overcrowding—everything. We were shocked that this was the best BA could do.
Lucky, do your readers a favor and provide a link to your review of the new Alaska lounge literally next door that accepts Priority Pass. It was so much nicer in all respects. We regretted the time we spent in the BA lounge and wished we had known to skip it and go to the Alaska lounge instead.
just from the pictures it looks like a Hyatt Place lobby
Regrettably I'm pretty sure BA could come up with an Emirates-style space and most people would still have something bad to say about it. BA bashing is a pastime of most people here. I'm sure if this was a Qatar lounge Ben would be praising its minimalism.
T7 is what it is. Other than demolishing the whole building (which is happening in the not too distant future) I'm glad for any improvements. I look forward to visiting.
I'm on BA002 in a few weeks. The all business class JFK-LCY flight. Would this be the best lounge to use? I know it's sort of a unique flight, so not sure if they have a different lounge for it also.
Am in the lounge prior flying back to London tonight.
Lounge is a significant improvement on what was here before. That is more due to the old lounge being so bad than the new l being so amazing. It has some interesting ideas such as the cocktail bar and craft beer station. But none of them are delivered with any interesting or innovative design. It feels like a office that has been converted into...
Am in the lounge prior flying back to London tonight.
Lounge is a significant improvement on what was here before. That is more due to the old lounge being so bad than the new l being so amazing. It has some interesting ideas such as the cocktail bar and craft beer station. But none of them are delivered with any interesting or innovative design. It feels like a office that has been converted into a lounge.
That said, the staff are really amazing. And the food is great.
Good to read this. I have a flight on May 9 (start date of my new TP year) and am happy to hear that the Elemis Spa has reopened. Sadly, no TSA Precheck at T7 last time I flew out of there.
Last time I was in T7, the fire alarm would not stop going off. (at 5:30 AM)
I also think the ceilings in my house are higher than in that terminal.
I'm here now. It's a nice space. The bar is good and staff are making a nice effort. I think the FLounge is nice design but not very functional in terms of use of space. The new Galleries Lounge at least seems to best the FLounge on that front. It also has some semblance of natural light. The food is good and there are lockers to store luggage. I actually think the decor is very nice. The colours are simple but it's quite elegant and nice fabrics on the couches.
Sounds like a waste of money. That terminal is slated to be demolished soon.
Was there yesterday and the food options at 645am were so poor, over cooked greasy bacon and sausages, dried out eggs, stale bread. No orange juice etc.
Considering the advances on board i was surprised. One hopes this improves the service at JFK.