To finish off my review trip, I flew British Airways’ A380 first class from London to Chicago. Prior to my flight, I spent most of my time in the British Airways Concorde Room, which is the carrier’s lounge for its own first class passengers.
However, I also checked out the British Airways Galleries First Lounge, which is essentially British Airways’ first class lounge that’s actually compliant with oneworld lounge access policies. That’s to say that the lounge is open to oneworld Emerald members, as well as passengers traveling in first class on oneworld partner airlines.
This lounge is large and nicely furnished, but for all practical purposes, this is more of a business class lounge than a first class lounge. So it’s nice that British Airways has a special lounge for oneworld Emerald members that’s better than the standard business class lounge, but that’s about all I can say. This certainly isn’t among the best oneworld Emerald lounges, and it doesn’t even compete with some of the best business class lounges. Let’s get into the review…
British Airways Galleries First Lounge Heathrow location
If you’re originating at Heathrow Airport, the best way to get to the Galleries First Lounge Terminal 5 is via the First Wing. This is open to anyone with access to the Concorde Room or Galleries First Lounge. Just go to the very right of the check-in hall to the First Wing check-in area (note that this is being closed for a few months in early 2024).
This not only offers a more personalized check-in experience, but also offers a dedicated security checkpoint which lets out right in the Galleries First Lounge, so that’s unbeatable convenience.
If you’re trying to access the Galleries First Lounge from within the airside terminal, just look for the signage for the Galleries South Lounges, and you should find the Galleries First Lounge.
British Airways Galleries First Lounge Heathrow hours
The British Airways Galleries First Lounge is open daily from 5AM until 10PM, covering all British Airways departures from the terminal.
British Airways Galleries First Lounge Heathrow entry requirements
When it comes to accessing the British Airways Galleries First Lounge, this is intended as the oneworld compliant first class lounge. That’s to say that it can be accessed by:
- oneworld Emerald members traveling on any oneworld flight; one guest is allowed
- First class passengers traveling on oneworld partner airlines; one guest is allowed
If you’re traveling in British Airways first class, you’ll want to use the adjacent Concorde Room.
British Airways Galleries First Lounge Heathrow seating & layout
The British Airways Galleries First Lounge is big, especially when you consider that the lounge is primarily for oneworld Emerald members. I guess it reflects how many BA Gold members there are.
In some ways, the Galleries First Lounge feels more modern and fresher than the Concorde Room. The main part of the lounge is in a rectangular shape, with some different seating zones. Just inside the entrance is a champagne bar of sorts, with different kinds of tables each featuring two seats.
When you go deeper into the lounge, you’ll find all kinds of traditional lounge seating arrangements, with chairs and couches in rows facing one another.
The lounge then has a dining area off to the left, which is where the buffet is located, and it’a also where a lot of people end up sitting. This consists of a variety of dining tables, most of which can accommodate two people each.
There’s then another sitting area off to the side, which also contains some high-top seating at a counter with some cool lighting.
There’s also a small play room for kids.
Last but not least, in the very back of the lounge there’s a terrace, sort of similar to what you’ll find in the Concorde Room. This looks out over the terminal, and has several seating options.
Physically I’d say this is quite a nice lounge, as it’s spacious, though it doesn’t have any other exciting amenities that set it apart. Also note that even though the lounge is large, it does get very busy during peak periods.
British Airways Galleries First Lounge Heathrow food & drinks
The British Airways Galleries First Lounge primarily has self-serve food and drinks, so it’s exactly the opposite of the Concorde Room in that regard. For one, the lounge has a couple of coffee and tea stations, also featuring cookies and croissants. There’s no barista coffee in this lounge.
Then there are a couple of self-serve bar areas, with a huge selection of alcohol.
Then there’s the main buffet area, which at breakfast was serving a variety of hot and cold dishes. Cold options included cold cuts, cheese, bread rolls, yogurt, granola, a variety of cereal, fresh fruit, and whole fruit.
Hot options included oatmeal, scrambled eggs, baked beans, sausage, hash browns, mushrooms, etc.
There were also several juice options.
The food selection is the bare minimum I’d expect from a flagship business class lounge, let alone a first class equivalent lounge. Meanwhile the alcohol selection seemed a bit elevated.
British Airways Galleries First Lounge Heathrow bathrooms & showers
The British Airways Galleries First Lounge has bathrooms directly off the lounge, with each bathroom being a private room with a sink and toilet. Just as is the case in the Concorde Room, the floors have at least been updated since my last visit, though this is still far from luxurious.
The lounge then has shower suites that are shared with the Concorde Room, and they’re located just outside the main entrance to the Galleries First Lounge.
The shower suites are functional but not luxurious. They have a toilet, a sink, and a walk-in shower, with toiletries in reusable Elemis containers.
Bottom line
The British Airways Galleries First Lounge is a modern and large space, featuring a pretty good selection of self-serve drinks, and an okay selection of food. The biggest selling point of the lounge is the direct access available through the First Wing.
All things considered, I’d say this lounge is kind of disappointing. I mean, the airline puts the word “First” in the name of the lounge, and it’s specifically intended to be for oneworld Emerald members, who otherwise get access to first class-equivalent lounges.
This is such a far cry from the Qantas First Class Lounge Sydney or Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge Hong Kong. Heck, I’d say this offers a significantly less nice experience than the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse London, which is just a plain old business class lounge.
So I guess it’s nice that British Airways has something sort of better than the business class lounge for its oneworld Emerald members, but is it actually materially better? I don’t know, and I have a hard time getting excited about this lounge, though I’m curious if there’s something I’m missing.
What’s your take on the British Airways Galleries First Lounge?
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