Best T3 OneWorld Lounge
 

Flying F on CX tomorrow. Any recommendations on lounges - BA, CX, or other? Taking 1830 flight.

BA First for food generally and alcohol.
CX First for noodles, lagers and view.
AA Flagship for wifi speed and solitude.


See also:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...-f-lounge.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...ge-advice.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...minal-3-a.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...ld-lounge.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...st-lounge.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...ptions-t3.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...l#post22586399
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...ch-lounge.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...e-lounges.html

I think CX has better drinks of you don't drink alcohol. I had a nice raspberry ice tea in there the other day. If you hit the lounge just after a CX flight has boarded, you're likely to have the place to yourself.

AA has the best showers!

I visited all 3 back in November, when I had a rather long layover. AA was the quietest, and the best one to freshen up in. CX was the busiest, though I did like the noodles. (CX had very fancy looking shower areas, but they weren't quite so practical). BA GF in T3 is like a quieter, less tatty version of GF T5.

If you have time, I'd probably suggest going to the CX lounge first, have something a little different, then retire to the BA lounge.

Best T3 OneWorld Lounge
 

The CX lounge gets really busy within 2 hours of their flights, but outside those times it's like a library. The noodles are great, as is the general ambience IMO.

If you have no airline status but hold a BA F ticket, can you still visit all three lounges or just the BA Flounge?

The CX F lounge is my favourite, however it does get quite busy before CX departures...

Keep in mind that AY advises its elites to use the CX F lounge, with Sapphires exceptionally given access as well... Consequently, on a busy day, the coinciding 18:05 departure to HEL can result in a heaving lounge.

Personally, I'd probably check the CX lounge and move to GF if it was too busy for my liking. :p

All plus one guest as per oneworld rules: http://www.oneworld.com/ffp/lounge-access

Are the three lounges mentioned here located in the same area? I'm flying out of T3 tomorrow lunchtime so may take a tour but I only have just over an hour.

Yes they are all nearby in the central departures area: http://maps.heathrow.com/index.php?l...om=14&area=57#

CX is Lounge C, BA is Lounge F and AA is Lounge H. They are in that order left to right as you are facing the gate area.

Thanks. I haven't been in T3 for a very long time!

The terminal has been refurbished quite extensively in the past few years. Everything (with the possible exception of the main departure lounge) is looking a lot brighter, and the new Fast Track is good.

Quick question regarding access to T3 airside. I will be arriving into and leaving from T5 on BA next month and have few hours in transit. Is it possible to visit a friend in T3 airside during the layover?

Yes it is. T1 and T2 check boarding passes, but T3 isn't doing so. You can't use the T3 BA lounge, at least in theory, even as a guest, unless you somehow sweet talk your way in. But you can use the Pay Per Entry lounges, indeed they are now advertised as available in T5 bus Flight Connections.

To do this, after arriving into T5, follow the signs for Flight Connections All Terminals, then in the main hub area Flight Connections T3, which involves an escalator down to the buses. Do not go through T5 Flight Connections first, since it's troublesome to get out of airside. At T5B (not C) there is a direct bus link to T3 down one level from arrivals, one level up from the transits.

For the same reason - and for the benefit of anyone else searching here in the future - you cannot do this if entering T5 from landside, this only works if you are on a connection, and a non Domestic-Domestic one at that.