BA lounge access guidelines
 

https://prospelicious.com/wp-content.../LAG_title.png

i Preface
Firstly, we'd like to extend a warm welcome to our new members. We've created this short guide with you in mind which we hope covers all the basics you need to know about where and when you can enjoy the spoils of lounge access whenever you are travelling on BA and/or a oneworld partner airline. This guide has been rewritten so that it captures the conditions relating to the relatively new Concorde Bar, Concorde Dining facilities, as well as addressing some of the frequently asked questions not covered by the previous guide, such as access to BA lounges when travelling with Aer Lingus or Vueling. The previous guide (now archived) can be found here: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...uidelines.html

In this guide, the conditions by which lounge access is given are divided into two main categories: 1) access qualified by status, and 2) access qualified by class of travel. One final note before we move on the detailed sections, while there many airport lounges that do offer an option to purchase access, including many third party lounges where BA has a contractual arrangement, none of BA’s own lounges offer this option - there is no way to buy yourself into a BA lounge.


ii Contents
Lounge access overview
Access qualified by status
Access qualified by class of travel
Lounge database


iii Change log
The following changes have been incorporated to this iteration of the BA lounge access guidelines thread

• removed reference to Business UK tickets
• added notes to post 3 re. Gold/GGL access on BA marketed/non-oneworld operated flights
• updated Bronze card images
• updated chart in posts 2
• updated diagrams in post 4
• updated GGL guest benefits in posts 2 and 3

Lounge access overview
 

https://prospelicious.com/wp-content...s_2020.001.png
https://prospelicious.com/wp-content...s_2020.002.png
https://prospelicious.com/wp-content...s_2020.003.png
https://prospelicious.com/wp-content...s_2020.004.png
https://prospelicious.com/wp-content...s_2020.005.png
https://prospelicious.com/wp-content...s_2020.006.png


Age restrictions
There are minimum age restrictions in place at BA owned lounges. You need to be aged 18 or above to enter unless accompanied by an adult with eligibility in their own right, as self-service alcohol is available. However, unaccompanied minors from the age of 12 years old are permitted access into Concorde Rooms and also the LHR Concorde Arrivals lounge providing they are eligible. This is due to the fact that alcohol is not self service.

Lounge access when travelling on redemption tickets
When travelling on a redemption ticket, the lounge access rules apply (whether it be based on FFP status or class of service) as they normally do when travelling on a ticket paid with cash.

Lounge access and operational upgrades
If you're fortunate enough to receive an operational upgrade at the airport, BA typically allows you to use the lounge matching the upgraded class of travel. So, when you find yourself as the lucky recipient of an op-up from Club World to First, first pat yourself on the back, then find a friend, then immerse yourselves in the splendour of the Concorde Room :)


Lounge access overview | Access qualified by status | Access qualified by class of travel | Lounge database

Access qualified by status
 

Summary

When travelling on a oneworld marketed and operated flight:
BA Gold (oneworld Emerald)
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-F...lub_178x70.jpg
Members (plus one guest) have access to all available and accessible oneworld first and business class departure lounges

BA Silver (oneworld Sapphire)
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-5...lub_178x70.jpg
Members (plus one guest) have access to all available and accessible oneworld business class departure lounges

BA Bronze (oneworld Ruby) and BA Blue
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-o...Bronze.001.png https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9...lub_178x70.jpg
Members are not granted access according to their tier but may still have access to departure lounges depending on their class of travel that day.


Taken from the oneworld website: Emerald or Sapphire level top-tier members of oneworld airlines' frequent flyer programmes have access to almost 550 departure lounges across the globe, no matter which oneworld airline you are flying. In all cases, lounge access eligibility is based on:
Departing carrier - you must be flying on your next onward segment, on the same day, on a flight marketed and operated by a oneworld member airline,

AND

Frequent flyer tier status - you must present a current frequent flyer card equivalent to oneworld Emerald or Sapphire status,

OR

Class of travel (see below) - you must produce a First or Business Class boarding pass for the journey's international segment on the same day.


Guesting privileges qualified by status
With regard to oneworld lounges, once again the guesting rules are relatively straight forward.
BA Gold (oneworld Emerald)
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-F...lub_178x70.jpg
Members may invite one guest into a oneworld first class or business class lounge. Both the member and guest must be travelling on a oneworld operated and marketed flight, though not necessarily on the same flight or same carrier.

BA Silver (oneworld Sapphire)
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-5...lub_178x70.jpg
Members may invite one guest into a oneworld business class lounge. Both the member and guest must be travelling on a oneworld operated and marketed flight, though not necessarily on the same flight or same carrier.


When it comes to the extra provisions BA offers its own customers at its own lounges, the rules differ slightly from the standard set of oneworld rules
BA Gold Guest List members
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Z...60/BAECGGL.jpg

• BA Concorde Room and Concorde Bar:
  Member flying BA First plus two guests.
• BA owned First lounge:
  Member plus two guests when travelling separately on different BA or oneworld flights irrespective of class of service
  Member plus five guests when travelling together on the same BA flight (subject to capacity controls)
  Member plus one guest when travelling on oneworld marketed/operated flights other than BA
  While not guaranteed, access may also be granted when travelling on a BA marketed/non-oneworld operated flight such as BA codeshares on Vueling or Aer Lingus (subject to capacity controls/local arrangements). Ticket must have 125 e-ticket number. One guest only and must
  be travelling on the same flight
• BA owned Club lounge:
  Member plus two guests when travelling separately on different BA or oneworld flights irrespective of class of service
  Member plus five guests when travelling together on the same BA flight
  While not guaranteed, access may also be granted when travelling on a BA marketed/non-oneworld operated flight such as BA codeshares on Vueling or Aer Lingus (subject to capacity controls/local arrangements). Ticket must have 125 e-ticket number. Guest must be travelling on the same flight
• BA Departure Spa treatments:
  Member has access when flying BA long haul. No guestsl
• BA First pre-flight dining:
  Member flying BA First plus two guests
• BA Club pre-flight dining:
  Member flying BA Club World plus two guests
• BA Arrivals lounge:
  Member plus one guest (both flying BA long haul)

Concorde Room Card holders
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Y...R_Card.007.jpg

• BA Concorde Room (at LHR T5 and JFK):
  When travelling on any BA or oneworld operated flight. One guest. Guest must be travelling on a BA flight
• BA Arrivals lounge:
  Once access into arrivals lounge has been granted by class of travel or status, Concorde Room cardholders have access to the inner Concorde Breakfast Room with a guest. The Concorde Room card in isolation does not grant arrivals lounge access.

BA Gold members
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-F...lub_178x70.jpg

• BA Concorde Room and Concorde Bar:
  No access by virtue of status but may be afforded access qualified by class of service
• BA owned First lounge:
  Standard oneworld rules apply
  While not guaranteed, access may also be granted when travelling on a BA marketed/non-oneworld operated flight such as BA codeshares on Vueling or Aer Lingus (subject to capacity controls/local arrangements). Ticket must have 125 e-ticket number. Guest must be travelling on the same flight
• BA owned Club lounge:
  Standard oneworld rules apply
  While not guaranteed, access may also be granted when travelling on a BA marketed/non-oneworld operated flight such as BA codeshares on Vueling or Aer Lingus (subject to capacity controls/local arrangements). Ticket must have 125 e-ticket number. Guest must be travelling on the same flight
• BA Departure Spa treatments:
  Member has access when flying BA long haul. No guests
• BA First pre-flight dining:
  Member has access when flying BA First. No guests
• BA Club pre-flight dining:
  Member has access when flying BA First or Club World. No guests
• BA Arrivals lounge:
  Member has access when flying BA long haul and further access to the inner Concorde Room when flying BA First. No guests

BA Silver members
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-5...lub_178x70.jpg

• BA Concorde Room and Concorde Bar:
  No access by virtue of status but may be afforded access qualified by class of service
• BA owned First lounge:
  No access by virtue of status but may be afforded access qualified by class of service
• BA owned Club lounge:
  Standard oneworld rules apply
• BA Departure Spa treatments:
  Member has access when flying BA First or Club World. No guests
• BA First pre-flight dining:
  Member has access when flying BA First. No guests
• BA Club pre-flight dining:
  Member has access when flying BA First or Club World. No guests
• BA Arrivals lounge:
  Member has access when flying BA Club World or First and further access to the inner Concorde Room when flying BA First. No guests

BA Bronze and Blue members
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-o...Bronze.001.png https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9...lub_178x70.jpg

• BA Concorde Room and Concorde Bar:
  No access by virtue of status but may be afforded access qualified by class of service
• BA owned First lounge:
  No access by virtue of status but may be afforded access qualified by class of service
• BA owned Club lounge:
  No access by virtue of status but may be afforded access qualified by class of service
• BA Departure Spa treatments:
  Member has access when flying BA First or Club World. No guests
• BA First pre-flight dining:
  Member has access when flying BA First. No guests
• BA Club pre-flight dining:
  Member has access when flying BA First or Club World. No guests
• BA Arrivals lounge:
  Member has access when flying BA Club World or First and further access to the inner Concorde Room when flying BA First. No guests

Lounge access overview | Access qualified by status | Access qualified by class of travel | Lounge database

Access qualified by class of travel
 

oneworld rules relating to lounge access when travelling in mixed cabins, whilst generous, are slightly more onerous than BA's, in that when travelling short haul in economy on a flight marketed and operated by a oneworld member airline, lounge access is granted on the condition your same day connecting flight is/was long haul, premium cabin, marketed and operated by a oneworld member airline. BA for example will permit lounge access to passengers without status, travelling in Euro Traveller connecting to/from a Club Europe flight.

In practice the same day connection requirement is loosely applied. For example lounge access may be granted when connecting from an overnight flight. The general acceptance is so long as your departing flight occurs on the same day as your previous flight arrived you will be granted access during your transit.

Passengers arriving into LHR having flown in First Class with an onward connection on BA at T5 may use the Concorde Room providing:

• The incoming flight was operated by BA. This excludes BA codeshare on another oneworld partner metal
• And/or, the departing flight is operated by BA and the class of travel is First

Lounge access during transit when transferring from one class of service to another - the basic premise seems to be the most substantial part of the journey guides the transit access. Here are a few scenarios describing the rules in play:


Scenario 1
Transit from a non-qualifying long haul flight to a qualifying short haul flight
https://prospelicious.com/wp-content...enario.001.png

Scenario 2
Transit from a qualifying short haul flight to a non-qualifying long haul flight
https://prospelicious.com/wp-content...enario.002.png

Scenario 3
Transit from a short haul flight in Club Europe to another short haul flight in Euro Traveller. Note, this applies only to BA to BA transfers
https://prospelicious.com/wp-content...enario.003.png

Scenario 4
Transit from a non-qualifying short haul flight to a qualifying long haul flight
https://prospelicious.com/wp-content...enario.004.png

Scenario 5
Transit from a short haul flight in CE or ET to a qualifying long haul flight in First
https://prospelicious.com/wp-content...enario.005.png

Scenario 6
Transit from a long haul flight in First to a qualifying short haul flight in CE or ET
https://prospelicious.com/wp-content...enario.006.png


Guesting privileges qualified by class of travel
With regard to oneworld lounges, the guesting rules are relatively straight forward.
Travelling first class
The ticket holder may invite one guest into a oneworld first class or business class lounge. Both the first class ticket holder and guest must be travelling on a oneworld operated and marketed flight, though not necessarily on the same flight or same carrier.

Travelling business class
No guests


When it comes to the extra provisions BA offers its own customers at its own lounges, the rules are slightly more complicated. Again, listed below are the qualifications by class of travel (which may be trumped by your status)BA First ticket holders

• BA Concorde Room:
  Ticket holder and one guest. Both must be flying BA
• BA Concorde Bar:
  Ticket holder and one guest. Both must be flying BA
• BA owned First lounge:
  Ticket holder and one guest. Both the ticket holder and guest must be travelling on a oneworld operated and marketed flight, though not necessarily on the same flight or same carrier.
• BA owned Club lounge:
  Ticket holder and one guest. Both the ticket holder and guest must be travelling on a oneworld operated and marketed flight, though not necessarily on the same flight or same carrier.
• BA Departure Spa treatments:
  Ticket holder has access. No guests
• BA First pre-flight dining:
  Ticket holder has access. No guests
• BA Club pre-flight dining:
  Ticket holder has access. No guests
• BA Arrivals lounge:
  Ticket holder has access to the Arrivals lounge and inner Concorde Room. No guests

Club World ticket holders

• BA Concorde Room:
  No access
• BA Concorde Bar:
  No access
• BA owned First lounge:
  No access
• BA owned Club lounge:
  Ticket holder has access. No guests
• BA Departure Spa treatments:
  Ticket holder has access. No guests
• BA First pre-flight dining:
  No access
• BA Pre-flight Club dining:
  Ticket holder has access. No guests
• BA Arrivals lounge:
  Ticket holder has access to the lounge. No access to the inner Concorde Room. No guests

Club Europe ticket holders

• BA Concorde Room:
  No access
• BA Concorde Bar:
  No access
• BA owned First lounge:
  No access
• BA owned Club lounge:
  Ticket holder has access. No guests
• BA Departure Spa treatments:
  No access
• BA First pre-flight dining:
  No access
• BA Club pre-flight dining:
  No access
• BA Arrivals lounge:
  No access

Lounge access overview | Access qualified by status | Access qualified by class of travel | Lounge database

Lounge database
 

Were travelling euro traveller (MAN - LHR), connecting to another flight at Heathrow flying to Seattle in Club World on the same day, through tix. When I made the booking BA booking agent said we wouldn't get lounge access at Manchester (although we get CW luggage allowance on both flights). Scenario 4, appears to suggest we should be able to access the lounge at Man. It's a good few years since I flew BA and on that occasion we secured lounge access although we were sat on row 1 or 2 within the curtained area, so maybe had a different domestic ticket. I don't want to be turned away but will make use of the lounge, if available? Has anyone flown Euro traveller from Man changing to a CW booking at Heathrow recently?

Thank you Prospero. This is very helpful!

It appears you will be in Club Europe on your MAN-LHR flight and therefore entilted tonlounge access. Even if you were seated in the ET cabin you would be entitled to lounge access on the basis of your onward CW flight.

Great post, thank you.

I was flying BA F from DXB as GGL/CCR card, last month. Two of my team travelling in J. Only allowed to take one into Concorde Bar. Clearly poor knowledge of rules there.

Is there anywhere on BA website I could point to in future?

Thanks, I thought/hoped so but always helpful to check with fellow travellers.

great resource - thank you as always.

2 comments:

1. is this correct?

BA Gold Guest List members

BA Concorde Room and Concorde Bar:
Member flying BA First plus two guests.

2. though not suggesting a 'negative' is better than a 'positive' the first table sort of says that everyone at every status level has access to CCR, First Galleries etc etc etc IF they travel in F. just wondering if the first table that has categories by status could / should be changed to be a bit more conditional as otherwise, it might confuse newcomers?

thank you again though for putting together - as with all the others, very useful.

Is this correct:

BA Concorde Dining (at BOS and IAD):

• Once access into the lounge has been granted by class of travel or status, Concorde Room cardholders have access to the inner Concorde Dining Room with a guest. The Concorde Room card in isolation does not grant lounge access.

When I was in the BOS lounge last month I was denied Concorde Dining as I was not in F (just Club with CCR card).

Great updated guide that reflects the current arrangements; thank you.

Chris1979 Point one is definitely correct in that GGL status holders travelling in First have access to CCR and CCR bars with two guests. Guests must be travelling on a BA flight however.

On point two I totally see where you are coming from with possible confusion but that's just the way it is as per the guide I believe.

Yes, rightly or wrongly, BOS doesn't allow this, whereas IAD does.

So, just to confirm I understand scenario 5 correctly:

I booked a GLA-LHR-BOS redemption last year, in F, long before CE was introduced in domestic connections. I couldn't upgrade the GLA-LHR leg to CE, once introduced.
In time gone by, my F flight to BOS would have got me in to the GLA lounge, so this will still be the case ? irrespective of my ET domestic flight ?

I thought it would anyway, but wanted to head off any disappointment in GLA.
We do have four hours in the CCR to look forward to though.......... :)