Arrival lounge in LHR
Nov 17, 2017, 3:56 am
#16
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
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Location: Leeds, UK
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In fact in one part of the lounge eligibility guide I have read it says the guest must be on the same BA operated flight as the GGL - although I am not sure whether that is enforced and you could manage to guest someone on any arriving BA long haul flight.
I don't think any BA/AA TATL flight allows access, just BA operated ones - so if you arrive at T3 on a AA operated TATL I don't think you could use the BA T5 arrival lounge, you would have the AA arrival lounge in T3 anyway.
In terms of BA operated/marketed as @Schwann noted BA operated but non-BA marketed long haul should be fine. The rules just say any BA operated long haul flight and there is no additional requirement for it to be BA marketed as well.
AA and IB equivalents to BA Gold are also allowed access if travelling on BA or AA transatlantic flight.
In terms of BA operated/marketed as @Schwann noted BA operated but non-BA marketed long haul should be fine. The rules just say any BA operated long haul flight and there is no additional requirement for it to be BA marketed as well.
Nov 17, 2017, 5:38 am
#17
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 126
The lounge eligibility guide says "If travelling on BA or AA transatlantic flight" although this is the 2016 version so might be out of date now... but yes you should probably use the AA T3 lounge.. unless you are meeting someone in the T5 one perhaps?
Nov 17, 2017, 5:42 am
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Texas
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Nov 17, 2017, 5:54 am
#19
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
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I think you are right that you would probably be fine anyway as a BA status holder on an AA operated flight, although if arriving on AA operated flight and not connecting to T5 I guess there would be little reason for you to choose the T5 arrival lounge over the AA on in T3 anyway.
American Airlines Executive Platinum card – no guest
When arriving on any AA or BA long haul transatlantic flight.
Iberia Plus Infinita and Iberia Plus Platinum Cards - no guest
When arriving on any AA or BA long haul transatlantic flight.
When arriving on any AA or BA long haul transatlantic flight.
Iberia Plus Infinita and Iberia Plus Platinum Cards - no guest
When arriving on any AA or BA long haul transatlantic flight.
BA Gold Guest List +1 guest
When arriving on any BA operated long haul flight.
Guests must be travelling on the same BA operated flight.
BA Gold card – no guest
When arriving on any BA operated long haul flight.
When arriving on any BA operated long haul flight.
Guests must be travelling on the same BA operated flight.
BA Gold card – no guest
When arriving on any BA operated long haul flight.
Nov 17, 2017, 5:55 am
#20
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BRS
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 4,993
I arrived in AA J at Terminal 3 and used the BA arrivals lounge at Terminal 5, so it's totally fine. I had another flight from T5 and it was quicker to go in there due to the sheer quantity of showers.
Nov 17, 2017, 6:16 am
#21
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
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Thanks. I guessed this may be the case in practice. Oddly the lounge eligibility guide for BA status holders says BA operated flights only.
Nov 17, 2017, 6:22 am
#22
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 732
Is the reverse also true? IE BA J arriving into T5, can you use the AA arrivals in T3?
Nov 17, 2017, 6:27 am
#23
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
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Flying on British Airways, Cathay Pacific or Qantas?
British Airways
You can enter the Arrivals Lounge if you flew on British Airways to LHR on a same-day, long-haul international flight arriving in Terminal 3 and are**:
**Flights must be marketed and operated by British Airways or marketed by American and operated by British Airways.
British Airways
You can enter the Arrivals Lounge if you flew on British Airways to LHR on a same-day, long-haul international flight arriving in Terminal 3 and are**:
- Flying in First or Business Class
- oneworld® EmeraldSM
- British Airways Premier
**Flights must be marketed and operated by British Airways or marketed by American and operated by British Airways.
Nov 17, 2017, 8:31 am
#24
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Newcastle, UK
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 90
Are the showers in the Arrivals lounge better than the ones at the Elemis spa at T5?
I’m usually always connecting through LHR to domestic so never used the arrivals lounge and wondering whether I should try the arrivals lounge for a change.
I’m usually always connecting through LHR to domestic so never used the arrivals lounge and wondering whether I should try the arrivals lounge for a change.
Nov 17, 2017, 10:10 am
#25
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BRS
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 4,993
They're basically the same... and it seems like the corridors of showers at the arrivals lounge are endless - they're not, but there are plenty of them. You might find it's significantly quicker to go to the arrivals lounge instead.
Mar 3, 2018, 6:08 am
#26
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 378
Aa platinum arriving lhr from phl on aa flight
Aa platinum makes me ow sapphire. By my read I’m not eligible for the ba t5 arrivals lounge at all, and only eligible for the aa lounge if I fly business class. Do I have that right? If it matters I also have Aadvantage world elite master card. Thanks
Mar 3, 2018, 6:33 am
#27
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 10,152
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28247202-post2.html
As a sapphire you would only have access to the T3 AA arrivals lounge but only if you were in business (or other criteria as below)
Here are the access rules according to AA.com
Arrivals Lounge
London Heathrow (LHR)
Access
Flying American Airlines?
You can enter the Arrivals Lounge if you flew on American to LHR on a same-day flight and are*:
- Flying in Flagship® First or Flagship® Business
- AAdvantage® Executive Platinum
- AAdvantage® ConciergeKeySM
- oneworld® EmeraldSM
- British Airways Premier
Mar 3, 2018, 7:14 am
#28
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 378
Thanks. Do get another question? If lhr is my final destination am I eligible to use the aa departure lounge if I’m otherwise eligible because of my Aadvantage world elite mc and platinum status? Usually eligibility rules say I have to be departing on an aa/ow flight and I’m not. Thanks
Mar 3, 2018, 7:52 am
#29
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,804
Thanks. Do get another question? If lhr is my final destination am I eligible to use the aa departure lounge if I’m otherwise eligible because of my Aadvantage world elite mc and platinum status? Usually eligibility rules say I have to be departing on an aa/ow flight and I’m not. Thanks
No, because departing and arriving passengers are strictly segregated in the UK (and many other places) and you can only get to Departure airside and their lounges with an onwards boarding card.