First Class Lounge Options LHR
Jul 11, 2019, 4:23 am
#31
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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If you are starting your trip via landside T5 then it's near impossible to go to Cathay, at least in a smooth way. You can't enter T3 directly with a T5 boarding pass, and it's a lot of hassle from inside T5. If you are connecting airside from another service then it's more plausible using the flight connection bus system, though you are not guaranteed access to Cathay due to overcrowding issues. Basically it's just not worth it, and CCR is better than Cathay anyway.
Jul 11, 2019, 4:25 am
#32
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Posts: 63,736
It’s near impossible to get from T5 to T3 once you’re airside. Due to how the terminal is set up you’d need to be escorted by someone from HAL (who only arrives on the hour, every hour.) then you’ll have to go through immigration etc and THEN you can get on the bus/train to T3. It’s probably not worth it.
Jul 11, 2019, 4:29 am
#33
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: BA, Hilton
Posts: 2,091
But even if you transfer to T3 before going airside at T5, it does seem a lot of hassle - e.g. you'll have the transit bus, another security check - just to check out a lounge they may refuse entry to (Nice though both Cathay J and F are) Spending unnecessary time on buses and security queues does seem a bit at odds with being as productive as possible, and the whole BA F transit experience on those buses is pretty far from 'premium'. And of course, even if you go through the effort, you could well arrive at the CX F lounge in T3 to find this
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=30926397&postcount=697
(No, I wasn't one of those reprobates!
)
Jul 11, 2019, 4:53 am
#35
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: BA, Hilton
Posts: 2,091
They do list their status as AA Plat Pro, I don't know the AA system but Google tells me that is OneWorld Sapphire, so I'd assume they must indeed be flying F since OWS would only grant access to Club lounges
Jul 11, 2019, 4:57 am
#36
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 686
Ah, I see what you mean - they may not realise the CCR is not a OneWorld lounge and so access is only to BA F passengers/CCR cardholders?
They do list their status as AA Plat Pro, I don't know the AA system but Google tells me that is OneWorld Sapphire, so I'd assume they must indeed be flying F since OWS would only grant access to Club lounges
They do list their status as AA Plat Pro, I don't know the AA system but Google tells me that is OneWorld Sapphire, so I'd assume they must indeed be flying F since OWS would only grant access to Club lounges
Jul 11, 2019, 5:00 am
#37
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: BA, Hilton
Posts: 2,091
Your question certainly makes sense in that case, hopefully the OP will revert back to clear up.
Jul 11, 2019, 5:01 am
#38
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Ann Arbor | Barcelona
Programs: Delta Gold Medallion, AAdvantage Platinum Pro | United Premier Platinum
Posts: 78
I am flying in F on BA. I have One World Sapphire with American Airlines. Never was Emerald.
Jul 11, 2019, 5:05 am
#39
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 686
My mistake so thought you had mentioned emerald previously. It would be an easy assumption to make holding emerald status and assuming access to first class lounges like CCR when flying any cabin is the only reason I asked.
Jul 11, 2019, 6:35 am
#40
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Ann Arbor | Barcelona
Programs: Delta Gold Medallion, AAdvantage Platinum Pro | United Premier Platinum
Posts: 78
Jul 11, 2019, 11:23 pm
#42
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Arizona
Programs: BA (GGL G4L), AA (Gold), HH (Diamond); Marriott (Gold)
Posts: 3,011
If the goal is to get work done at T5, I would answer this question a bit differently. In general I find the T5 lounges a bit challenging to work from in the summer as they’re often quite warm and crowded, so I’d probably look at other options if I had a longer layover and was looking to be productive.
My first choice at T5 would be to recommend the airside Regus area. It’s not free unless you are a Regus member, but it offers a guarantee of actually having a space to work compared to lounges which are more prone to crowding. https://www.regus.co.uk/offices/unit...-regus-express (they also have T2 and T3 locations).
Another option would be to get a day room at the Sofitel T5 and work from the room, or perhaps just work from the hotel lobby as I think the Wi-Fi in the lobby might be free but I don’t recall.
The best airside lounge option is the boardroom in the CCR when it’s empty. Or a cabana if one is available, though it’s not the most ergonomic desk area. And there’s the business area of the F lounge which can be pleasant when not too busy.
My first choice at T5 would be to recommend the airside Regus area. It’s not free unless you are a Regus member, but it offers a guarantee of actually having a space to work compared to lounges which are more prone to crowding. https://www.regus.co.uk/offices/unit...-regus-express (they also have T2 and T3 locations).
Another option would be to get a day room at the Sofitel T5 and work from the room, or perhaps just work from the hotel lobby as I think the Wi-Fi in the lobby might be free but I don’t recall.
The best airside lounge option is the boardroom in the CCR when it’s empty. Or a cabana if one is available, though it’s not the most ergonomic desk area. And there’s the business area of the F lounge which can be pleasant when not too busy.
Jul 14, 2019, 6:52 pm
#43
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Denver
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 11
I have a similar situation as what started this thread, but in reverse. My wife and I will be flying BA first class from Denver to Heathrow in October. I was very excited, initially, to visit the Concorde Room and even emailed the BA first concierge to see about booking a day bed/lounge room. I was very disappointed that they responded this would not be possible, since the Denver flight arrives/departs from T3. I had not considered that possibility, and have been trying to figure out a clever way to still make our way over to the CCR. Reading through this thread, it seems like it is "physically possible", but so much hassle it is not worth the trouble?
At any rate, it seems like we will be just as happy (if not happier) with the Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge in T3. Is that our best bet for T3? Anything else worth checking out? Any new secret underground tunnels to T5 that will open before October haha?
At any rate, it seems like we will be just as happy (if not happier) with the Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge in T3. Is that our best bet for T3? Anything else worth checking out? Any new secret underground tunnels to T5 that will open before October haha?
Jul 14, 2019, 8:31 pm
#44
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Krakow
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You will not get airside at T5 without a boarding pass for a flight departing from T5.
Note that it is easier (not saying its easy) to get into T3 with a T5 boarding pass.
Note that it is easier (not saying its easy) to get into T3 with a T5 boarding pass.
Last edited by scottishpoet; Jul 14, 2019 at 8:36 pm
Jul 14, 2019, 8:56 pm
#45
Join Date: Jul 2007
Programs: BAEC OW Gold/Emerald
Posts: 538
I'll be flying out of T5 at LHR late next week and will be at the airport for nearly 7 hours. Of course, I could just go to the Concord Room, but I've heard mixed reviews. Are there any other One World First Class lounges I should check out at the airport? Am I able to go from T3 to T5 airside?
After an hour or so, go to Concord Room.
You will appreciate and enjoy it even more than you could ever imagine.