MeemawCheeto

Hi folks, landing in LHR at 6:45 am. Any tips for arrival lounges? No rush to get into London traffic! Flying D1.

The _Banking_Scot

Hi,

Do you have any status or flying business class as that might help determining arrival lounge status?
There is the Virgin Atlantic revivals lounge in T3 but that needs Delta one travel or Diamond status IIRC
Regards
TBS

MeemawCheeto

Yes, can check the box on Diamond and D1.

mridley2

you're all set. The Virgin Revivals lounge is located land side in T3. This lounge is the real deal. menu service, showers, coffee/cocktails. stay as long as you like...

edit to add: Picadilly tube service to central London is great. 30-40 minutes ride from T3 and hell of a lot better than a cab stuck in traffic.

MeemawCheeto

That is very helpful. Thank you. It sounds like a nice spot to catch our breath, sip on a Mimosa, and then grab public transit.

dtwtransport

There’s also the newer Elizabeth line (purple on the Tube map) in addition to the Picadilly line.

(Saying this as a former Picadilly line rider who now loves the fewer stops on the Elizabeth line and the direct connection to Canary Wharf.)

MeemawCheeto

Thank you. The train sounds like a great option.

ty97

Delta Platinum (arriving LHR on a Delta or Virgin flight) also get access.

MeemawCheeto

We will certainly visit this lounge as we are flying D1 and DH is DM. Thank you.

ralph4878

Just stopped into the Virgin Revivals lounge after flying DL32 a few weeks ago. It's a very small space, but the folks working it are lovely and the food & beverage is very solid - avocado toast is all the rage in London these days, and they do a pretty good one; the eggs bene was also nice and the champagne was always nice and chilled. The lounge itself is in the bowels of T3, along with the American arrivals lounge (which is nicer, has more work spaces, and great f&b), and is easy to miss, despite the signage. Worth a pop in for a bite to eat and shower, but don't get your hopes up that it's anything like the Virgin Clubhouse or BA First Lounge. To get into the city, the Elizabeth Line is phenomenal if your accommodation is off it; easy connections to other lines at Paddington if you aren't staying off the E. Piccadilly Line is also an option, but it's much slower, older, and cramped. Heathrow Express really isn't worth the £££s now that the Elizabeth LIne is running and gets to Paddington in only 25-30 minutes.

ralph4878

This is if you're staying west of Zone 1 (like Hammersmith or Barons)...anything in Zone 1 (Central London) is going to be longer than 40 minutes - Covent Garden is almost an hour without any delays!

southlondonphil

Which is the best public transport route depends on where exactly in London you are heading to.

Elizabeth Line is better for Paddington, Marylebone, Fitzrovia and Bloomsbury (the areas North of Oxford Street), Clerkenwell Farringdon, the City of London Business District and further East to Stratford and Canary Wharf, whereas the Picadilly, albeit slower, is better for Earls Court, Kensington, Belgravia, Kings Cross and (with a cross-platform change to District Line at Hammersmith or Barons Court) Victoria, Westminster, and the Northern embankment of the Thames as far as the Tower of London (although for locations around the Tower it'd be quicker to get the Lizzie to Whitechapel and backtrack on the District!). Mayfair and Soho/West End are located between the two lines so either line works.

If OP posts their intended final destination, the forum will certainly be able to offer specific routing recommendations

GrizNation

I’m flying on the last JFK-LHR of the day (VS10) schedule to get in at 12.15pm so unfortunately won’t make it to Revivals lounge. Are there any other arrivals option?
I’m hoping they release more award availability on the earlier flights closer to departure (4/10) since most VS/DL flights that night seem to have plenty of seats in J. Any experience with DL/VS doing so as we approach departure?

tennessetom

If you are planning to use public transportation make sure to check the strike schedule a bunch of new dates were just announced

MeemawCheeto

We will be staying in Westminster. Thank you so much for the guidance.