Heathrow Lounges 2026: Every Lounge by Terminal and Price

Heathrow has about 40 lounges open across Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5: 35 departure lounges after security and 5 arrivals lounges, and 10 of them sell entry to anyone. The lounge you can use depends on the terminal your flight leaves from and on your ticket, airline status, card, lounge membership or a paid pass.

Lounge lists, opening hours and prices were checked in November 2026 against heathrow.com, the airlines, American Express, Priority Pass, No1 Lounges and Plaza Premium Group. I have used three of these lounges myself: Galleries Club South in Terminal 5 on a British Airways Club Europe ticket in March 2025, and the No1 Lounge in Terminal 3 and the Plaza Premium Lounge in Terminal 2 as paid bookings in October 2025 and April 2026.

How to Find an Airport Lounge at Heathrow?

Find a Heathrow lounge by your departure terminal first, then by your access route, and follow the lounge signs after security. Every departure lounge sits airside in Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5, so you can reach only the lounges in the terminal your flight leaves from. Terminal 1 has been closed since 2015, so no lounge exists there.

Heathrow’s terminal maps on heathrow.com pin each lounge, and the terminals sign lounges by area, such as Lounge A1 for Lufthansa in Terminal 2, Lounge F for the No1 Lounge in Terminal 3 and Zone H for the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse.

Galleries Club South was the easiest of my three lounges to find, because the South Lounges signs were clear, and I reached the entrance on Level 4 about seven minutes after security. The No1 Lounge in Terminal 3 took me about ten minutes: I followed the signs towards Lounge F and gates 13 to 22, then went upstairs. Plaza Premium in Terminal 2 was roughly a six-minute walk from security, on Level 4 near the terminal transfer area. None of the three visits needed a train or bus to a satellite.

Who Runs the Lounges at Heathrow, and What Is a Contract Lounge?

Airlines, two independent lounge companies and American Express run Heathrow’s lounges, and a contract lounge is one of their rooms that another airline pays to use for its own passengers. Airline clubs admit the airline’s first and business passengers, frequent flyers and alliance partners. Pay-in lounges sell entry to anyone and accept memberships such as Priority Pass: No1 Lounges runs 5 at Heathrow and Plaza Premium Group runs 5. oneworld has no lounge of its own, so its passengers use the member airlines’ clubs.

A contract lounge’s host sets the opening hours, while the paying airline decides which tickets get in. Air India has no Heathrow lounge and sends its first and business passengers to the Air Canada, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines or United lounge in Terminal 2. Virgin Atlantic sends SkyTeam elites flying Virgin in economy to the No1 Lounge in Terminal 3, and Etihad passengers use other Terminal 4 lounges while the Etihad lounge is closed.

Are Heathrow Lounges After Security, and Is the Departure Lounge a Club Lounge?

Yes, every departure lounge at Heathrow is after security, but the “departure lounge” itself is the public area after security, not a club lounge. Heathrow describes it as the place to “enjoy great food, browse the shops or simply relax before your flight”, open to every passenger with a boarding pass. A club lounge is a separate room that needs a qualifying ticket, status, card, membership or paid entry.

The landside exceptions are the 5 arrivals lounges, after customs, and The Lounge by DiamondAir, off the airport in Hounslow. Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class Wing in Terminal 3 is before security, but it is a private check-in and security channel, not a lounge.

How to Use a Heathrow Lounge When Changing Terminals or Gates, and How Much Time Do You Need?

Use a lounge in the terminal your next flight leaves from, after the free shuttle bus and a second security check, and count your lounge time as whatever is left after your airline’s minimum connection time, the transfer, security and the walk to the gate. Heathrow publishes no minimum time for a lounge visit, so a connection that only just covers the minimum connection time has no lounge time in it.

The shuttle bus between terminals runs every 10 minutes, and every connecting passenger goes through security again. A self-connection on two tickets adds passport control, collecting bags and checking in again before any lounge. Without an onward boarding pass, clear security on your itinerary and collect the pass from your airline’s desk before the lounge.

You can walk from Terminal 5A to the Galleries Club in 5B by transit train or moving walkway in about 20 minutes, but Terminal 5C has no lounge at all. British Airways tells passengers flying from 5C to use a lounge in 5A or 5B and leave it at least 40 minutes before departure.

How Many Lounges Are There at Heathrow?

Heathrow has about 40 lounges open in November 2026: 35 departure lounges across Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5 and 5 arrivals lounges, and 10 of them sell entry to anyone. The count takes each separately run room once and counts only lounges open on 10 November 2026.

Other guides quote 44 lounges because they add United Global Services, the Singapore Airlines first-class section, the closed Etihad lounge and The Windsor private suite. The remote Lounge by DiamondAir, opened on 1 October 2026 on the top floor of World Business Centre 3, Newall Road, Hounslow, overlooking Terminal 2 and the northern runway. The DiamondAir lounge sits outside the count, because its guests are driven to the airport and escorted through fast-track security.

What Lounges Are in Heathrow Terminal 2?

Terminal 2 has 8 departure lounges: the clubs of United, Lufthansa (Business and Senator), Singapore Airlines, Air Canada and Aer Lingus, plus the No1 Lounge and Plaza Premium, which anyone can pay to enter. Most of Terminal 2’s airline lounges belong to Star Alliance airlines and admit Star Alliance business and first passengers and Gold members.

The United Club is the room most American travellers ask about. It admits on the cabin or Star Alliance Gold status, so a United Premium Plus ticket on its own does not open it. The cabin guides for Lufthansa premium economy and Singapore Airlines premium economy cover what those seats include.

What Lounges Are in Heathrow Terminal 3?

Terminal 3 has 13 departure lounges, more than any other terminal: British Airways, American, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, Emirates, the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, the Amex Centurion Lounge, and three pay-in rooms run by No1 Lounges, which gives Terminal 3 the widest mix of access routes.

The Centurion Lounge and “the Amex lounge” at Heathrow are the same room. My Lounge took over the former Club Aspire space in Terminal 3 in July 2025, so a Club Aspire listing for Terminal 3 is out of date.

The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse admits Upper Class and Delta One passengers by cabin, but not Virgin’s premium economy cabin. Passengers in Virgin Atlantic Premium and Delta Premium Select need status or another route to get in. The cabins below business on Terminal 3’s long-haul airlines are covered in the Cathay Pacific premium economy review, the Qantas premium economy guide and the Emirates premium economy guide.

What Lounges Are in Heathrow Terminal 4?

Terminal 4 has 7 open departure lounges: Air France (new in July 2026), Qatar Airways (2), Gulf Air, Saudia, and Plaza Premium Group’s two pay-in rooms, Plaza Premium and Blush. The Etihad lounge has been closed for renovation since 1 September 2026, although heathrow.com still lists it, and the SkyTeam lounge in older guides no longer exists: its space went to Plaza Premium and Saudia.

The Air France lounge has a Clarins treatment room open Monday to Friday from 13 July 2026 and a private La Première area of 5 seats. Air France’s cabin below business is covered in the Air France premium economy guide, and KLM’s in the KLM Premium Comfort guide.

What Lounges Are in Heathrow Terminal 5?

Terminal 5 has 7 departure lounges: 5 British Airways lounges in 5A and 5B, plus two pay-in rooms, Plaza Premium and Club Aspire. Terminal 5C has no lounge, so passengers flying from C gates use the lounges in 5A or 5B.

Club Aspire in Terminal 5 closes on 16 November 2026 and reopens as a No1 Lounge in spring 2027 (Priority Pass lists it closed until 30 April 2027). No1 Lounges plans the new room as a flagship No1 Lounge of 435 to 557 m2 (4,682 to 5,996 sq ft) with 139 to 152 seats. Club Aspire bookings for dates during the closure get a credit or a full refund. Over the winter, Plaza Premium is the only Terminal 5 lounge that sells entry.

American Express lists a Centurion Lounge for Terminal 5 as expected to open in 2028. The Windsor by Heathrow, formerly Heathrow VIP, at the south end of Terminal 5, is a private paid suite with its own processing, not a lounge.

Where Are the BA Lounges at Heathrow?

British Airways has 7 departure lounges at Heathrow: 5 in Terminal 5 (Galleries First, the Concorde Room and Galleries Club South, North and 5B) and 2 in Terminal 3’s Zone F, plus an arrivals lounge on the first floor of Terminal 5A, landside. British Airways calls its business lounges Galleries Club and its First lounges Galleries First, and reviewers often shorten them to “Club Lounge South” and similar.

The Concorde Room, with waiter service and an à la carte menu, admits only First passengers and British Airways’ top Gold tier. British Airways’ frequent flyer programme is now The British Airways Club, so “Executive Club” in older guides means the same thing. World Traveller Plus is not on British Airways’ lounge list, which the British Airways World Traveller Plus guide covers in full.

Where Are the Pay-In Lounges at Heathrow?

Heathrow’s 10 pay-in lounges are run by No1 Lounges (No1 in Terminals 2 and 3, Clubrooms and My Lounge in Terminal 3, Club Aspire in Terminal 5) and Plaza Premium Group (Plaza Premium in Terminals 2, 4 and 5, Blush in Terminal 4, and Plaza Premium Arrivals in Terminal 3). Every terminal has at least one, and Terminal 3 has four.

Clubrooms offers table service and admits no under-12s, Blush serves a kosher buffet, and Plaza Premium Arrivals in Terminal 3 is landside near the taxi ranks.

Where Can You Smoke at Heathrow?

You cannot smoke or vape anywhere after security at Heathrow, lounges included, and the only places to smoke are the marked outdoor smoking areas outside the terminals. Heathrow calls itself a smoke-free airport in line with UK law, and its smoking page says: “After security, smoking and vaping are not allowed anywhere.”

No “Terminal 5 smoking lounge” exists, despite older guides. A connecting smoker would have to clear passport control, leave the terminal and go through security again.

Where Are the Arrivals Lounges at Heathrow?

Heathrow has 5 arrivals lounges, all landside after customs: British Airways in Terminal 5, American Airlines, Virgin Revivals and Plaza Premium in Terminal 3, and United in Terminal 2. An arrivals lounge lets eligible passengers shower and eat after a long-haul landing.

The 5 arrivals lounges are listed below, with who each one admits.

• British Airways Arrivals Lounge (Terminal 5): British Airways First and Club World arrivals, Club Gold on British Airways long-haul, and American Airlines Emerald members on British Airways or American long-haul, from 05:00 to 14:00, with showers and a full English breakfast until 12:00.
• American Airlines Arrivals Lounge (Terminal 3): British Airways First and Club World arrivals, Club Gold on British Airways long-haul, American business and first, and Concierge Key members on American long-haul, in the morning until 14:00.
• Virgin Revivals (Terminal 3): Upper Class arrivals, Flying Club Gold members on Virgin or Delta, and Delta Diamond and Platinum Medallion members arriving from the US, from 05:00 to 12:30, with showers and a pressing service.
• Plaza Premium Arrivals (Terminal 3): anyone with same-day travel who pays or holds Priority Pass, from 06:00 to 14:00; reopened in September 2025.
• United arrivals lounge (Terminal 2): United Polaris and business arrivals and Air Canada business arrivals, from 06:00 to 14:00, but not other Star Alliance Gold members.

The British Airways and American arrivals lounges take no guests. I have not used an arrivals lounge at Heathrow, although I considered the British Airways Galleries Arrivals Lounge after a long-haul flight.

How to Get Lounge Access at Heathrow?

You get into a Heathrow lounge with a first or business ticket, airline or alliance status, a lounge membership such as Priority Pass, an eligible card such as the Amex Platinum, or by buying entry at one of the 10 pay-in lounges.

Fast Track does not include a lounge. Heathrow sells Fast Track Departures, a dedicated security lane, from £12.99 (about €15, $17) per person between 06:00 and 21:00, and Fast Track Arrivals from £25 (about €29, $33) off-peak and from £35 (about €40, $47) at peak times.

Which Cabin Classes Include Heathrow Lounge Access?

First and business tickets include a Heathrow lounge, while British Airways World Traveller Plus, Virgin Atlantic Premium and economy tickets do not. The four cabins and what each includes are listed below.

• First: the airline’s first and business lounges, such as Galleries First and the Concorde Room for British Airways First, with 1 guest on Star Alliance international first.
• Business: the airline’s business lounge, such as the Galleries Club for Club World and Club Europe or the Clubhouse for Upper Class and Delta One, with no guest on Star Alliance international business.
• Premium economy: no lounge on British Airways or Virgin Atlantic.
• Economy: no lounge, so you need status, a card, a membership or a paid entry.

My British Airways Club Europe ticket got me into Galleries Club South in March 2025, so I did not pay anything separately.

Fare class can matter inside the same cabin: Air France limits Business lounge access to eligible fares. The trade-off between the cabins is set out in the guides to premium economy versus business class, premium economy versus economy and the ranked premium economy airlines.

Which Airline Status Includes Heathrow Lounge Access?

oneworld Sapphire and Emerald, Star Alliance Gold and SkyTeam Elite Plus include a Heathrow lounge when you fly that alliance, in any cabin. The status tiers and what each opens are listed below.

• oneworld Emerald: British Airways Galleries First and Galleries Club with 1 guest, Cathay Pacific First, the Qatar Airways Frequent Flyer Lounge and the American lounges.
• oneworld Sapphire: the British Airways Galleries Club with 1 guest, the Cathay Pacific Business Lounge, the Qantas lounge and the Admirals Club.
• Star Alliance Gold: the Terminal 2 business lounges showing the Star Gold logo, with 1 guest on the same flight.
• SkyTeam Elite Plus: the Air France lounge in Terminal 4, and the Saudia lounge with 1 guest.
• Virgin and Delta top tiers: Flying Club Gold and Delta Diamond or Platinum Medallion open the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse when you fly Virgin or Delta, and Virgin Revivals on arrival.

The status has to sit on the right flight: a British Airways or oneworld-operated flight for British Airways lounges, a Star Alliance member-operated flight that day for Star Alliance Gold, and a Virgin- or Delta-operated flight for Virgin and Delta status. oneworld Ruby, Star Alliance Silver and plain SkyTeam Elite include no lounge.

Which Heathrow Lounges Accept Priority Pass?

Priority Pass works at 10 Heathrow lounges, all independent pay-in rooms, and at none of the airline lounges. The table lists each lounge’s Priority Pass time limit and the other lounge cards it takes.

Priority Pass also gives a credit at two Heathrow restaurants, the Evergreen Bar & Restaurant in Terminal 3 (05:00 to 22:00) and The Globe Pub & Kitchen in Terminal 5 (06:30 to 21:00).

The plan decides what each visit costs. Priority Pass’s US pricing is Standard at $99 a year (about £74, €85) plus $35 (about £26, €30) per member visit and per guest, Standard Plus at $329 (about £247, €282) with 10 free member visits and then $35, and Prestige at $469 (about £352, €402) with all member visits free. Pre-booking a Priority Pass visit costs extra, and No1 Lounges lets Priority Pass, LoungeKey and DragonPass holders reserve a guaranteed place “from just £6” (about €7, $8) per person.

Which Credit Cards Include Heathrow Lounge Access, and Which Amex Cards Open the Centurion Lounge?

The Amex Platinum Card gives the widest Heathrow lounge access of any card, and only the Platinum, Centurion and Delta SkyMiles Reserve cards open the Centurion Lounge in Terminal 3, while the Gold Card does not. The cards with confirmed Heathrow benefits are listed below.

• American Express Platinum (US Consumer, Business and Corporate): the Centurion Lounge, Plaza Premium in Terminals 2, 4 and 5, and Priority Pass on enrolment (“Enrollment Required” for the No1 Lounge in Terminal 2 and Club Aspire). Consumer and Business cardholders’ Centurion guests pay £35 (about €40, $47) each aged 18 or over and £24 (about €27, $32) aged 2 to 17, and Corporate Platinum admits 2 free guests.
• Centurion card: the Centurion Lounge for the cardholder plus immediate family or up to 2 guests free.
• Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express: the Centurion Lounge with a same-day boarding pass for a Delta-operated or Delta-marketed flight.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve: the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge in Terminal 2 on a Star Alliance flight, with 1 free guest and extra guests at $59 (about £44, €51) each.

American Express admits cardmembers within 3 hours of departure on a same-day confirmed boarding pass, not after landing unless you connect the same day, and within 5 hours of the connecting flight on a layover. The name on the card and the boarding pass must match. Since 8 July 2026 every guest must be on the cardmember’s flight, and Platinum cardmembers who spend $75,000 a year get up to 2 free guests per visit.

UK-issued cards set their own lounge benefits, so check your card’s benefits page for the programme it uses (Priority Pass, LoungeKey or DragonPass), its free visits and its guest fees.

Can You Buy Entry to a Heathrow Lounge Without Status?

Yes, 10 Heathrow lounges sell entry to anyone, at about £34 to £52 (about €39 to €59, $45 to $69) per adult for a visit of up to 3 hours, and £75 to £76 (about €86 to €87, $100 to $101) for a 3-6 hour ticket at Plaza Premium or Blush. Prices were checked in November 2026 and change by date and by where you book.

A day pass buys one visit of a fixed length, not a day, with food, soft drinks, house drinks and Wi-Fi included. The table shows each lounge’s adult price for one visit through three sales channels, because the heathrow.com “from” price, the operator’s own site and a live price for a fixed date rarely agree.

On heathrow.com, the No1 Lounge in Terminal 3 (£34) and Plaza Premium in Terminal 5 (£35) show the lowest “from” prices, while on a fixed date in November 2026 My Lounge in Terminal 3 had the cheapest live price at £40. Children aged 2 to 11 pay the child rate, and under-2s go in free. Among the airline lounges, the United Club in Terminal 2 sells a one-time pass at $59 (about £44, €51).

My three visits are listed below, with what I paid on the day and the current price for the same lounge.

I did not use Priority Pass or an American Express card for either paid visit.

How Many Guests Can You Bring Into a Heathrow Lounge?

Most status and first-class routes allow 1 guest on the same flight, Star Alliance business tickets allow none, and arrivals lounges allow no guests. Club Gold and Silver, oneworld Emerald and Sapphire, Star Alliance Gold and SkyTeam Elite Plus (at Saudia) each bring 1 guest, and Virgin admits a guest only on the passenger’s own flight. Priority Pass guests pay a fee each, with no cap per cardholder shown at the No1 lounges, Clubrooms, Blush and Plaza Premium Arrivals. Purchased entry has no guest allowance, because every person buys their own ticket.

Children count as paying guests from age 2: the pay-in lounges charge the child rate from 2 to 11, and the Centurion Lounge from 2 to 17. Infants under 2 go free at both and need no guest entitlement of their own. British Airways admits under-18s only with a responsible adult.

Do You Need a Boarding Pass for a Heathrow Lounge, and Why Are You Refused Entry?

Yes, every Heathrow lounge asks for a same-day boarding pass for a flight from that terminal, and the desk refuses entry for the wrong ticket or flight, a full lounge, arriving more than 3 hours early or breaking the dress code. Plaza Premium says “you’ll need your boarding pass to enter”, even at its Terminal 3 arrivals lounge. Star Alliance lounges accept a pass for a flight that day or one leaving by 05:00 the next morning.

A wrong ticket is, for example, alliance status on a flight outside the alliance. British Airways makes all lounge access subject to capacity, and Priority Pass warns of space limits at four Heathrow lounges. The No1-run lounges and the Centurion Lounge refuse anyone more than 3 hours before departure, Virgin and American Express refuse a guest on another flight, No1 Lounges refuses intoxicated guests under its Fit2Fly policy, and a closed lounge admits nobody.

No1 Lounges asks for smart casual and refuses fancy dress, offensive slogans, sports shirts, beach flip-flops, vests and midriff-baring clothes. My Lounge is relaxed, welcoming trainers, flip-flops and athleisure, but it still refuses fancy dress, offensive slogans and overly revealing clothes. Club Aspire asks for smart casual with no sportswear. Plaza Premium and Blush have no dress code.

What Are the Opening Hours of Heathrow Lounges, and Can You Stay Until Departure?

Most Heathrow departure lounges open between 05:00 and 06:00 and close between 21:00 and 22:30, and you can stay until departure in an airline lounge, but a pay-in lounge caps your visit at 2, 3 or 6 hours.

The table lists each departure lounge’s hours where the operator and heathrow.com agree. Sources disagree for Singapore Airlines, Air Canada and Aer Lingus in Terminal 2 and Qantas in Terminal 3, so check with the airline.

American’s own site gives 16:30 as the Admirals Club’s closing time, earlier than some listings show.

Pay-in visit caps are 3 hours at the No1-run lounges, 2 hours for Priority Pass visits to Plaza Premium and Blush, and 3 or 6 hours on paid Plaza Premium tickets. The No1-run lounges, Clubrooms and the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse admit you from 3 hours before your flight, and the Centurion Lounge only within 3 hours. Airline lounges publish no time limit, so no published rule stops you staying until your flight is called, as long as the lounge is open. A delayed flight changes nothing: you leave when the lounge closes for the night, and the Wonderful Wanderings guide to flight cancellations covers what you can claim when the delay becomes a cancellation.

I stayed at Galleries Club South for about two hours and left when my flight’s gate appeared on the departure screens. My No1 Lounge booking in Terminal 3 allowed three hours, but I stayed about two hours and fifteen minutes before checking the screens and walking to the gate. My Plaza Premium booking in Terminal 2 was for three hours, and I left after about 90 minutes to allow enough time for boarding.

How Busy Are Heathrow Lounges?

Heathrow’s lounges fill up at peak departure times, and Priority Pass warns that entry may be restricted for lack of space at Plaza Premium in Terminals 2 and 4, at Blush, and at the No1 Lounge in Terminal 3. A lounge at capacity restricts entry, and holding a Priority Pass does not guarantee a place.

Reviewers say seats are hard to find in Galleries Club South and North at busy times and call the 5B Galleries Club the quietest of the three.

Galleries Club South was busy when I arrived around 08:30, and I spent about five minutes looking for a seat near a power socket. The No1 Lounge in Terminal 3 was quieter at 11:00, although I waited about five minutes in a short queue at reception. Plaza Premium in Terminal 2 was already busy at 06:30, but I found a small table near the windows without waiting. At the No1 Lounge the buffet became crowded when a fresh batch of hot food arrived, and at Plaza Premium used plates waiting to be cleared on several tables made the lounge feel busier than necessary.

Why Should You Use an Airport Lounge at Heathrow?

A lounge swaps the busy public departure lounge for a seat, free food and drinks, Wi-Fi and often a shower in the 2 to 3 hours before your flight. The 5 reasons are listed below.

1. Get a seat: no hunt for a free chair.
2. Eat and drink without paying again: a buffet or table service and a bar come with the entry.
3. Work on Wi-Fi: the Wi-Fi is free.
4. Shower before a long flight: lounges from British Airways to Plaza Premium have showers.
5. Keep children occupied: British Airways runs Skyflyer Kids Zones in the Terminal 5 Galleries Club lounges.

A lounge covers the wait, not the flight. For the hours in the air, the Wonderful Wanderings list of long-haul flight essentials covers what to have in your bag.

What Facilities Do Heathrow Lounges Have, and What Do Reviews Say?

Every Heathrow lounge has seating, free food and drinks and Wi-Fi, while showers, resting suites and treatment rooms depend on the lounge, and Priority Pass members rate the No1 Lounge in Terminal 2 and Clubrooms in Terminal 3 highest of the pay-in lounges. The main facilities are listed below.

• Dining and bar: included everywhere, with Champagne extra at the No1 lounges, branded drinks extra at Plaza Premium, and a Market Table buffet through British Airways’ Bottega partnership.
• Wi-Fi: free in every lounge heathrow.com and British Airways list.
• Showers: extra charge at Plaza Premium in Terminals 2, 4 and 5, and included at Plaza Premium Arrivals, the British Airways Terminal 5 lounges and Arrivals Lounge, Virgin Revivals, the Admirals Club and the Centurion Lounge.
• Resting suites: Plaza Premium in Terminal 2, at an extra charge, booked at least 1 day ahead.
• Spa treatments: the Air France lounge’s Clarins room in Terminal 4, Monday to Friday.
• Kids zones: Galleries Club South, North and 5B, from 06:00 to 21:00.
• Step-free access: listed by Priority Pass at My Lounge, Clubrooms, Blush, Plaza Premium Arrivals and Plaza Premium in Terminals 4 and 5, plus British Airways’ Lichfield Suite in 5A.

At Galleries Club South I had scrambled eggs, bacon, toast and a cappuccino from the breakfast buffet, with nothing extra to pay. The No1 Lounge in Terminal 3 had a buffet with chicken curry, rice, salads and desserts, and the glass of white wine I had from the bar was included in my entry price. At Plaza Premium in Terminal 2 I ate scrambled eggs, baked beans, sausages and a croissant, my coffee and orange juice were included, and I did not buy any of the extra-cost drinks.

Reviewers complain most about crowding at peak times and rank the Concorde Room and the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at the top of Heathrow’s airline lounges. Galleries Club South surprised me with its food selection, but finding a quiet seat during the morning rush was frustrating. The No1 Lounge in Terminal 3 had better seating than I expected for £42 (about €48, $56). Plaza Premium in Terminal 2 had good breakfast options.

What Is the Best Lounge in Each Heathrow Terminal?

The top lounge in each Heathrow terminal is the highest-rated one your ticket or pass opens, and for pay-in entry the picks are No1 in Terminal 2, Clubrooms in Terminal 3, and Plaza Premium in Terminals 4 and 5. The picks below use Priority Pass member ratings checked on 10 November 2026.

1. Terminal 2: No1 Lounge. The No1 Lounge rates 4.0 (3,000+ reviews) against Plaza Premium Terminal 2’s 3.8 (11,000+).
2. Terminal 3: Clubrooms, or the No1 Lounge with children. Clubrooms rates 4.0 (750 reviews), but it charges Priority Pass members an extra fee and admits no under-12s, so families go to the No1 Lounge (3.8) next door; My Lounge rates 3.7. Upper Class and Delta One passengers have the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse.
3. Terminal 4: Plaza Premium. Plaza Premium Terminal 4 rates 3.7 against Blush’s 3.2.
4. Terminal 5: Plaza Premium. Plaza Premium shows no rating, but it is the Terminal 5 pay-in lounge that stays open through the winter, while Club Aspire rates 3.2 (23,000+ reviews). British Airways First passengers have the Concorde Room.

Paying to enter is worth it when you have time to use it. I would return to Galleries Club South whenever my ticket included access, and I would happily pay around £40 to £45 (about €46 to €51, $53 to $60) for the No1 Lounge if I had at least two hours before departure. I would skip paying £49 (about €56, $65) for Plaza Premium on a short connection, and travellers who only want a coffee and a quick snack should not spend that much on lounge access.

How to Book a Lounge at Heathrow?

Book a pay-in lounge on heathrow.com, on the operator’s own site or through GetYourGuide, and walk in without booking at an airline lounge if your ticket, status or card qualifies. I booked the No1 Lounge in Terminal 3 through its website and my Plaza Premium visit in Terminal 2 directly through Plaza Premium.

A pre-booking is made online before you fly, and the emailed confirmation is the proof of purchase the lounge desk checks. Heathrow’s website and the operator sites show “from” prices that change by time slot, and GetYourGuide sells Plaza Premium Lounge entry at Heathrow for Terminals 2, 4 and 5 and the Terminal 3 arrivals lounge, as a 3-hour or 6-hour ticket with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

A walk-in needs no booking: airline lounges admit eligible passengers at the desk, and pay-in lounges take walk-ins and Priority Pass holders subject to space. A booking secures your entry and visit length, but not a seat by the window.

How Does a Heathrow Lounge Fit a Trip From or via Heathrow?

Flying from Heathrow, the lounge is your last 2 to 3 hours after security in your departure terminal; connecting through Heathrow, it fills the wait between flights in the terminal your next flight leaves from, after security again.

A trip that ends in London starts with the arrivals lounges, if your ticket or status opens one. Mobile data is the next thing you need after landing: an eSIM installs a data plan on your phone before you fly, an Airalo eSIM covers the UK, and the guide to the eSIM for travel explains how it works.

Onward planning comes next. For the rest of the trip, the England trip guide and the United Kingdom hub cover where to go, with London ideas such as things to do in Hyde Park and places for afternoon tea in London. Before any long trip, the list of common travel insurance mistakes is worth ten minutes.

WonderfulWanderings Pro Tips

The 5 tips below come from the airlines’, lounge operators’ and Priority Pass’s own Heathrow rules, checked in November 2026.

1. Leave a 5A or 5B lounge 40 minutes before a C-gate departure. Terminal 5C has no lounge, and the gate closes 20 minutes before departure.
2. Plan on Plaza Premium in Terminal 5 this winter. Club Aspire in Terminal 5 closes on 16 November 2026 and reopens as a No1 Lounge in spring 2027 (Priority Pass lists it closed until 30 April 2027), which leaves Plaza Premium next to gate A7 as Terminal 5’s only pay-in lounge.
3. Count your Priority Pass hours by operator. Plaza Premium and Blush cap a Priority Pass visit at 2 hours, while the No1-run lounges allow 3.
4. Reserve a No1 place if you hold a lounge card. Priority Pass, LoungeKey and DragonPass holders can guarantee entry at a No1-run lounge from £6 (about €7, $8), which matters while Priority Pass warns of space limits at the No1 Lounge in Terminal 3.
5. Reach the Centurion Lounge within 3 hours of departure, with guests on your flight. American Express admits cardmembers only in that window, and since 8 July 2026 every guest must be on the cardmember’s flight.

About the author. This guide is written and maintained by the Wonderful Wanderings editorial team. Wonderful Wanderings was founded in 2012 by Sofie Couwenbergh, and the first-hand notes in this post come from her three Heathrow lounge visits between March 2025 and April 2026: British Airways Galleries Club South in Terminal 5 on a Club Europe ticket, and paid bookings at the No1 Lounge in Terminal 3 and the Plaza Premium Lounge in Terminal 2. The team covers London Heathrow for independent travellers, including the airline lounges, pay-in lounges, lounge passes and card benefits worth knowing before you fly, and updates this page when prices, opening hours and access rules change.