TRAVEL : Trying out the British Airways Lounges in Edinburgh & Heathrow

I love flying but its more the thrill of jetting off to a new destination that I love and not the actual flying part. I’m a confident flyer but I do tend to hold the arm rest till I’m white knuckled at take off!

I do find however that easing into flying is by far the best way to fly and it starts with an early arrival so you can enjoy the lounges at the airport. If you are flying Business of First Class it only makes sense to take advantage of the lounges and the amenities they offer.

I have a special affinity for British Airways (my niece is a pilot for BA) so naturally they are my airline of choice. I hopped on a flight from Edinburgh to London Heathrow and took full opportunity of their lounges.

comparing BRITISH AIRWAYS LOUNGES : EDINBURGH AND HEATHROW

I feel like there are still remnants of the pandemic at the Edinburgh BA Lounge. At first is seems quite swish but its really pales in comparison to other lounges and especially the BA Lounge at Heathrow. I used this lounge inbetween lockdowns - that weird lull when we thought everything was about to reopen and then it wasn’t - and to be fair, the only thing that has changed is that there was a few extra food choices.

The lounge itself is a nice mix of comfortable seating from large communal table, breakfast bar, smaller tables and chairs, sofas, leather clad individual seats, private booths etc. Large windows let in glorious sunshine, free wi-fi and plenty of working and electronic charging stations available.

The design is modern contemporary with lots of smooth clean sleek surfaces.

The buffet area is located in the centre of the space and provides a decent bar where you can enjoy champagne, wine, spirits, beers and cold drinks.

The food offering is minimal with a few different stations available to choose food from:

  • Salad, cheese and crackers

  • Sandwiches and crisps

  • Hot limited dishes - steak and ale pie, soup and a chicken curry

  • Coffee/tea station

  • Fruit selection which didn’t have any fruit available on my visit

To be fair this was ample food to choose from as we would also be fed on the flight which is just over 1 hour from Edinburgh to London Heathrow (as pictured in the last photo above).

The British Airways Lounges can only be accessed if you are flying Business or First Class and can be purchased for £34.99 with a 3 hour limit.

Now whilst Edinburgh airport is minute compared to Heathrow, the BA Lounge in Edinburgh is so much easier to locate than the BA Lounges Terminal 5 at Heathrow on your first attempt.

London Heathrow Terminal 5 is dedicated to BA (and some Iberia flights). The terminal has the capacity to serve approx 30 million customers and to cater for all these passengers, BA has five lounges dedicated to passengers travelling in Business, Club or First Class.

The five BA lounges at Terminal 5 are

  • the exclusive Concorde Room (you pass through this reception hall to continue to other lounges)

  • Galleries First Lounge

  • Galleries Club South and North lounges

  • Satellite 5B

We were heading to the Galleries Club South and after some escalators up, then down, along, round, another 5 minute walk and another escalator (ok slight exaggeration) we found the welcome reception. I believe the Galleries Club North is the busier of the two lounges.

A pass for this lounge is £45.00pp

This lounge is large, vast even. As soon as you get your ticket scanned you walk passed reception straight into the buffet area complete with full bars, Bottega Prosecco bar, a dedicated British Airways Union Coffee area, and large buffet tables laden with an abundance of dishes.

There is plenty of seating from dining tables to sofas and armchairs.

I was especially taken with a divider wall filled with glistening jewel like bottles of wine! Very impressive!

We arrived late afternoon so heading into late lunch, early dinner territory and the plethora of food was impressive especially compared to Edinburgh’s meagre offering.

Hot and cold dishes, varieties of salads, fresh breads, those delicious mini steak and ale pies, stews, currys, vegetarian offerings, desserts, pastries and fruit. Loads of choice.

Don’t get me wrong, this lounge is busy too but there is plenty of staff on hand, always bustling about replenishing dishes and making sure the buffet area is spotless.

Our flight was delayed which meant that we got to enjoy a few more glasses of Bottega Prosecco (such a hardship) but all too soon our flight was called and we were on the train towards our gate.

So which is better you may ask?

EDINBURGH OR HEATHROW TERMINAL 5

  • Edinburgh lounge is much easier to find but it is a much smaller airport

  • Edinburgh is better signposted than Heathrow

  • Heathrow Galleries North is looking a little tired and in need of a refurb but Edinburgh isn’t far behind it

  • Edinburgh lounge food and drink offerings are very limited compared to the abundance of Heathrow

Either way there is very little in it for the size of airport and scale of servicing customers. I am a fan of booking a lounge pre flight and if you are flying business or first class, then it’s so worth booking these BA Executive Lounges. It takes the pressure off and definitely eases you into your flight.

British Airways Executive Lounge passes can be purchased at:

www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/lounges

But only if you are flying Business or First Class.

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