Roundup
British Airways will finally build a Terminal 5C lounge at Heathrow, but not until late 2028
BA's new plan covers a first-ever lounge in the T5C satellite, a 2027 rebuild of the T5 Arrivals Lounge and a joint First check-in with American at T3. Most of it is years away.
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4.8/5 overallThe only satellite lounge today, in T5B. Our highest-rated BA room at Heathrow (4.8) and the fallback for T5C flyers until 2028.
Opened 2008, renovated 2023. Rated 4.8/5 across 14 measures. 2 showers. Business class passengers: no guests.
Get in with: Galleries Lounge, oneworld Sapphire/Emerald Lounge Access
4.6/5 overallMain T5A business lounge, ten showers. Busy, but closest to the transit train down to the satellites.
Opened 2008. Rated 4.6/5 across 14 measures. 10 showers. Business class passengers: no guests.
Get in with: Galleries Lounge, oneworld Sapphire/Emerald Lounge Access
British Airways Galleries First
LHR · Terminal 5 · London
4.6/5 overallT5A First lounge for Gold members and First passengers, eight showers.
Opened 2008. Rated 4.6/5 across 14 measures. 8 showers. British Airways First passengers, British Airways Club Gold and oneworld Emerald members: 1 guest.
Get in with: Galleries Lounge, oneworld Sapphire/Emerald Lounge Access
British Airways Concorde Room
LHR · Terminal 5 · London
4.6/5 overallThe current top room; the T5C plan includes a dedicated Concorde space of its own.
The Concorde Room is British Airways' most exclusive lounge, at the south end of Terminal 5A next to Galleries First.
Get in with: Concorde Room
British Airways Arrivals Lounge
LHR · Terminal 5 · London
3.4/5 overallLandside in T5; due to be rebuilt through 2027 with 59 shower rooms and a Concorde Arrivals area.
A large hydrotherapy zone of shower pods, full English breakfast until noon, and an Elemis spa area.
News and analysis · Sources checked October 6, 2026.
British Airways announced on October 5 that it will build a new lounge in Heathrow Terminal 5's C satellite, the first ever in that building, as part of a program to renew every lounge it runs at the airport. The T5C lounge is due to open by the end of 2028 and will be reserved for First passengers and Gold members, with a bar BA says is 17 meters long and a dedicated Concorde space inside it, according to Head for Points.
Two other pieces come sooner. The landside T5 Arrivals Lounge will be rebuilt between early and late 2027 with 59 shower rooms, a coffee bar and deli, work booths and a Concorde Arrivals section with private cabanas. And this winter BA and American Airlines will open a shared First check-in area in Terminal 3. CAPA adds that Geneva and San Francisco lounges are due for refreshes in 2027.
What this means if you fly from T5C now#
Nothing changes for two years. T5C still has no lounge, so if your flight boards there, use the Galleries Club in T5B, which is one stop closer on the transit and is our highest-rated BA room at Heathrow. Gold members and First passengers who want a quieter start can still use Galleries First or the Concorde Room in T5A and allow 25 minutes to reach the gate.
Our take#
A lounge in T5C was being rumoured in 2019, so this is a seven-year promise finally turning into a date. The decision to make it First and Gold only is a telling one: it relieves the Concorde Room and Galleries First in T5A, but does nothing for the Club passengers who fill the B gates lounge every evening. One Mile at a Time is right that eight lounges refurbished one at a time will stretch into the 2030s. Expect closures along the way, and expect BA to announce each one at short notice.
Putting this into practice#
The names I'd check against the actual boarding pass include T5 Arrivals Lounge, Galleries Club in T5B. I would start with the terminal and the time available after security. That turns a directory into a realistic shortlist. A lounge can be excellent and still be a poor choice for this departure if reaching it uses most of the waiting time. The location notes above should do as much work as the overall score.
The access check comes next. I'd identify the exact card, membership, status or ticket being used and read the conditions for that route into the lounge. A lounge appearing on a card's map is a starting point for that check. It is not a reason to assume every fare, guest or departure will qualify in the same way.
I would decide what I want from the stop before comparing amenities. For a meal, the food available during the actual visit matters. For work, I'd look for a suitable seat and power. For a short connection, simply finding a comfortable place near the gate may be the better result. There is little value in an amenity I cannot use.
Related reading#
Cite this article
Lounge Frog Editorial. “British Airways will finally build a Terminal 5C lounge at Heathrow, but not until late 2028.” Lounge Frog. Published 2026-10-06. Updated 2026-10-14. https://www.loungefrog.com/news/british-airways-heathrow-terminal-5c-lounge-2028
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Quick answers
Which lounge networks get you into these lounges?
Galleries Lounge opens 3 of the 6; oneworld Sapphire/Emerald Lounge Access opens 3 of the 6; Concorde Room opens 1 of the 6. Each lounge's page lists every program and card that admits you.
Written and checked to our editorial standards. Scores follow our methodology. Join the discussion below.
