As the largest airline serving London Heathrow, British Airways’ home turf is in Terminal 5. Home to no fewer than four British Airways lounges, different spaces cater to different travellers. In fact, there’s so much room on offer that British Airways even has two different ‘Club’ lounges for premium passengers.

At one end of the terminal, there’s the Galleries North Club Lounge. It’s the smaller of the two, and its location often makes it better when taking shorter flights within the UK or across Europe. The Galleries South Club Lounge, on the other hand, is more of British Airways’ flagship Business Class space. It’s open from 5 am to 10 pm daily–as is its impressively-stocked bar!

We headed to the Galleries South Club to relax before our flight as our gate was close to this lounge.

Access

Access to the British Airways Galleries South Lounge is included with a First Class, Club World or Club Europe ticket. You can also enter if you have Gold and Silver elite status with British Airways’ Executive Club program (or Oneworld Emerald and Sapphire status) and are flying on a British Airways or Iberia flight that day.

Location

If you have access to any of British Airways’ lounges, chances are you can also use Heathrow’s Fast Track lane. This gets you through security quickly, giving you more time to enjoy the lounge.

British Airways’ lounges are right next to security. But it’s a bit of a job finding the entrance. Put it this way–it’s sure to get your step count up.

Lounge Layout and Seating

Once you’ve found your way to British Airways’ Galleries South Club Lounge, the enormous space reveals itself. With a wide range of seating options, you’ll have plenty of sections to choose from.

A long corridor takes you from one end of the lounge to the other. If you feel you haven’t already walked enough simply finding the lounge, it’s another way to stretch those legs before it’s time to fly!

There was a self-service bar, as well as one of British Airways’ Union Hand-Roasted Coffee stations where I knew I could get decent coffee—at least by airport standards. There was also a kids area tucked away in the far corner of this part of the lounge.

Food and Beverages

The main buffet area was spread across the central part of the lounge and was surrounded by communal dining benches.

Food changes during the day and having used this lounge for breakfast and dinner, I would describe the offerings as adequate, with a variety of choice for every taste.

On this visit I felt like something different and had the chicken tikka masala and rice. There are a number of bars scattered around the lounge with a wide selection of wines and spirits. No wine here will break the bank for British Airways (just like their on-board offerings) but the selection is good enough.

Lounge Amenities

For a flagship Business Class facility, this British Airways lounge doesn’t really have a ‘wow factor’. It’s perfectly serviceable, but beyond the champagne, there’s nothing that truly stands out as a reason to arrive early.

You’ll also find handy power outlets throughout the lounge. Depending on where you set up, you may have both AC and USB-A ports waiting for you. At some seats, there are both the tri-pin UK-style plugs and the round, two-pin European-style outlets.

Onsite restrooms and showers complete the experience. There are also some vintage travel posters scattered around–a nice touch–so keep your eyes peeled.

Final Word

The British Airways’ Galleries South Club Lounge is perfectly ‘fine’. You have tarmac views, an all-day bar, food to eat and showers. But while it certainly ticks the basic boxes, there’s nothing that truly makes the lounge stand out. 

Yes, there’s a cool ‘horse lamp with an Airbus A380’ setup outside that makes many frequent travellers instantly think of this lounge at Heathrow. But it takes more than a model plane and irreverent lamp to make for a five-star lounge.