NEWS & OFFERS: BA’s lounge refurbishments plans and new Seattle lounge, Good Etihad business sale from £1453 and Virgin Active joins Virgin Red

British Airways’ new Seattle lounge

British Airways’ Seattle lounge has opened its doors following an extensive refurbishment. Feedback from flyers has been positive so far. Singapore, Washington, Lagos, and London Gatwick lounges have also been updated recently. 

The lounge now features a completely redesigned food service area with a range of hot and cold items, a dedicated à la carte dining experience for First customers, and work-friendly focus pods. A brand-new full-service bar has also been installed which is something I enjoy especially if there is a help yourself area too for things like wine so you don’t need to wait like there is here.

British Airways’ Club and First lounges at London Gatwick have also undergone full refreshes, with brand-new bars serving cocktails and beverages, new décor, and furniture, with new additions coming soon. I’ll be flying from Gatwick next month for the first time in a year so I’ll make sure to take some photos while I am there.

The airline’s lounges across London Heathrow Terminal 3 and 5 will be undergoing significant transformational changes commencing in 2026, , with more detail to follow later this year. I’m sure we are all praying that will be an end to the “NHS chic” bathrooms that we know and loathe!

British Airways’ Chief Customer Officer, Calum Laming, said: “We announced our £7bn transformation programme last year and promised to improve the customer experience both on the ground and in the air. Across our global network we have 28 lounges in 20 airports that all play a huge part in our customers’ journeys, so we’re committed to offering the very best experience.

“Just like our customers and colleagues, each lounge is unique. Customers can expect to see nods to our British heritage blended seamlessly with features that celebrate the locality of the destination. We’ve worked with local designers, artists, and suppliers across the globe to ensure that each lounge has its own British Original personality – and we can’t wait to unveil more.”

BA’s  lounge at Washington Airport recently opened that includes a complete redesign of the Concorde Dining area which now benefits from the great views and a brand-new à la carte menu. The lounge also has a revamped bar, new soft furnishings and artwork, bringing a significantly refreshed look to the space.

The opening of its new lounge at Dubai Airport seems to have slipped from its original timeframe, but BA says that the new lounge will debut in 2025 with the airline’s new design concept including Concorde Dining, a significantly elevated food offering, showers, and a full-service bar. British Airways will also be opening a new lounge in Miami later this year, in a brand-new space conveniently located above the departure gates. Lounge refreshes in Boston and Glasgow will also commence later this year.

Good Etihad sale now on

Etihad’s latest global sale is now on until 28 February. Flights are available from the UK as well as European starting points with the best flight prices to be found from the continent. You can travel 16 March – 30 September 2025.

Here are the best fares:

You can find the sale page here.

Virgin Active joins Virgin Red

Virgin Active is now part of Virgin Red, meaning members can save their cash and use Virgin Points for Virgin Active. There is even a way to earn points for hitting fitness goals, but at the moment, it is only available with the Kickstarter bundle. 

Virgin Red members that are new to Virgin Active can purchase a one-day or one-month membership to their local Virgin Active club using Virgin Points. Or they can put their points towards a Kickstarter Bundle, which is exclusive to Virgin Red and includes a three-month membership, one PT session per month, access to the Virgin Active app and the opportunity to earn rewards when fitness goals are hit. Plus, they can continue their Virgin Active membership at a special rate just for Virgin Red members.

The points price varies depending on the club chosen, but a one-day pass starts from 3,000 Virgin points, a one-month pass from 13,000 points and a Kickstarter Bundle from 36,000 points.

It is fairly easy to earn good amounts of Virgin Red points quite easily. For example you could buy Virgin Money’s Annual Multi-Trip Travel Insurance or use Virgin Red’s 5,000 bonus points offer for signing up to auto-exchange Tesco Clubcard points into Virgin Points for the first time before 4 May 2025 will earn you enough points for a one-day pass.

Find out more here or download the Virgin Red app on your smartphone.