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Which? Reveals Top UK Airport Lounges: How Did BA Do?
Which? has just released its latest UK airport lounge rankings based on a survey of 1,461 Connect panel members and the public, who had visited a UK lounge within the previous two years.
The survey was carried out in March 2026, and categories included customer service, food & drink, peace & quiet, seating comfort, cleanliness & decor, facilities, and toilets. The overall score is based on satisfaction and whether travellers would recommend the brand.
Unsurprisingly, airline lounges scored higher than independent lounges, though Clubrooms scored 64%.
Airline Business Class Airline lounge results and the number of people surveyed who had visited the lounge:
- Emirates (102) – 85%
- Virgin Atlantic (81) – 84%
- Qatar Airways (32) – 82%
- Singapore Airlines (53) – 82%
- Cathay Pacific (32) – 79%
- Qantas (38) – 70%
- British Airways (493) – 63%
- Lufthansa (30) – 62%
The top five all received four stars out of five across every category where Which? had enough responses. I can’t say I am particularly surprised that airline lounges have come out well ahead of most independent lounges. As part of the Business Class experience or as a benefit of holding status, you would expect the lounge to be a step above.
Qantas still received four stars for service, peace and quiet, seating, cleanliness and decor and toilets, but only three for food and drink and facilities.
British Airways lounges had by far the biggest sample, though they scored three stars in every single category Which? concluded that BA’s UK Business Class lounges had “lost their shine”. The most common complaints included overcrowding, particularly at Terminal 5, and many food issues. Which? said the food was described as “average”, while one respondent described it as “uninviting and not hot”. There were also comments about the removal of complimentary newspapers and magazines, and that Champagne now had to be requested rather than being available to help yourself.
Will there be any improvement once the full redevelopment of BA’s Heathrow lounges begins as part of its £7 billion transformation? We’ll have to wait and see! Given these survey results, that redevelopment looks timely.
The independent lounge results included:
- Clubrooms (38) – 64%
- 1903 (74) – 56%
- Escape (112) – 56%
- My Lounge (40) – 53%
- No1 Lounges (148) – 51%
- Plaza Premium (66) – 51%
- Aspire (133) – 48%
- Club Aspire (85) – 45%
Clubrooms was the clear winner and the only independent lounge to earn 3* for food and drink. Its à la carte table service certainly helps differentiate it, and food was described as “acceptable and plentiful”. At the other end, Club Aspire and Aspire scored just 1*; Escape, 1903, My Lounge, No1 and Plaza Premium all recieved 2* for food and drink.
Interestingly, only 21% of respondents paid the full admission price. If you’re visiting with a lounge pass or the lounge is part of your Business Class ticket or status, they are generally worth visiting, but if you’re paying full price, a cost of £35-£50 to visit one of these lounges needs careful consideration.
At the very least, I’d expect a relaxing atmosphere and a good meal and drinks. If the lounge is overcrowded and the buffet is mediocre, it’s worth considering whether you’d be better off spending your money on a good meal elsewhere.
What do you think about the results? Let us know in the comments below:
New Heathrow Concierge Service by Plaza Premium
Plaza Premium has just launched its premium Concierge service at Heathrow. ALLWAYS is an end-to-end meet-and-assist service that pairs you with a personal Airport Assistant whether you’re arriving, connecting or departing.
The service has been running since 2012 and is now present at a huge number of airports worldwide.
Services include:
- Arriving: Meet and greet, assistance through a dedicated immigration counter, an escort to the baggage area, help with baggage for up to four checked bags and to your transport pickup point.
- Transit: Meet and greet on arrival, assistance through immigration (where needed), help collecting and rechecking baggage for your connecting flight, an escort through the designated security checkpoint and an escort to the lounge.
- Departing: Meet and greet, assistance with up to four checked bags, and a guide through a designated security screening right through to your lounge or boarding gate.
An Express version without baggage is available for all options. You can also add extras such as baggage porters, buggy transfers, and access to Plaza Premium Lounges.
The ALLWAYS service costs £230 for two people or £200 for one. There’s a welcome offer of 15% off and an extra 5% if you’re a Smart Traveller member (Plaza Premium’s free loyalty programme), bringing prices down to £161.50-£185.73.
The launch offer is available for bookings made between 27th August and 31st October 2026 for travel between 1st September and 31st December 2026.
This could be a good option in the right circumstances, such as planning a trip for someone elderly or not familiar with Heathrow, travelling with lots of luggage or with the family, or if you have a complicated connection. You could even use the service to make the whole airport experience as stress-free as possible.
Priority Pass Competition Winners
Thank you to everyone who entered our recent competition to win one of three Priority Pass Lounge passes.
Huge Congratulations to our lucky winners:
- Timothy Draper – Entry 843
- David Wright – Entry 420
- Paul Stuart – Entry 646
We hope you make the most of your 10 free lounge visits and have plenty of opportunities to put those visits to good use over the coming months.
We will be running regular competitions, so keep an eye on TLFL for your next chance to win!
