Terminal 3, Heathrow Airport

Introduction

This is my review of the British Airways Galleries Lounge in Heathrow’s Terminal 3.

I have combined a review of both the Galleries First and Galleries, as they are in the same lounge – just with different areas.

Having not been here for a few years, the layout seems unchanged (whilst other T3 lounges have used the Covid period to refurbish) – but it remains good quality and doesn’t look tired at all.

Visited

September 2022 at 07:30.

Opening Hours

The lounge is open daily from 05:00 to 22:30.

Entry Conditions

The Galleries First lounge is open to OneWorld Emerald members, and those traveling from Terminal 3 in First on BA. Since the aircraft shuffle post-covid and post-Heathrow chaos, I’m not sure if there are any flights that operate First on them out of T3 – as of course a major privilege of flying First is the Concorde Room.

The Galleries Lounge is open to OneWorld Sapphire members, and those traveling from Terminal 3 in Business Class on BA.  

How to Get There

After Security, walk through T3’s shopping plaza and follow the signs for Lounge F (it’s very well signposted); go through the corridor all the way to the end. It’s dangerously close to the No1 Lounge – but we don’t talk about that! 

If you’re going to Galleries First you’ll find the entrance to your left, where the brown desks are.

If you’re going to Galleries you’ll find the entrance straight ahead, behind the blue desks.

Galleries First

Layout

As you walk past the brown desks, there is a champagne bar immediately in front of you, and some seating.

Turning left, will take you to an area of casual seating with a self-service bar along the back with the gold bar!

There is a fair amount of casual seating, and also some high work stations, with charging. I didn’t find anywhere in this lounge that was that comfortable to work from.

If you turn right from the entrance, you’ll find more casual seating with some great views of (ahem) Virgin Atlantic planes!

This area is more of a dining area, with another self-service bar and coffee station.

All the way to the end, is the a la carte dining – with perfect views of more Virgin Atlantic aircraft!

Food and Drink

Drinks

Unlike the Galleries First lounge at Terminal 5, there is no bar – all the drinks are self-service. With that said, drinks (as always) are well-stocked, with beers, wines, spirits, champagne and soft drinks.

If, at 7:30am, you’d prefer something softer – there are self-service coffee machines and fridges of soft drinks.

Food

On the food side, there are two options available to you;

Firstly, there is a self-service buffet where you can grab cooked items, cheeses, breads and pastries.

Alternatively, there is the a la carte dining, which is available from a QR code on the table. Some of what is on the QR code is available at the buffet; but items such as kippers, pancakes, and even toast were not.

Wifi

Wifi in BA lounges does require a password – but they are very good at putting signs up everywhere. I was quite surprised to see the wifi this time as being an autumn association, rather than a destination.  

Showers

There are showers, which I believe are shared with the Galleries lounge, in the now abandoned Elemis Spa. I chose not use them on this occasion.  

Conclusion

This lounge is great and was super quiet in the time I was there. The food offering is varied and of high quality – as were the drinks.

Whether the lounge was quiet due to BA’s re-shuffle of long haul flights back to Terminal 5 I’m not sure – I can never keep up with what’s moving to where! But key T3 destinations such as Austin, Orlando, Las Vegas and Sao Paulo are operated on the A350 (which doesn’t have First) – so many visitors would be visiting on their Gold/Emerald status.   

The Galleries Lounge

Layout

Having gone through the blue desks, there is some seating as you enter. Unlike the Galleries First, there is a BA help desk which is useful for any enquiries.

As you enter the lounge you immediately arrive in a dining area, which has various types of seating – long tables, round tables, etc.

Towards the back of the lounge is more casual seating, once again overlooking more Virgin Atlantic aircraft!

There is also some seating near the self-service bar area, with just about one BA aircraft in sight!

One area I like about this lounge is the ‘business area’. There is lots of space to work (though not take calls) – but my usual printer has been replaced with an ice cream fridge!  

Food and Drink

Drinks

Drinks in this lounge (as with the Galleries lounges in T5) are self-service. The self-service bars are well-stocked, with beers, wines, spirits, (cheaper) champagne and soft drinks.

Of course, if at 7:30am, you’d prefer something softer – there are self-service coffee machines and fridges of soft drinks.

Food

All of the food in this lounge is a self-service buffet with some cooked items, cheeses, breads, fruit and pastries.

There is of course the ice cream fridge!

I did notice a QR code on the tables, but when I scanned it (unlike Galleries First), it was for shower availability and other non-food things.   

Wifi

As above, Wifi in BA lounges does require a password – but they are very good at putting signs up everywhere. I was quite surprised to see the Wifi this time as being an autumn association, rather than a destination. The Wifi worked perfectly for me.

Showers

I believe the showers are shared with the Galleries First lounge, in the now abandoned Elemis Spa. I didn’t use them – but I may do next time.

Conclusion

Compared to the Galleries First lounge, this lounge was a lot busier – which is as one may expect. Still, it’s a good lounge, but there are other T3 lounges which trump it!

With that said, there was still plenty of seating and areas to relax in. However, I have visited this lounge where it’s been absolutely rammed!