Terminal 3 at London Heathrow is the holy grail of lounge hops for oneworld Sapphire and Emerald frequent flyers, and oneworld Business and First Class Passengers. With access to the American Airlines Admirals Club, British Airways Lounge, Qantas Lounge and Cathay Pacific Lounge, there are plenty of options to satisfy all tastes at London Heathrow Terminal 3.
British Airways flies to a few destinations from Terminal 3 instead of their hub at Terminal 5, so it’s worth checking the Heathrow flight schedules to see what destinations are available.
As I usually fly out of T5, this was a rare chance for me to check out the American Airlines Admirals Club at London Heathrow Terminal 3, ahead of an early morning flight to Sofia.
Location of the American Airlines Admirals Club at Heathrow Terminal 3
After security and duty free, follow the signs for Lounge H. All of the oneworld airport lounges at Terminal 3 are located in the same area, so it’s quite easy to lounge hop between if you are flying Business or First Class, or hold oneworld Sapphire or Emerald. The American Airlines Admirals Club is tucked off the main corridor next to the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse.
There is also a American Express Centurion Lounge (for Amex Platinum and Centurion cardholders) and Plaza Premium (available for Priority Pass) at Heathrow Terminal 3.
Do take note of where your gate is located, as mine was a roughly 10 minute walk from the lounge and we were already boarding when I arrived to the gate.
This lounge is split into the Admirals Club and the much nicer International First Class Lounge part. Unfortunately today, I was flying Club Europe so only had access to the Admiral Club half of the lounge.
Opening Hours
The American Airlines Admirals Club at London Heathrow Terminal 3 opens at 5am every day and closes at 6:30pm Sunday to Friday, and 4:30pm on Saturdays.
For early morning flights, the American Airlines Admirals Club is only one of two oneworld lounges that opens at 5am (the other being the British Airways Lounge). The Cathay Pacific Lounge and Qantas Lounge open later (at 5:30am and 6am).
If your flight departs after 6:30pm, the British Airways Lounge is open until 10pm, Cathay Pacific Lounge is open until 9pm, and the Qantas Lounge is also open to 9pm every day of the week.
Seating Options
There is a wide range of seating options available, from dining tables to bar seating, low arm chairs with charging ports and power sockets, and comfy banquette seating. There is also a quiet area in one corner of the lounge next to the panoramic windows with views over the apron.
I can imagine at peak times, this lounge can get very busy, but it’s sizable and there is plenty of seating available. I like how different areas are partitioned so it still feels rather private yet open plan.
Food Options
As I had an early morning flight, it was breakfast time when I visited, this was the breakfast offering in the American Airlines Admirals Club at Heathrow Terminal 3:
- Free Range Scrambled Eggs
- Smoked Back Bacon
- Pork Sausages
- Slow Roasted Tomatoes
- Mushrooms
- Toast
- Bread Rolls
- Pastry Selection
- Cold Cut Selection
- Fruits
- Two different fruit smoothies
- Selection of cereals and milk
In all, your standard breakfast lounge fare, with nothing out of the ordinary to highlight.
In one corner of the lounge, there is also a candy bar with a fridge of soft drinks underneath.
I also recently travelled through Heathrow Terminal 3 later in the day recently, and this is what was on the menu for lunch:
- Tomato and Basil Soup
- Roasted Pork Fillet with Lemon Gremolata
- Little Gems with Tarragon and Hazelnut Dressing (warm salad)
- Smashed Sweet Potatoes
- Linguine Pasta with Watercress and Red Pesto
- Avocado Hummus, Falafel and Green Pea Sandwich
- Turkey Lavash Wrap
- Portugese Chocolate & Custard Tart
- Vegetable Crudités with Hummus and Salad Ingredients
- Cheese Platter
- Meat Platter
All in all, fine. Nothing overly exciting.
Bar Selection
The American Airlines Admirals Club at Heathrow Terminal 3 operates a self-serve bar, with several choices of bottom shelf liquor available, as well as beer and wine options. British Airways definitely has the better liquor, wine and beer selection out of the two. However the Qantas Lounge has a fantastic gin bar and Cathay Pacific has a wide selection too, so definitely worth checking out those lounge options if your flight is later in the day. As I was on a 6:10am flight, I wasn’t too fussed. Here is the bar selection that was available in the American Airlines Admirals Club on my visit:
Beer:
- London Pride
- Carlsberg
- Beck’s Blue (Non-alcoholic)
Wine:
- Co di Alte Prosecco
- Ponte Pietra
- De Loag Chardonnay
- Luberon Rosé
- Fog Mountain Cabernet Savignon
Spirits:
- Smirnoff Vodka
- Bacardi Rum
- Baileys
- Jack Daniels
- Lambs Navy Rum
- Bells Whisky
- Gordons Gin
- Martini Rosso
- Martini Bianco
The American Airlines Admirals Club at Heathrow Terminal 3 also had the following non-alcoholic options:
- Orange Juice
- Apple Juice
- Coca Cola Classic
- Diet Coke
- Schweppes Tonic Water and Slimline
- Schweppes Ginger Ale
- Schweppes Lemonade
- Schweppes Soda Water/Club Soda
- Selection of Teas and Coffees
Sadly another international airport lounge with Prosecco instead of Champagne (although they probably serve Champagne in the International First Class section of this lounge).
I think the selection is okay, but would prefer to go to the Qantas Lounge, British Airways Lounge or Cathay Pacific Lounge if I had an afternoon or evening flight. They all have a significantly better selection, both in variety and quality.
Bathrooms and Showers
There are shower suites available at the American Airlines Admirals Club at Terminal 3, with complimentary toiletries from Pure. Dental Kits and Shaving Kits were also available. Towels are provided too.
There were plenty of shower suites available, however I can imagine these can be busy at the peak flight times to the East Coast of the US in the evening.
How to Access the American Airlines Admirals Club at London Heathrow Terminal 3
There are a few ways to access the American Airlines Admirals Club at Terminal 3:
- Hold oneworld Sapphire or Emerald status
- Fly American Airlines Flagship Business or First (separate First Class Lounge)
- Fly oneworld Business Class or First Class
- Hold American Airlines Executive Platinum or above
You can also buy day passes for $79 USD. However, I do think there are better options at Terminal 3 if you are considering purchasing day pass access, such as the No1 Lounge or Club Aspire Lounge.
American Airlines Admirals Club London Heathrow Guest Policy
The Guest policy is fairly straight forward for American Airlines Admirals Club at London Heathrow Terminal 3:
- oneworld Sapphire or Emerald status – can bring 1 guest
- Business Class/First Class with American Airlines or oneworld – no guests
- American Airlines Executive Platinum, – 1 guest
- American Airlines Concierge Key – 2 guests
- Admiral Club Individual or Household Membership – up to 2 guests or immediate family
- Admiral Club One-Day Guest Pass – no guests
Conclusion
The American Airlines Admirals Club at Heathrow Terminal 3 is perfectly satisfactory, but when Terminal 3 has such fantastic oneworld airport lounges, it really lacks in comparison. I would recommend visiting the British Airways Lounge, Cathay Pacific Lounge or Qantas Lounge instead if you have access. I find they all have a much better food and beverage offering than the American Airlines Admirals Club.
If you are considering paying for a day pass, I would recommend the No1 Lounge or Club Aspire Lounge instead at Heathrow Terminal 3. As a great alternative, there are a decent selection of bars, pubs and restaurants at Terminal 3 which you go to instead.
Planning to stopover in London? Check out Forward of the Wing’s First-Timer 2-night stopover guide.