Japan Airlines and Finnair passengers flying from London Heathrow will lose access to the airport’s collection of oneworld lounges when both airlines move from Terminal 3 to Terminal 4 in 2028. It will also put the American Express Centurion Lounge out of reach for passengers departing from the aging Terminal 3.
However, there’s a silver lining. Terminal 4 is home to Qatar Airways, meaning eligible JAL and Finnair passengers will have access to its premium lounge offering instead.
No more Heathrow oneworld lounge hopping
Heathrow Terminal 3 is a favourite among frequent flyers thanks to its collection of airline lounges. Eligible oneworld passengers can currently choose between lounges operated by airlines including Cathay Pacific, Qantas, British Airways and American Airlines.
For travellers flying out of T3, this creates an opportunity to sample different lounges before departure, rather than being restricted to a single airline’s facilities. In fact, I did just that before my Finnair flight from London to Helsinki.
Cathay Pacific’s First and Business Class lounges are particularly popular. The Qantas London Lounge offers another option for eligible passengers. The American Express Centurion Lounge is also located in Terminal 3, providing another option for eligible Platinum-grade cardholders.
From 2028, JAL and Finnair passengers will depart from Terminal 4 instead. Qatar Airways operates from Terminal 4 and has two of its own lounge facilities. Eligible Japan Airlines and Finnair status passengers in Economy can use the Qatar Airways Frequent Flyer Lounge.
The Qatar Airways Premium Lounge has more restrictive access rules and is only available to eligible First and Business Class passengers on oneworld partner airlines, including Finnair and JAL. Other oneworld airlines that depart from Terminal 4 include Malaysia Airlines and of course, Qatar Airways.
When will the changes take effect?
As first reported by Head for Points, Heathrow’s terminal reshuffle is planned for 2028 as the airport seeks to make better use of its terminal capacity.
Japan Airlines and Finnair aren’t the only airlines affected by the changes. Delta Air Lines will also contentiously move from Terminal 3 to Terminal 4, while China Southern will move to Terminal 5 and LATAM to Terminal 2.
The move is particularly galling for Delta because it currently shares Virgin Atlantic’s facilities in Terminal 3, which include the highly-regarded Clubhouse lounge and premium check-in facilities.
Until the changes take effect, passengers can continue to use their existing departure terminals and lounge options.
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