Lounging Around Terminal 3 featuring the Cathay Pacific and American Airlines lounges
Surprise, Surprise!
After a rather disappointing check-in experience (with the equipment swap and seat swap to an aisle), it’s time to brighten up the morning with some good quality food and some peace and quiet.
Let’s go lounging around Heathrow Terminal 3.
In this surprise-laden adventure
- We all know the drill by now… don’t we?
- The early morning road to nowhere (and Heathrow Terminal 3 first thing in the morning, with an equipment change shock)
- Morning Lounging at the Cathay Pacific and American Airlines Lounges
- AA87 London Heathrow to Chicago O’Hare – Main Cabin Extra
- Into the USA and The Crowne Plaza O’Hare
- Hyatt Regency O’Hare
- Airplane Art Special from the Hyatt Regency O’Hare
- Various nibbles around Chicago
- An Instagram Trap? Coffee at Brü
- Chicago Classics: Giordano’s Deep Dish Pizza
- Enjoying a Chicago River tour… in the rain
- Back to O’Hare and the British Airways lounge
- BA296 Chicago O’Hare to London Heathrow – Club World (Club Suites)
- Racing across Heathrow… but where’s the coach?
- To onward surprises
So, you want to lounge with oneworld status? You have lots of options at Heathrow Terminal 3
Heathrow Terminal 3 has several lounges for the oneworld elite traveller – depending on the time of day you’re flying and your status.
Typically, you have:
- Cathay Pacific Lounge (First Class and Business Class Lounges)
- Qantas Lounge
- British Airways Lounge (First and Club Lounges)
- American Airline Admirals Club (and Flagship Lounge)
In addition, there are paid options, such as the American Express lounge and Number One lounge.
As I’m here in the early morning, I tend to skip the Qantas lounge, as well as the British Airways lounge (to be honest, the Club lounge is nothing special)
Thus, I tend to stick to the Cathay Pacific Lounge (for breakfast, work and rest) and the American Airlines lounge as a pre-departure pitstop to find out the latest on the flight (and pray the seat map has changed).
Lets lounge.
Lounge Stop – Cathay Pacific Lounge Heathrow Terminal 3
The Cathay Pacific Lounge (Lounge C) is located towards the eastern end of the main part of Terminal 3 before it spirals out into the various ligaments that are the gates. It’s above the Qantas lounge, so you’ll need to access the lounge via the lifts.
Once in the lounge, I was welcomed. As I’ve been here before, I know my way around… skipping the first class side for the business class side of the lounge
Oneworld Saphire can only go so far. Emerald is a distant thought unless the right fare comes up.
I headed into the lounge, through the main dining area, but diverted initially to the Noodle Bar to place my hot food order.
Momma needs her Dandan noodles and dim sum.
With a parking spot for my trash and me located, the next stage was recovery bubbles. There’s no reason – other than after the morning I had so far, I was hoping they would help me fall asleep on the plane.
Oh, sweet summer child.
Whilst I was waiting for the noodles to be made, I explored the buffet selection. This is the usual selection of bakery, cold and hot items
Breads, Porridge, Cereals and Pastries
Pastries
Cereals and Breads
Cold items.
Omelettes
Pototoe bits and tomatoes
Beans.
Sausages and Bacon
Whilst it hasn’t changed much, the Cathay Lounge tends to offer a higher quality product, which I appreciate. Certainly, I appreciate the food offerings and portion sizes.
The buzzer went off, indicating that it was time for noodles. And noodles were obtained.
With Dim sum.
Call me a creature of habit, but something is welcoming for having this first thing in the morning. Maybe it’s the texture. Maybe it’s familiarity. Maybe I just need some peanut sauce goodness to kick the mind into first gear.
Your thoughts may vary. Mine certainly do.
At this time of the morning, light is starting to flow into the lounge – so it’s time to fish out the big camera to do some more photography with the long haul arrivals flowing past.
British Airways 787-10
United Airlines Boeing 777
Ethiopian Airlines Airbus A350-900
Qatar Airways Airbus A380
Emirates Airbus A380
Saudia Boeing 777-300ER in its retro livery
Singapore Airlines Airbus A380
By this point, I had long switched to coffee and water to help me keep going. Although, the hunger pangs struck again.
This time for Wonton Noodle soup.
And a char siu bao.
In the meantime, I went to the AA App, and added myself to the volunteer list, with a reasonable bid of $300 if they were that desperate for my seat.
It was not enough to show I was desperate, but enough to show that I was willing to make a plane swap if needed – given that I would be too cream-cracked to do anything when I arrived in the USA.
Fully fueled and reset, time was ticking on. Given that I wanted to check on the state of my flight (as well as the seat map) it was time to head to the AA lounge.
I thanked the staff and headed back downstairs into the main terminal area.
Lounge Stop – American Airlines Lounge Terminal 3
American Airlines lounge is Lounge H in Terminal 3 – which is located towards the west side of the terminal. It’s below the Virgin Atlantic Club.
Arriving at the lounge, I was checked in, and the state of the aircraft was confirmed. Yes. I would be in an aisle seat. Well, it’s not as bad as a middle seat.
I was also advised that the aircraft would be going from Gate 18. That’s a little unusual, but such is life. It’s a slightly shorter walk than out to Gate 30 and beyond.
I headed to the familiar American Airlines lounge. Whereas the Cathy lounge has muted tones and wood, the AA lounge is more… utilitarian. And bright.
At least you won’t be asleep when the fight is called.
I mooched around, finding some seats to dump my bags on. With that, I went over to the coffee machine and browsed the food options.
See. I can do art.
Nothing caught my eye – as it was the classic build-your-own breakfast with hot items, as well as cereals, cold items and deserts.
Coffee would do.
Meanwhile, out of the window, I caught up with the world.
Japan Airlines Boeing 787-9
Pick a tail. Any tail
At least this lounge has been around updating outlets. As well as the UK and US outlets, there were USB-A and USB-C out sockets too. That’s good to see, given how much is moving over to the standard currently – be it phones, earbuds or laptops. Sadly, I’ve yet to get myself a USB tester (something I need to get when I get more than a few minutes) to test the power output of the sockets.
But it’s a start, having the physical infrastructure there.
I peered outside – noting that I could see the aircraft that would be taking me to O’Hare. Checking the registration, it was sadly a 787-8. The good news – if there was any – was that this would be a spritely young aircraft, just over three years old.
Well, there might be something to look forward to.
With the flight called, it was time to head to the gate.
With the aircraft booked to depart from Gate 18, it was a matter of turning right instead of left, and then heading up a pier.
Turning right again, there was a big queue.
It seems to manage departures and arrivals on the same level – so glass doors blocked access to the gate, whilst arriving passengers were allowed to pass.
Sigh. Mixing arriving and departing passengers is never a good thing (with them normally managed over two levels). Having one level means timing challenges where arrivals and departures are happening at the same time.
With passengers allowed to proceed, it was time to head straight to the gate.
Boarding passes and passport checks were carried out here too. There were no boarding announcements, with a free-for-all in full progress.
I headed to Jetbridge. It was time to enjoy an aisle seat.
NEXT:
American Airlines AA87, London Heathrow to Chicago.
One word. Feet.
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