The UK airport lounges that are actually worth paying for: Standards have slipped in too many – experts who’ve been to them all would spend their own money on these ones

You no longer have to fly in business or first class to enjoy a bit of pampering at a UK airport lounge – but how do you know if the entry fee is worth the cost?

Pay-as-you-go lounges have been around for a while. The only problem is that some have become so popular they’ve started to suffer from overcrowding – and standards have slipped.

But not all of them – and with new and refurbished lounges regularly opening as operators tap in to growing demand, there are plenty of enticing spots to relax away from the hugger-mugger of the main departure halls while sipping on champagne.

To pick out the very best, we’ve consulted aviation experts and scoured thousands of reviews. These lounges can be booked in advance or on the door and offer the perfect experience to kick off a holiday in style.

HEATHROW 

Plaza Premium, Terminal 5

The buffet, above, and the bar, below, both win praise from travel writers

Tucked away on the far left-hand side of the ground floor of T5, Plaza Premium gets the thumbs up from Ben Smithson, senior writer at The Points Guy. It’s part of a major worldwide chain that has been voted the world’s best independent airport lounge operator for seven years by the airport consultancy Skytrax. ‘As the lounge is slightly hard to find it keep the crowds down,’ says Smithson. He praises the natural light, buffet, bar and ample space for using laptops. Shower rooms can be booked at the front desk and come with free shower gels, shampoo and towels.

How much? From £47.50 for two hours (plazapremiumlounge.com).

Plaza Premium, Terminal 4

A good food offering in the buffet, above, and subdued lighting and comfy armchairs, below

With a separate bar area and a quiet atmosphere, the Plaza Premium at T4 is rated highly, too – this time, singled out as being a cut above others by aviation expert Daniel Ross. For him, its lack of bustle and a ‘good food offering’ stand out. There’s subdued lighting at the bar, a decent buffet serving the likes of chicken tikka masala and mac-and-cheese, comfortable leather armchairs, showers (with shampoo and towels, but must reserve a slot when you arrive), and neat little honeycomb-shaped private work areas that can also act as private snugs. It’s located between gates 1A and 1B.

How much? From £47.50 for two hours (plazapremiumlounge.com).

GATWICK

Clubrooms at Gatwick South

The Clubrooms at Gatwick South have a library-like, private club feel, with the breakfast offering – example below – described as particularly good

Both of the Clubrooms at Gatwick are rated by Smithson of The Points Guy. Compared to other pay-as-you-go lounges they stand out for offering table service, cocktails and quiet zones. ‘They’re much more relaxing [than the others],’ he says. Numbers are limited so there are fewer queues, which tend to be a problem at some of the Gatwick lounges, which can attract spur-of-the-moment guests, with queues snaking from front desks. Expect a library-like, private club feel with charcoal grey wood-pannelled walls, plush charcoal grey and smoky-blue armchairs. The breakfast menu is especially good: eggs benedict, Belgian waffles, vegetarian rolls and ‘the full works’ among the offerings. The entrance is close to JD Sports and Boots.

How much? From £45 for three hours prior to scheduled departure time (no1lounges.com).

Clubrooms at Gatwick North

The Clubrooms at Gatwick North have slightly lighter decor and no crowds

The North terminal Clubrooms is on the left after duty-free following signs for gates 45-55 and gates 101-113.Like Smithson, Rhys Jones, aviator editor at Head for Points, is a fan, finding the lounge both comfortable and quiet: ‘Anyone complaining about the overcrowded state of Gatwick Airport’s lounges will be delighted to find that the Clubrooms are virtually empty.’ The North terminal Clubrooms has a slightly lighter decor than the one in the South terminal.

How much? From £42 for three hours before scheduled departure (no1lounges.com).

EDINBURGH

Aspire

There are two Aspire lounges at Edinburgh Airport, one near gate four and another near gate 16. The latter is rated ‘really really nice’ by aviation expert Ross, who recently attended the official launch celebrations of JetBlue’s new flights from Edinburgh to New York here. There are good runway views and a smart lilac colour scheme – plus a buffet and a bar. There’s a wide selection of pastas, salads, curries, soups, scones, jams, bread and fresh cuts of ham and cheese. The dress code requests that guests ‘refrain from wearing sportswear such as football shirts, tracksuits and baseball caps’.

How much? From £44 for three hours before scheduled departure (no1lounges.com).

SOUTHAMPTON

Spitfire Lounge

Past a Costa Coffee and up some stairs you’ll find the good- value Spitfire Lounge, which is operated by the airport – the other ones so far mentioned are franchised out. It’s a smart, tucked away lounge with a scattering of comfortable armchairs and a bright and breezy feel. The colour scheme is pale blue and grey and the area is divided into sections with help-yourself drinks and a bar for ordering more than just wine and beer. Dishes on offer at the buffet might include chilli con carne and macaroni cheese – there’s also a good line in artisan sausage rolls and good quality bacon rolls – the latter particularly appreciated by Jones from Head for Points.

How much? From £23 (southamptonairport.com).

BELFAST

Aspire

Experts were pleasantly surprised by the spacious and airy Apsire lounge at Belfast

Turn left after duty-free and by gate four you’ll find the Aspire lounge at George Best Belfast City Airport. This lounge has been updated with a smart refurb in the past couple of years as one part of it used to be run by Britsh Airways, which gave up its operation around the time of the pandemic. During the changeover, when the old Aspire lounge was extended to cover BA’s area, leather armchairs, modern art, new carpets and a lick of paint improved the overall look. There’s a long window with great views across the runway towards Belfast’s docks. Cosy booths line one side, near a self-serve bar, fresh coffee machine and a buffet with dishes such as chicken Thai curry. The experts at Turningleftforless.com were pleasantly surprised overall by the ‘spacious and airy’ feel, and especially impressed by the breakfast options including sausages, bacon and porridge.

How much? From £41 for three hours before scheduled departure (no1lounges.com).

NEWCASTLE

Aspire

The Aspire lounge is described as ‘a lovely space with a lot of food and a large bar’

As with at Belfast, the closure of a BA lounge has meant more space for the Aspire lounge at Newcastle – which has also been done up recently and has proven popular; sometimes quite busy. The lounge has a modern look and there are in fact three separate lounges with different access rules. Pay-as-you-go customers can visit the entry-level lounge, which has a good buffet, plus wide selection of alcoholic and soft drinks (the other two lounges are pitched at business class travellers for certain airlines, somewhat confusingly and do not have general public access). Rob Burgess of Head for Points says: ‘Even if you are ‘just’ in the main Aspire lounge, you will be in a lovely space with a lot of food [and] a large bar… Aspire has done a fantastic job here, without a doubt.’

How much? From £39.99 for three hours before scheduled departure (no1lounges.com).

LUTON

MyLounge

MyLounge at Luton has low-slung armchairs and ceiling-to-floor windows facing departures

This one opened last month and has an industrial, hipster look, with redbrick walls and low-slung armchairs – with ceiling-to-floor windows facing the departure hall below (it’s directly above an Accessorize). Food includes a ‘nacho station’ with torillas, salsas, cheeses and jalapenos – as well as a ‘pancake station’ with Belgian chocolate and raspberry sauces. Salads and hot dishes such as pulled pork with jacket potatoes are also available.

How much? From £37.99 (london-luton.co.uk).

GLASGOW

Lomond Lounge

Glasgow’s Lomond Lounge is smart and popular with triple-cooked chips on the menu

Fresh baked pizzas, vegan burgers, regular burgers and triple-cooked chips are on the menu at this smart and popular (but not usually overrun) lounge. The food was appreciated on a recent visit by Rhys Jones of Head for Points: ‘[My burger] was not overfilled or overly greasy – and it tasted good, too. It is not fine dining but it is as good as anything you would find in any of the airport restaurants or indeed any normal pub offering.’ He also enjoyed the drinks: ‘During my stay I had a gin and tonic and was given a choice of Gordon’s, Bombay Sapphire or Hendrick’s gin. I also had a glass of champagne, which was Rodier Pere et Fils and typically sells at retail for around £23 per bottle.’

How much? From £42 (book.glasgowairport.com).

MANCHESTER

1903 Lounge

The overriding look is upmarket with a cool circular cocktail bar, below

Within Terminal 2, the 1903 Lounge at Manchester comes highly recommended, again by Jones at Head for Points. Its name commemorates the year of the Wright brothers first flight in North Carolina. The overriding look is upmarket with a cool circular cocktail bar and sweeping views across the runways. The bar is help-yourself, with drinks including Tanqueray gin and Glenfiddich whisky. Food includes Keralan vegetable curry, meatball in a tomato sauce and salads. ‘It’s the most premium lounge within the terminals at Manchester,’ says Jones.

How much? From £56.99 for two and a half hours (manchesterairport.co.uk).

Aether

The Aether private terminal at Manchester airport will open on November 4 

Now for something completely different. This isn’t just a private lounge, it’s a private terminal – opening on November 4. You need to book a place at the lounge at least 24 hours in advance, giving you access to a sleek, Scandinavian-style designer mini-terminal with a private chauffeur service to your plane. Aether will take UK pay-as-you-go lounges to another level with a la carte table service and ‘premium alcoholic’ drinks. Expect tanned leather armchairs, great runway views through high windows, and relaxation areas. You can check in your luggage at the Aether lounge/terminal.

How much? £90 for 75 minutes, basic entry (without food and drink), or from £150 for up to three hours with food and drink (experienceaether.com).