Pelotons and planespotting: Inside the reopening of Virgin Atlantic’s Heathrow Terminal 3 and refreshed Clubhouse
After 450 long days of closure, London Heathrow's Terminal 3 threw its doors open to the public once again on Thursday morning. On its first day back in its original home after a stint in Terminal 2, Virgin Atlantic had 11 passenger flights and eight cargo flights depart on Thursday from Terminal 3.
Not only was the terminal open again and passengers finally started to fill the departure halls, but there was also the return of what was already one of the best business-class lounges in the world: the Virgin Clubhouse.
Sign up to receive the daily TPG newsletter for more travel news!
The Clubhouse provides access to Upper Class passengers and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Gold members, amongst others, and is back with some further exciting improvements. TPG's Liam Spencer and I were invited along on Thursday to visit Virgin's revamped flagship lounge.
Related: A review of Virgin Atlantic's Upper Class Suite on the A350 from London to New York
We arrived via the Virgin Upper Class Wing, which includes a private check-in area with its own dropoff and entrance. After ogling at the giant plane models, we were whisked through security and into the main departure hall of Terminal 3.
Duty-free and other shops were all open again, but with few flights departing today, the usual bustle of this terminal wasn't quite back.
It's a short walk through the terminal to the area that houses a plethora of lounges, including TPG staff favorites the Qantas and Cathay Pacific lounges. The Virgin Clubhouse does hold a special allure, however.
We were warmly welcomed by the staff and right away, it was exciting to see real passengers enjoying the Clubhouse. Adding to the buzz, there was a crew present shooting for the popular ITV show "Heathrow: Britain's Busiest Airport." Keep an eye on future episodes to perhaps catch a glimpse of one of our team!
The Clubhouse has returned with a full food and beverage offering, and the deli bar is back. However, all ordering is via mobile by scanning a QR code placed on each table. In the usual cheeky Virgin Atlantic style, the QR codes tempt passengers with the instruction "Scan for Champagne."
Other improvements to the Clubhouse include some swanky new furniture like the plush pink bar stools, an area for selfies that will rotate in theme and style and some fantastic digital imagery from Richard Branson's space flight on the walls of the mezzanine by the pool table. My personal favorite spot in the lounge — the roof terrace with its fantastic views — is also back open.
There are still some further improvements to come. The Spa is not back quite yet and Virgin says it is finalizing a pop-up zone with a snooze area and other treats.
The real showstopper though is the addition of three Peloton bikes, all positioned with a perfect view over the tarmac. Clubhouse guests can now get their sweat on, watching Virgin Atlantic planes arrive and depart at the Terminal 3 gates, as well as watch over the runway and the Heathrow control tower.
The staff said that five passengers had used the Peloton bikes Thursday morning and later boarded the first flight out to JFK. Virgin said it is looking into providing clothing for those who fancy a last-minute workout and confirmed that the showers are already open.
The addition of the Peloton bikes is a fantastic step forward for the lounge, especially for passengers that might be transiting through Heathrow with a long layover. Having this sort of facility has put Virgin Atlantic ahead of the game in London and will hopefully encourage other airlines to further improve their airport offerings.
Virgin is hopeful that the opening up of transatlantic travel will secure its future. The Clubhouse would certainly see an influx of passengers if a travel corridor was to open up between the U.S. and the U.K.
Virgin Atlantic's Chief Customer and Operating Officer Corneel Koster told TPG that the industry was frustrated by the flip-flopping of the U.K. government's travel policies. He said with aviation making up 4.5% of GDP, it's essential to rebuilding the economy.
Virgin is asking the government to add further countries to the green list, imploring the United States to allow Brits in and urging the government to fully open up travel for vaccinated customers traveling on low-risk routes to low-risk countries.
Overall, however, it's a great step back to normality for Virgin Atlantic to return to its home in Heathrow Terminal 3. The airline utilized the downtime during the pandemic to refresh its already-great Clubhouse, which will offer travelers a top-notch flying experience.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.