If you’re travelling in First Class, then your Heathrow experience just got a (minor) upgrade
BA are making significant changes to their Heathrow spaces. We’ve been promised upgrades to every lounge at the airport, but before that happens, the airline has been working on the First Wing. It’s been a relatively short and low-impact project, but the output is a useful guide to what will happen with their bigger refurbishments.
What is the BA First Wing?
If you’re flying from Heathrow Terminal 5, and you’re travelling in First Class OR have the correct frequent flyer status, then you’ll be able to avoid the main check-in and security area and utilise the First Wing.
It’s located at the far right of the T5 check-in area. When you get into the terminal, turn right and keep walking. The entrance is clearly signposted and a BA staffer will be standing there, ready to check our tickets or your The Club status.
There are several advantages of checking in through the First Wing:
- Fewer passengers in the First Wing means that you’ll be able to check in much faster
- There’s a relaxing seating area before you check in, creating a boutique hotel vibe.
- You’ll get complimentary (non-alcoholic) drinks.
- A dedicated security process, which is usually faster and quieter.
- Once you pass through security, you’ll end up in the BA First Lounge rather than the main departures area.
If you are flying First Class, then you won’t want to stay in the First Lounge, and instead will want to pass through it and head towards the Concorde Room. Going through the First Wing is still a much faster way to get into the Concorde Room versus walking through the main terminal and then going up the escalators.
Who can access the First Wing?
Entry is limited to:
- Passengers flying in First Class on British Airways
- Passengers with The Club status of Gold or higher (e.g. BA Premier) flying on BA from T5
- Passengers with oneworld Emerald status, flying on BA (as only BA flights leave T5)
The First Wing upgrades
Since August 2025, BA has been working on upgrading the First Wing. It kept the wing open while these changes took place, and it has now completed the refurbishment.
The changes are primarily cosmetic. Out of all the BA spaces at Heathrow, the First Wing was one of the most attractive and least in need of a refurbishment. The colours used previously were muted, with whites and pale browns. It was not a particularly colourful space, but it didn’t need to be.
The new look is decidedly more red. If you’ve been following BA’s plans for their new First Suite (launching in 2026 on the A380) or their new Miami and Dubai lounges, then you’ll know that red features in those.
Below you can see the red accent colour in a pull-out handbag drawer in the First suite.
Red also features in the new lounges. Here’s the bathroom in the Miami lounge.
What’s it like to pass through the First Wing?
It’s a more relaxing and premium experience. Check-in and the security process are much easier, with the latter being a significant improvement versus the main terminal. At almost all hours of the day it will be faster to pass through the First Wing.
If you’re flying out on a First Class ticket, it’s also an experience that feels more First Class. The regular check-in and security process drop you into the main terminal, and there’s a long walk through the busy shopping area to get to the Concorde Room. The First Wing means you avoid that part of the airport, meaning that the only time you have to go through T5 departures is when you’re walking to your gate.
What does the First Wing refurb mean for the rest of the BA spaces at Heathrow?
British Airways is undergoing a refurbishment program at Heathrow. That includes every lounge at the airport, including the arrivals lounge, Concorde Rooms (T3 and T5) and the remaining Galleries lounges. It’s a significant, multi-year project, and for most of the spaces it’s much needed.
When one project finishes, you’d hope that another will begin. The completion of the First Wing upgrades should mean that BA will move on to their next project.
Beyond the refurbishment timeline, the changes to the First Wing give us some visual clues as to how the new lounges will look. Red is clearly an important colour to BA (It is part of their logo colour scheme, after all) so we could expect that the new lounges will feature this, especially given it’s usage in the new Miami and Dubai lounges.
However, when it comes to the new lounges, don’t hold your breath. Building work inside an airport isn’t an easy or quick job.
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