SEATAC is the latest international lounge to get an upgrade
BA is on a roll. They’re completing lounge upgrades at a steady pace. Last month, it was Singapore, and before that, Lagos and Washington, DC. Most of their network is in need of an upgrade, so they can’t get these upgrades completed quickly enough. Customers flying out of SEATAC with BA or on a BA codeshare will now have a much better experience.
Why Seattle?
You might be thinking about how BA prioritises the lounges that they refurbish. Seattle wouldn’t be the first on on most people list, but there are upto two flights a day between SEA and LHR. Those flights are on the 787-10, which has both business and first class. That’s enough to warrant a standalone lounge.
There’s also the small matter of competition in Seattle. Virgin flies LHR to SEA and back once a day, with a 787-9. Virgin’s co-owner Delta flies that route, so BA is up against two very different carriers. Sometimes, the decision to upgrade (or not upgrade) a lounge comes down to the fight for premium fliers.
For travellers, the “Why Seattle” question is different. We’re heading to the city later this year as part of a US road-trip. We’ve been to all the obvious places in the US, and we’re really enjoying travelling to the “smaller” cities. Last year, we had a great time in Phoenix and San Diego. BA’s oneworld partner Alaska Airlines has a hub in Seattle (and three lounges of its own) which means connecting to their destinations will be easy.
What’s changed in the BA Seattle Lounge?
The lounge remains the same size, but it’s been through quite a refurb. It looked very much like a US airport lounge from the late 90s, but it now follows the design cues from Singapore (and others), so the colours are much softer. BA said that they took inspiration from the Pacific Northwest. This is now a much gentler lounge, which still retains the stunning views over the airport. It’s very much a lounge for the 2020s.
In short:
- A redesigned self-service food area
- A seperate A’la carte offering for First class customers
- Semi-private work pods
- A brand new full-service bar
- Local artwork
The lounge has kept its shower facilities and still offers free wifi.
Opening times for the lounge are 9am to 8pm seven days a week, covering the morning and early evening flights out.
Where is the BA Lounge at SEATAC?
The BA lounge is in the South Satellite (S) Terminal, next to gate S10. That terminal also houses the Delta Sky Club lounge, and The Club lounge.
What flights does BA have to Seattle?
BA fly up to twice a day to Seattle. There’s an early morning flight leaving at 9:25 am (arriving at 11:20 am local time) and an afternoon flight leaving at 3pm GMT (arriving at 16:55 local time). The morning flights are typically on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, whilst the afternoon flights run every day except Tuesdays. That means there’s two flights a day on Friday and Saturdays.
Return flights are either in the early afternoon or the early evening. The afternoon flights take off at 1:35pm or 1:45pm, on Tuesdays, Friday and Saturdays and landing just after 7am in London. The evening flights take off around 7pm and land at LHR just after noon.
Which lounges will BA refurbish next?
We know that Dubai lounge is the next to be refurbished, and there’s a brand new lounge coming to Miami. The latter is a real headscratcher on why it’s taken them so long, but that high-frequency destination will finally have a lounge this year.
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