Aspire lounge in Heathrow Terminal 5 – official photos and the official entry rules

EDIT: This article was published in 2015. Our 2021 review of the Club Aspire lounge at Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 is here.

Today is the official opening of the Aspire lounge in Heathrow Terminal 5.  Yesterday evening I was sent some official photographs by Priority Pass which you can see below.  I have also reproduced the official press release.

You can buy entry tickets via the Lounge Pass website.

Access

The access rules are as we expected:

Priority Pass IS accepted.  This is great news if you have an American Express Platinum charge card as this comes with two Priority Pass cards, each of which admits two people for FREE.  If you don’t have an Amex Platinum, take a look at my other article today which shows how to buy a Priority Pass for half price – although, with that deal, you still pay £15 per visit on top.

Lounge Club is NOT accepted – this is a blow to Amex Gold cardholders as they receive two free passes each year for any Lounge Club lounge.

Airport Angel is NOT accepted

Cash prices are £40 on the door and £35 if you book in advance

Note that NOT all food and drink will be free.  There will be a charge for champagne and premium wines as well as for premium food dishes.  All drinks are served from a bar – it is not self-service.  The showers and spa will also incur an additional charge.

The official press release:

London (4th August 2015): Collinson Group, owners of Priority Pass, and Swissport, the world’s largest aviation services provider, today announced the opening of the first independent, shared use lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 5.

‘Aspire, the Lounge and Spa at LHR T5’ will be jointly owned and operated by Swissport and Airport Lounge Development (ALD), Collinson Group’s lounge operating arm. Located at Gate A18 in Terminal 5, it will be the first lounge open to all travellers in one of the world’s busiest airport terminals.

Priority Pass members will have access to the lounge as part of their membership. Travellers without membership can enjoy three hours in ‘Aspire, the Lounge and Spa at LHR T5’ for £35 when booked in advance at www.executivelounges.com or for £40 at reception on the day subject to availability. The lounge is open from 5am until 11pm daily.

Errol McGlothan, General Manager EMEA, Collinson Group said: “Aspire, the Lounge and Spa at LHR T5 has been designed to meet the exacting needs of the millions of travellers who travel through the terminal every year. Using insights gained from frequent travellers, we are confident that we’ve delivered the most compelling destination lounge where travellers can relax and refresh ahead of their next journey. Developed in partnership with Swissport, we are delighted to offer travellers access to an independent lounge at Heathrow Terminal 5 for the first time.”

Stephen Wilkinson, Property Director, Heathrow said: “We are delighted to announce that as of today, we now have independent lounges in each of our terminals. Our team works tirelessly to ensure our customers receive the very best service when they fly and we’re delighted that Aspire, The Lounge and Spa at LHR T5, at Terminal 5 will enhance this service from today.”

Shaun Weston, Travel Services Director, Swissport commented: “Since launching in 2012, the Aspire brand of airport lounges has grown in popularity and now covers many global destinations. The opening of ‘Aspire, the Lounge and Spa at LHR T5’ is a significant step for Swissport, giving us a presence in one of the world’s leading airport terminals. We look forward to combining our operational expertise with Collinson Group’s reach amongst travellers, to deliver a world class facility.”

The 4,000 sq ft lounge space is dominated by soaring windows on two sides giving guests dramatic runway views. An extensive British-inspired seasonal food and drink menu has been created which includes a wide range of complimentary as well as premium (chargeable) options, changing throughout the day. Guests can also enjoy a unique opportunity to sample Spey Whisky, draught beer and a selection of wines on a complimentary basis or choose to pay for carefully selected ‘Wine Flights’, an innovative way to taste a variety of wines from different regions.

A highlight of the lounge is the ‘Bliss Spa at Aspire’ which is the award-winning beauty company’s first location in an airport. The specially designed travel spa menu includes a range of facials, manicures and pedicures available as refreshing 20 minute express, or luxurious 40 minute appointments guaranteed to deliver amazing results in a fun, positive environment.

This includes an express version of the famous Bliss Spa Oxygen Blast facial, a 40 minute complexion reviver for bright, glowing skin and the Hot Cream Manicure for perfect nails. & magazines, refreshments and beverages.

To help guests relax before or during a long trip, state-of-the-art ‘rest pods’ let guests  recline back on specially engineered, reclining loungers, watch television and recharge in private so that they are rejuvenated for the journey ahead.

Travellers on business will have access to connected work spaces with complimentary high speed WiFi, charging posts and designated quiet zones to make the most productive use of their time.”

If you are planning to visit the Aspire lounge and do not have a Priority Pass, your best option is to book in advance and guarantee admission via the Lounge Pass website here.

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How to get FREE airport lounge access via UK credit cards (April 2025)

Here are the five options to get FREE airport lounge access via a UK credit card.

The Platinum Card from American Express comes with two free Priority Pass cards, one for you and one for a supplementary cardholder. Each card admits two so a family of four gets in free. You get access to all 1,500 lounges in the Priority Pass network – search it here.

You also get access to Eurostar, Lufthansa and Delta Air Lines lounges.  Our American Express Platinum review is here.

You can apply here.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to a huge 80,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (80,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

The Platinum Card from American Express

80,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large fee Read our full review

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold is FREE for the first year. It comes with a Priority Pass card loaded with four free visits to any Priority Pass lounge – see the list here.

Additional lounge visits are charged at £24.  You get four more free visits for every year you keep the card.  

There is no annual fee for Amex Gold in Year 1 and you get a 20,000 points sign-up bonus.  Full details are in our American Express Preferred Rewards Gold review here.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on the ‘free for a year’ American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 30,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (30,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

Your best beginner’s card – 30,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review

HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard gets you get a free Priority Pass card, allowing you access to the Priority Pass network.  Guests are charged at £24 although it may be cheaper to pay £60 for a supplementary credit card for your partner.

The card has a fee of £290 and there are strict financial requirements to become a HSBC Premier customer.  Full details are in my HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard review.

HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard

A good package, but only available to HSBC Premier clients Read our full review

Got a small business?

If you have a small business, consider American Express Business Platinum which has the same lounge benefits as the personal Platinum card:

American Express Business Platinum

50,000 points when you sign-up and an annual £200 Amex Travel credit Read our full review

You should also consider the Capital on Tap Pro Visa credit card which has a lower fee and, as well as a Priority Pass for airport lounge access, also comes with Radison Rewards VIP hotel status:

Capital on Tap Pro Visa

10,500 points (=10,500 Avios) plus good benefits Read our full review

PS. You can find all of HfP’s UK airport lounge reviews – and we’ve been to most of them – indexed here.