Review: the Swissport lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 3

This is my review of the Swissport lounge in Heathrow Terminal 3.

I flew to Helsinki last week to test drive the new Airbus A350.  As Finnair fly from Heathrow Terminal 3, I had five lounge options:

• No1 Lounge (via Priority Pass) – click here for my review
• Swissport (via Priority Pass)
• Cathay Pacific (the ‘official’ Finnair lounge) – click here for my review
• British Airways (a oneworld partner of Finnair) – lounge review here
• American Airlines (a oneworld partner of Finnair) – lounge review here

I decided to visit them all.

EDIT:  The Swissport lounge closed down in 2016 and was replaced by the new impressive Club Aspire lounge which is reviewed here

Yesterday I reviewed the No 1 Lounge lounge. After my visit I walked next door to the Swissport lounge.  You can access this with a Priority Pass (via Amex Platinum, or you can buy one) or Lounge Club card (via Amex Gold). You also pre-book access to the Swissport lounge for cash via their website.

This could actually have been a very short review – don’t go there.

Given the discerning nature of Head for Points readers, I will provide some additional photographic evidence of why you shouldn’t go there.  Remember that next door is No 1 Traveller with its cinema, games room, library, buffet, full bar and cooked to order bistro options ….

This is the main seating area (look, no guests!):

Here is a side area:

Here is food selection – crisps or cheese and crackers (as I wanted to test something from each lounge, I had my little pre-packed bit of cheese with my pre-packed crackers):

Here is what I assume someone once thought would pass for a funky seating area:

I didn’t get a picture of the bar.  To be fair, there is no shortage of alcohol – which is good, because you would want to pour yourself a stiff one if you’d paid to come here.  The alcohol is also self-pour, whilst No1 Traveller insist on pouring for you.

I should also say that Aspire / Swissport / Servisair lounges usually come with a good range of reading material and this was no exception.  It was the only place I found an Economist, for example.  The rest of it is just dismal and depressing, frankly, and you would be better off in the main terminal.

If you have a Priority Pass card, head for No1 Traveller.  End of discussion.

No1 Traveller is not in Lounge Club.  If you have a Lounge Club card via Amex Gold with two free lounge visits loaded, please do not use them here unless they are about to expire.  There are far nicer lounges out there.

Next time, I begin my tour of the three oneworld lounges in Heathrow Terminal 3 ….

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

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

Your best value option (but no points):

The cheapest route to a Priority Pass airport lounge card is via the Lloyds Bank World Elite Mastercard.

The credit card has a fee of £15 per month, and comes with a Priority Pass which gives unlimited free access for the cardholder. If you add a free supplementary cardholder, they will also receive unlimited free access.

Unlike the version of Priority Pass you receive with American Express, the Lloyds Bank version also lets you access £18 airport restaurant credits.

Even better, the credit card has 0% FX fees and comes with 0.5% cashback. Full details are in my Lloyds Bank World Elite Mastercard review.

Lloyds Bank World Elite Mastercard

A Priority Pass, 0% FX fees and up to 1% cashback for £15 per month Read our full review

Lounge access via American Express cards:

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 in-depth review of The Platinum Card from American Express is here.

You can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

50,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large fee Read our full review

The American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card 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 Credit Card review here.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card

Your best beginner’s card – 20,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review

Lounge access via HSBC Premier credit cards (Premier account holders only):

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 The American Express Business Platinum Card which has the same lounge benefits as the personal Platinum card:

The American Express Business Platinum Card

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.