See inside the new British Airways lounge at Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport

British Airways has re-opened its airport lounge in Johannesburg with a new look.

In May we announced that the British Airways lounges at Johannesburg were closing for complete refurbishment. It is one of the first international lounges to get the new lounge concept BA first revealed in 2018 and which, in all fairness, is really very classy.

The refurbishment follows the same vein as the recent re-fits in Aberdeen, Rome and San Francisco. It’s best not to mention the sterile new JFK lounges which re-opened over the Summer and, unfortunately, do not follow the same design concept.

The Johannesburg lounge covers 880 square meters, making it a little larger than the recently re-opened San Francisco lounge. There is space for 247 passengers in a range of ‘zoned areas’. It features the now-standard bar that is in all of the new lounges:

British Airways flies two A380s to Johannesburg every day, with each one carrying up to 111 Club World and First passengers with lounge entitlement before you factor in those travelling with BA Gold or Silver status, or oneworld equivalent, in other classes. Luckily the flights are offset by two hours so hopefully it is not too crowded unless one flight is delayed!

and

Instead of having separate First and Club lounges, British Airways appears to be moving to a single-lounge concept in which facilities are shared with the exception of a ’boutique dining area’ that is exclusively for those travelling in First. Gold card holders do not get access.

This is probably not a bad idea given the size of the First cabins, although it depends on the execution. If the lounge as a whole is more first than business it is clearly an upgrade. If it is more business than first then it is clearly a downgrade for Gold card holders.

Those not travelling in First get access to the usual buffet:

This is (I think) the first time the press office has released an image of the bathrooms in a new lounge, which look good:

Conclusion

The photos make it hard to get a sense of the space – it feels like the lounge is several quite separate ‘rooms’ that all connect. If so, this may have the effect of breaking up the space and giving it a cosier feel.

Regardless, the new lounge concept is very good and often a genuine step up from what was offered before.  Johannesburg is lucky to be one of the first to see it.

The next lounge to have a makeover will be Geneva which is scheduled to re-open before year end. I expect we will see more lounges undergo refurbishment in 2020, although it is not clear if and when the Heathrow Terminal 5 facilities will feature the new concept.

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How to earn Avios from UK credit cards (April 2025)

As a reminder, there are various ways of earning Avios points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses!

In February 2022, Barclaycard launched two exciting new Barclaycard Avios Mastercard cards with a bonus of up to 25,000 Avios. You can apply here.

You qualify for the bonus on these cards even if you have a British Airways American Express card:

Barclaycard Avios Plus Mastercard

Get 25,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £10,000 Read our full review

Barclaycard Avios Mastercard

Get 5,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £20,000 Read our full review

There are two official British Airways American Express cards with attractive sign-up bonuses:

British Airways American Express Premium Plus

30,000 Avios and the famous annual 2-4-1 voucher Read our full review

British Airways American Express

5,000 Avios for signing up and an Economy 2-4-1 voucher for spending £15,000 Read our full review

You can also get generous sign-up bonuses by applying for American Express cards which earn Membership Rewards points. These points convert at 1:1 into Avios.

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.

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.

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

The Platinum Card from American Express

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

Run your own business?

We recommend Capital on Tap for limited companies. You earn 1 Avios per £1 which is impressive for a Visa card, and the standard card is FREE. Capital on Tap cards also have no FX fees.

Capital on Tap Visa

NO annual fee, NO FX fees and points worth 1 Avios per £1 Read our full review

Capital on Tap Pro Visa

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

There is also a British Airways American Express card for small businesses:

British Airways American Express Accelerating Business

30,000 Avios sign-up bonus – plus annual bonuses of up to 30,000 Avios Read our full review

There are also generous bonuses on the two American Express Business cards, with the points converting at 1:1 into Avios. These cards are open to sole traders as well as limited companies.

American Express Business Platinum

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

American Express Business Gold

20,000 points sign-up bonus and FREE for a year Read our full review

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which earn Avios. This includes both personal and small business cards.