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Review: the United Airlines Global Services lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2

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This is our review of the United Airlines Global Services lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 2.

It is part of our collection of UK airport lounge reviews.  You can see our full list of UK airport lounge reviews here.

Formerly a First Class lounge, it was rebranded once United dropped First Class. It now acts as a tranquil haven for United’s invite-only Global Services members as well as an overflow space for United MileagePlus Premier 1K. In British Airways parlance, that would effectively be Executive Club Premier (invite only, rules here) and Gold Guest List members only – an exclusive group.

Review: the United Airlines Global Services lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2

Having never been inside this part of the lounge before I was surprised by its size – it is much bigger than I expected. This is part of the attraction, as it never feels full, no matter how busy the United Club lounge next door is.

You can’t normally access the lounge unless you meet the criteria above, but United allowed me to visit as part of my review series. Our first article, on the United Club lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2, is here.

Where is the United Global Services Lounge at Heathrow?

The United Global Services lounge is in the same location as the United Club, out in the 2B satellite terminal.

That means it’s a bit of a walk from security (and you have to walk – Terminal 2 has no shuttle train) although as all United flights depart from 2B this is not a problem. You need to make the trek eventually, and once you are in the lounge you are close to your gate. It is probably about a 10 minute walk – simply follow the signs for B gates:

Review: the United Airlines Global Services lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2

Once you emerge in Terminal 2B from the concourse level turn right. The lounge entrance is just opposite Gate 46:

Review: the United Airlines Global Services lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2

Take the lift or the stairs up and you are greeted with the United Club reception. Ignore this and turn 180 degrees to your right and you’ll see a small corridor and another smaller reception desk:

Review: the United Airlines Global Services lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2

This is the United Global Services Lounge. It is open from 5am until 6pm daily.

Inside the United Global Services Lounge in London

Like the United Club and the other airline lounges at Heathrow T2B, the Global Services Lounge stretches across a large span of windows with views across the tarmac towards the main terminal building.

Review: the United Airlines Global Services lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2

It is probably half as big as the United Club lounge (reviewed here), which is itself probably the largest lounge in the terminal. There are a number of different spaces, including this sort of ‘indoor’ room:

Review: the United Airlines Global Services lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2

On the other side you have a series of booths with heritage photos from United’s history:

Review: the United Airlines Global Services lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2

…. and, by the window, plenty of armchairs:

Review: the United Airlines Global Services lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2

In the centre of the lounge is this funky round wine room:

Review: the United Airlines Global Services lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2

and

Review: the United Airlines Global Services lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2

To the right of this you have another few rows of armchairs, as well as (in the distance) the dining area with the Big Ben clock face:

Review: the United Airlines Global Services lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2

Here is a closer look:

Review: the United Airlines Global Services lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2

To be honest, having a giant replica of the Big Ben clock would not have been my design choice but I think it works very well. It gives the lounge some character and local flair without going all Cool Britannia.

This area also features the buffet, drinks selection and restaurant-style seating.

Food and drink in the United Global Services Lounge at Heathrow

Speaking of the buffet, it’s a relatively compact offering with a far smaller selection than the United Club next door. If you are hungry, you may want to head in there first.

The United First lounge used to offer table service with an a la carte menu. I’m told this has become a covid casualty and I’m not certain they will ever bring it back, which seems a shame.

I was in the lounge for the breakfast service, so hot items included scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, hash browns, baked beans and mushrooms:

Review: the United Airlines Global Services lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2

There was also a selection of cheese and cold cuts:

Review: the United Airlines Global Services lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2

…. plus a handful of pastries / muffins:

Review: the United Airlines Global Services lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2

Despite being a small selection, I thought the food was good.

The offering is better when it comes to drinks, with all spirits and wines available for self-pour, unlike in the United Club where you need to ask at the bar.

A selection of wines were open in an ice bucket, including a bottle of prosecco:

Review: the United Airlines Global Services lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2

…. for some reason, the Champagne (Rodier) is in a separate fridge together with the beers and ciders.

Review: the United Airlines Global Services lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2

If that didn’t tickle your fancy, you could also pour yourself a mixed drink with some of the spirits available:

Review: the United Airlines Global Services lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2

Conclusion

In the grand scheme of things, the United Global Services Lounge is one that very few people have the chance to see inside thanks to its particularly restrictive entry requirements. Most people will be in the United Club next door.

Pulling back the curtain, it is clear that the attraction of the lounge is not necessarily in its food or drinks offering, which whilst good is small. Rather, it is the amount of space per passenger, and the relative quietness compared to next door, which makes it so pleasant.

I think I counted about 10 people when I left the lounge at 9:30am – for a space with 50+ seats. I can’t imagine it ever gets busy, even when the United Club is absolutely heaving. In contrast, this is the picture of tranquillity.

It would be good if United brought back the a la carte menu and perhaps opened it up to a few more status cardholders. In some ways this is a fabulous space that feels underutilised, which is a shame.

Travelling from Heathrow Terminal 2? Here are your lounge options ….

At Heathrow’s Terminal 2 you currently have eight lounges to choose from.

Our overview of the best airline lounges at Heathrow Terminal 2 is here, or you can read individual reviews of all the lounges here:


Getting airport lounge access for free from a credit card

How to get FREE airport lounge access via UK credit cards (November 2024)

Here are the four 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.

The Platinum Card from American Express

Huge 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.

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 also comes with Radison Rewards VIP status:

Capital on Tap Pro Visa

30,000 points (TO 9TH DECEMBER) 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.

Comments (46)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • TooPoorToBeHere says:

    I was in there last month on an ordinary cash business class ticket, with no United status – indeed I was crediting to EI. Don’t know why – I pitched up at the front desk to the pleb lounge and was told (politely but firmly) to turn right and use this one.

    There seemed to be several UA flights departing around the same time – several aircraft visible through the lounge windows – so I assume it was very busy next door.

    I don’t normally drink and I didn’t eat there but I do remember thinking the food looked a bit sad. There was no way to know there was more in the main lounge and I had been *told* to turn right so I didn’t think to go look.

    Underneath the food and not pictured in the review are fridges with a not-very-impressive selection of soft drinks. From memory, fat coke, fat sprite, diet coke, water.

    Can’t remember what the tea/coffee options were like – the onboard tea is of course beyond dismal as you’d expect from a US airline.

    Wifi acceptable.

    The toilets are VERY nice.

    • JDB says:

      @TooPoorToBeHere – it’s good to read an unvarnished review! On the basis of the key redeeming feature being very good loos, that still puts UA a notch below QF that not only has good loos but also good coffee, so two stars /positive features!

      • Rhys says:

        You can’t use the Qantas lounge, though.

        The key benefits of this United lounge, as I outline in my conclusion, is that is is quiet. Try the United Club/Singapore lounge or any of the others at peak times and you can see what the attraction is.

        The Air Canada lounge is much quieter every time I’ve been, which is why I like it, but the food/drinks offering there is the poorest of all the lounges in T2B.

        • TooPoorToBeHere says:

          It was quiet, that is true. All the space around the circle-of-wine, and in the room with the nice old photographs on the wall, was completely empty. I’m used to MAN so it takes a pretty bad space before I think a lounge (or toilet…) is *bad*.

          I’m not sure my review is particularly “unvarnished”, just different priorities. I do like to be able to use a toilet without feeling that I need a shower and change of clothes afterwards though.

          It’s possible that the coffee in this UA facility is great – can’t stand the stuff but Americans usually seem to do a decent job with it – just didn’t try it or take any notice of what was offered.

          I’m grateful for the HfP review and don’t mean to criticise it. It would be nice to see mention of tea, coffee, soft drinks as well as the booze (and TBF HfP often *does* mention these in reviews). Maybe wifi too – some people – especially in-transit and with limited roaming data and not enough time in-country to make it worth buying an eSIM for it – still care.

  • Fraser says:

    What a shame there’s no table service dining. I only visited once when it was still a First Class lounge, redeeming the long-lost bargain Virgin redemption to fly to Beijing first class on Air China.

    • Novelty-Socks says:

      Agreed, this lounge used to be great when it had table service. I *still* remember the eggs Benedict I had there around 2017 as one of the best of my life!

  • newbz says:

    While both BA Premier and UA GS are similar in that they’re invitation-only tiers, the latter is infinitely easier to achieve. While there’s no published required spend, based on FT and other reports it’s around $50k per year, although some reports mention $35k-40k.

    BA Premier: “In order to get a British Airways Premier card, you need to control a travel budget which spends at least £2 million per year with British Airways.” (Quote from HfP’s post).

  • chan says:

    I am a GS and use it sometimes, but the only when I want some peace and quiet time. The food is the same, drinks are minimal, rather get a cocktail made on the other side. This side could be a great Polaris lounge, but with the amount of business seats, this side could be really packed. Maybe swap, put United members on this side and all Polaris on the other side with a sit down service.

  • Andrew says:

    The Big Ben replica clock is pretty great, it must be said.

  • sam says:

    FYI the lounge closes at 6 pm not 10 pm

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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