FIVE new UK airport lounges are opening in the next few weeks

Opening new airport lounges is a long and painful process. Whilst the lounge operators are keen to roll them out as quickly as they can – and the demand is certainly there – it isn’t easy for airports to find spaces, especially when you consider the requirement for utilities and toilets.

Even when a space can be found, constructing anything airside – where every bit of equipment needs to be screened and checked in/out daily – takes far longer and costs more money than usual.

It’s therefore a minor miracle that we have five new UK (including Channel Islands!) airport lounges almost ready to roll, even if two are conversions.

Let’s take a look at what is on the way over the summer.

Airport: Edinburgh

Operator: Escape

Opening date: 27th June

The first opening on our list is due on Friday, when Manchester Airports Group opens an outpost of its ‘Escape’ brand by Gate 4.

This is the space which used to be occupied by the original Aspire lounge. Aspire retains its other lounge by Gate 16.

The image above looks smart and a noticeable change from, say, the Escape lounge at London Stansted. There isn’t any launch event planned for the media so it will be a while before we get to see it.

The lounge website is here.

Airport: London Heathrow Terminal 3

Operator: My Lounge

Opening date: 17th July (online booking only available from 31st August)

The Club Aspire space in Heathrow Terminal 3 is being turned into a Scandi-inspired My Lounge. (The Club Aspire brand is being retired completely, which means that something will happen to the Terminal 5 space at some point.) It is situated between the entrances to the Cathay and Emirates lounges.

My Lounge is generally a bit more laid back – it’s the Moxy of airport lounges. The aim is to provide a greater differentiation between My Lounge, No1 Lounge and the brand new Clubrooms lounge in Terminal 3, all of which have the same owner.

The lounge is due to open on 17th July, based on a chat with No1 this week, but it is only accepting cash bookings via the website from 31st August.

You can book and find out more on this page of the No1 website.

Airport: Jersey

Operator: No1 Lounge

Opening date: 18th July (online booking only available from 1st August)

This is a brand new space which will provide competition for the existing, dated, Executive Lounge.

At 460 sq m this will be a big lounge for a relatively small airport, with capacity for almost 150 guests. Speaking to the No1 team at our summer party last week, they are enthusiastic about the space they have to work with, which is on the upper level and apparently filled with light. Image above.

Bookings being taken from 1st August via this page although No1 has told us that it hopes to be open on 18th July.

Airport: Bristol

Operator: Escape

Opening date: 28th July

The next opening is expected to be at Bristol. Manchester Airports Group, which now operates the lounge, is opening a brand new space on the mezzanine floor adjacent to the Cabin Bar.

It promises ‘floor-to-ceiling glass windows looking out on to the Eastern apron’. You can find out more on this page of the airport website here.  Image above.

Airport: Liverpool John Lennon

Operator: Aspire

Opening date: TBC but ‘Summer’

This isn’t an extension of the previous lounge, but a brand new space which will seat over 200 people. This is TRIPLE the capacity of the previous lounge.

It will be split into two sections – a standard Aspire lounge and a more upmarket ‘Luxe by Aspire’ lounge. Image above.

All in all, it’s going to be a busy period for the UK airport lounge sector. Whilst Heathrow and Edinburgh are refits in existing spaces, Liverpool and Bristol see the current lounges moved and expanded whilst Jersey is brand new. Independent lounge capacity continues to increase, which is good news.

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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.

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 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.

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.

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:

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:

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