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Review: the United Club lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 2

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This is our review of the United Club 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.

You can use this lounge if you have a qualifying flight ticket for any Star Alliance carrier operating from Terminal 2, so this review should be of interest even if United is not currently part of your travel plans.

Review: the United Club lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 2

The United Club is just one of a handful of international Club lounges offered by United, with the others being in Hong Kong, Tokyo and Mexico City.

With 23 daily departures from Heathrow, it makes sense to have one here. I believe United Airlines operates the most flights to London of any US carrier; both Delta and American rely on their joint venture partners Virgin Atlantic and BA respectively to operate the lions share of transatlantic routes.

The article is the first part of a United Airlines series which will run over the next week or so, at roughly one article every two days. We’ll be looking at their Polaris business class and premium economy product as well as a number of lounges.

The trip was kindly arranged for us by United Airlines but HfP paid for all of its other costs.

I was on my way to San Francisco on the first of United’s three daily departures to the city. This is one of the earliest flights of the day, departing at 10:30.

This isn’t your normal United Club

Before I start, it is worth taking a quick look at what a United Club is, as the US airline lounge system is a bit different to that in other countries.

This is because the US airlines have a two-tier lounge system. ‘Club’ lounges are mass market lounges that are widely accessible through credit card perks, subscriptions and other benefits packages. You rarely need status or a business class ticket to get in.

Because access is easy, the offering is a bit simpler and you usually end up paying extra for alcohol and better food options.

Complementing United Clubs are six United Polaris lounges. These are more premium and limited to passengers who are flying Polaris on international business class tickets. They often feature a la carte dining rooms and a larger selection of free drinks.

Bizarrely, the United Club in London does not conform to this structure. It is more premium than the average domestic United Club but not quite as premium as United’s Polaris lounges. In other words, food and drinks are free but you won’t get a la carte dining. It is also open to anyone with access to United Clubs, rather than just those flying in Polaris business class.

If you think this doesn’t make much sense, that’s because it doesn’t!

Who gets access to the London United Club lounge?

As mentioned above, the access eligibility for the United Club is expansive. You can get into the United Club at Heathrow if any of the following apply:

  • You are flying in business or First Class on United Airlines or another Star Alliance airline
  • You are Star Alliance Gold and are flying on a Star Alliance airline
  • You have United Club membership
  • You have a United Club pass
  • Active members of the US military flying United Airlines
  • Air Canada Maple Leaf Club membership flying on a Star Alliance airline
  • Virgin Australia Velocity Gold, Platinum and VIP members flying on United Airlines
Review: the United Club lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 2

Where is the United Club at Heathrow Terminal 2?

The United Club is in the 2B satellite terminal at Heathrow’s Terminal 2.

That means it’s a bit of a walk from security, 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. Unlike Terminal 5, there is no shuttle train to the satellite terminal – you must go on foot.

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

Review: the United Club lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 2

Take the lift or the stairs up and you are greeted with the United Club reception where they will scan your boarding pass and confirm your eligibility.

The lounge is open from 5am until 10pm daily.

Inside the United Club at Heathrow Terminal 2

The United Club is by far the largest of the lounges at Heathrow Terminal 2. The interior is largely a single space. You can get a sense of the scale here:

Review: the United Club lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 2

In the centre of the lounge you’ll find blue glass dividers with some interesting driftwood trees:

Review: the United Club lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 2

and

Review: the United Club lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 2

The blue glass feels a little noughties but on the whole the lounge is in very good condition

On either side of this little installation you’ll also see large high tables which are ideal for getting some work done:

Review: the United Club lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 2

At the window is a lonnnnng desk, as well as what is, apparently, Heathrow’s longest bar:

Review: the United Club lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 2

At one end of the lounge is a large oval room which houses the buffet, whilst at the other you’ll find the same space but with additional lounge seating:

Review: the United Club lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 2

The lounge also features a number of showers.

Food and drink in the United Club at Heathrow

Food is all self-serve in the United Club. It is a very good selection. In the mornings there is a breakfast service. You can choose from a range of pastries including a bagel wall:

Review: the United Club lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 2

For hot food, you have scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon, beaked beans, hash browns and mushrooms:

Review: the United Club lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 2

There’s also a selection of cold cuts as well as cereals, fruit and yoghurt:

Review: the United Club lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 2

and

Review: the United Club lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 2

From lunchtime, the choice is a little different. The last time I was there over lunch, a few months ago, they had tacos, fajitas, dauphinoise potatoes, vegetable masala and pie on offer:

Review: the United Club lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 2

There is always an excellent selection of sandwiches too:

Review: the United Club lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 2

…. plus a handful of creative salads:

Review: the United Club lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 2

Soft drinks are self-serve throughout the lounge whilst alcohol is only available from the staffed bar.

Review: the United Club lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 2

Prosecco as well as various wines and spirits are available, and the bar staff can make mixed drinks and cocktails too.

Conclusion

In many ways, the United Club at Heathrow is a victim of its own success. The sheer amount of people who are eligible to use it means that, for most of the day, the lounge can be very busy. In fact, this is the first time I’ve seen it relatively quiet, and I imagine that’s only because I was on one of the first United Airlines flights of the day.

Nonetheless, it is a very good lounge with a good selection of food and drinks if Western food is more to your taste. (If it’s not, then the Singapore Airlines lounge next door may be your preference.)

It is a long walk from the main terminal and back again, so it is not necessarily worth it if you are on a short haul flight from Terminal 2 unless you have a couple of hours to kill.

United did a good job here – check it out if you can.

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 (January 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 1,300 lounges in the Priority Pass network – search it here.

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

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

If you have a small business, consider American Express Business Platinum instead.

American Express Business Platinum

40,000 points bonus and an annual £200 Amex Travel credit 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 – 20,000 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 £195 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 huge bonus, but only available to HSBC Premier clients 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 (24)

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

  • Bagoly says:

    I guess the reason “it doesn’t make sense” is that the alternatives make even less sense:
    – Club standards – would stick out like a sore thumb in Europe, so everyone would go to Singapore
    – Polaris standards and Polaris entry – would need much smaller space
    – Polaris standards and Club entry – would be ever more overwhelmed

  • Mr Benjamin Murphy-Ryan says:

    It’s an ok space – travelling a few times in Polaris it is nowhere as good as Polaris flagship lounges at SFO (my fave) but it’s fine. There is an odd turn left or right thing at the reception – been on both sides and offering is slightly different, much prefer (and will try next time) to be sent right into main larger lounge area.

  • Kathryn says:

    Thanks for this. We’re travelling to Brazil with Lufthansa in a few weeks and am planning a full day’s safari-ing. Are there any entry restrictions based on your flight time? (Assuming not)

  • Graham says:

    I used the United lounge last week. It is my favourite lounge at T2. However, I planned to take a shower, and I was very disappointed to find that the showers were closed. Not sure if I was just unlucky or if they still have not reopened since Covid. For me the ability to take a shower before a long haul flight and after a sweaty trip to the airport is a critical feature of an airport lounge.

  • His Holyness says:

    The food here is MUCH better than what BA offers in Galleries Club and “First”(sic). The showers and toilets are also much nicer.

  • merlin90 says:

    “This is because the US airlines have a two-tier lounge system. ‘Club’ lounges are mass market lounges that are widely accessible through credit card perks, subscriptions and other benefits packages. You rarely need status or a business class ticket to get in.”

    If you have status via the US airline in question, status or flying in J/F almost never gets you in on a domestic flight (unless it’s part of a longer itinerary involving international travel). I think Alaska might be the only one of the US airlines to give its domestic F passengers lounge access as part of the ticket.

    I remember when I first moved to the US being shocked that a) flying domestic F did not get me into the United Club, and b) when I did later get in (having acquired status via another Star Alliance carrier) I was expected to pay for anything to drink above the most basic beer and wine.

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

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