The strong tailwind on our Denver – London flight gave us a few extra minutes to review the United Arrivals Lounge in LHR Terminal 2, a respectable amenity for business class passengers.
United Arrivals Lounge London Review (LHR)
There was real fear this lounge would never reopen after the pandemic, but thankfully it is back and virtually unchanged from the way it has been since it first opened over a decade ago.
Location + Hours + Access
The arrivals lounge at London Heathrow, located immediately after immigration and customs, is a shared space with shower suites, breakfast items and more. It is open daily from 6:00 am to 2:00 pm.
This lounge is exclusively available for arriving United Polaris business class travelers and Air Canada Signature Suite passengers. Guests are not permitted. Star Gold members and business class passengers arriving on airlines other than Air Canada or United are also not permitted.
As you exit the baggage claim area of T2 into the Queen’s Terminal, turn left and you’ll quickly find the lounge:
It’s rather old school…there are flight manifests printed on a dot matrix printer and an agent will verify you are eligible by cross-referencing your boarding psst with the printed list.
Seating
The lounge is small and just one large room with tables and chairs of various sizes with a buffet in the rear.
Food + Drink
The lounge offers both an a la carte menu (though that cuts off around noon) and a buffet. The buffet included:
- whole fruit
- croissants
- stuffed croissants (with spinach, corn, sundried tomato)
- Vol-au-vent (with eggs, feta, bacon)
- cherry crowns
- breakfast poke bowls (watermelon, tofu, adamame, mixed grains, soy ginger dressing)
- berry smoothie bowls (smoothie, sliced banana, kiwi, apricot, granola, almond butter, pomegranates)
- fruit bowl
- breakfast parfait (chia, cocoa, berries, toasted almond flakes)
- bircher museli
- sunshine smoothie (blend of passion fruit, mango)
- green smoothie (spinach, cucumber, pineapple)
Beverage selections included an espresso machine, tea, water, and canned soft drinks.
We arrived after the a la carte service had concluded and weren’t all that hungry anyway.
Showers + Restrooms
For my family, the most valuable perk of this lounge was the showers…very refreshing after a long flight. Lounge attendnants will escort you to a shower suite and unlock the door (somtimes there is quite a waitlist, but we had the lounge to ourselves).
Service
The lounge staff was very polite and friendly, excellent with my kids, and a delight to interact with.
CONCLUSION
My strong recommendation if you fly from the USA to London on United or Air Canada in business class is to skip breakfast in order to maximize your sleep onboard and then use this lounge upon arrival to freshen up or get a bite to eat.
My original United Arrivals Lounge London review, published on April 16, 2019, is below.
After my flight from Los Angeles to London Heathrow, I checked out United’s Arrivals Lounge in Terminal 2 for a shower and breakfast.
I last reviewed this lounge back in 2014 and it really hasn’t changed. Upon entry, a lounge agent not only scanned my boarding pass but spent about a minute rustling through printed dot matrix passenger manifests to find me and highlight my name. Not sure what that was about other than a rudimentary way to monitor on which flight passengers tend to make better use of the lounge.
You’ll find the lounge just outside baggage claim on the arrivals level of Terminal 2.
There’s still seating for about 30-40 people.
Power ports are plentiful and a converter is not needed.
A buffet offers mostly cold breakfast items including pastries and baked good, fruit, yogurt, and smoothies.
An a-la-carte menu offers a number of additional cold and hot items including a breakfast panini, omelet, and oatmeal (porridge).
I ordered French Toast, served with cream cheese and berries. It was very tasty and served as a nice second round of breakfast from my cheese omelet on the plane.
Coffee is not great in the lounge…the Plaza Premium Lounge a few hundred feet away offers much better coffee.
After breakfast, I took a shower. The shower room is small, but includes ensuite facilities and Cowshed amenities (I’d imagine those will probably be replaced with the new Sunday Riley amenities once supplies are exhausted). While being escorted to the shower, I was asked if there were any garments that needed to be pressed.
Newspapers and magazines are also available. Wi-Fi is adequate.
Access + Hours
If you’re terminating in London and flying in United business class (Polaris), you have access. The lounge is open daily from 5:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Air Canada and South African Airways business class passengers also have access, but not travelers on other Star Alliance member carriers or Star Gold members traveling in economy class, even on the three eligible airlines.
CONCLUSION
I appreciate the availability of this lounge to freshen up after my flight. It’s worth skipping breakfast onboard and eating here if you have the time.
Sunday Riley, not Susan Brown. 🙂
Looks like a nice lounge to freshen up and not relying on potential early check-in at the hotel.
Oops. 😉
I live in London and grew up elsewhere in the British Isles and I can honestly say I’ve never heard fruit described as “far-fetched” before (as per the menu.) Around these parts, “far fetched” would refer to a tall tale.
@John … “Fetched from afar” ?
You weren’t kidding that it hasn’t changed a bit and the last I used this lounge was in 2016. When flying into LHR, I prefer a transfer at AMS/FRA/ZRH/(sometimes) GVA and then flying into LCY as it saves a lot more time and is closer to the meetings I have in the city.
We capitalize City .
Used this lounge on my recent trip – perfect for a shower and to catch up on emails and make sure my phone was charged before taking Picadilly line into London. Not as complete as the Swiss Arrivals lounge in Zurich – but this lounge serves its purpose.
@Adam: Agreed – I prefer the SWISS arrival lounge (for the coffee alone), but this lounge is very handy and appreicated.
nice looking with a turn of this century kind of feel
Granted her (undoubtedly) beautiful face is obscured but does your lovely wife know you posted a picture of (a woman who is probably) her? (3rd photo, standing behind your adorable daughter as your handsome son strides confidently through the door.) Are you living dangerously by posting that photo? 🙂 🙂 🙂
Can you still have your suit pressed while you shower?
Arguably, one of the best “arrival” airport lounges! Bravo UNITED!
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
I always skip the breakfast on the plane on my way to LHR—not to maximize sleep but simply because I can’t stand United’s breakfast. It’s the meal that needs immediate attention. Before heading into the city, I have a quick bite at the lounge which serves delicious healthy options.
What does it mean “Invitation Only”? I am flying United Polaris Business Class.
You will have access.