Terminal 4 is Heathrow Airport’s unofficial SkyTeam base, and since 2020 there hasn’t been a lounge operated by SkyTeam, or one of its member airlines. That is about to change, as SkyTeam member Saudia is opening a brand-new lounge at Heathrow’s Terminal 4.
Saudia’s New Lounge at Heathrow’s Terminal 4
Saudia is opening a new lounge at Heathrow’s Terminal 4. This lounge will be across from the airport’s gate 10, and will replace one of the levels of the former two-storey SkyTeam lounge (the other level was replaced by the Plaza Premium Lounge, which opened in October last year.
I reached out to Saudia’s Chief Customer Experience Officer, Rossen Dimitrov, to learn more about the lounge, and he was kind enough to provide me a couple more details about the lounge. Between that and Saudia’s press material, here’s what I learned about the lounge:
- The lounge is 850 sq. m, roughly capacity for 174 guests
- While the lounge will be “dry” (i.e. no alcohol), it has an impressive selection of drinks, including 6 signature mocktails, non-alcoholic Kronenberg beer, and 8 types of non-alcoholic wine (including red, white, sparkling, rose)
- I was sent over the menu, and the drinks section looks particularly delightful, with iced Spanish/matcha/turmeric lattes and uji matcha, fresh juices (including “juice bar” style specials), a mixed berry smoothie and a chocolate milkshake also on the menu
- According to the menu there’s a wide variety of espresso based coffee as well, though I’m unclear if it’s from a machine or barista coffee
- There will be a bespoke London Tea Exchange experience designed for the lounge, including 12 types of premium loose leaf teas served in teapots by London Tea Exchange, as well as 6 types of premium tea blends from 43 countries served in tea bags
- There will be a dedicated section for first class passengers, with a-la-carte dining options including braised slow cooked beef steak, lamb biryani, szechuan beef soup, slow roasted garlic and aubergine velouté, and tiramisu, and more
- The first class section will serve afternoon tea from 3pm-6pm, and the rest of the menu is available all day including those hours
- Business class passengers will have access to a buffet
- Prayer rooms and shower rooms will be available
Saudia’s new lounge looks awesome
Saudia Lounge London Heathrow Access and Entry Requirements
Saudia might not be the SkyTeam lounge you’d expect to own a lounge at Heathrow, though there’s good reason. The airline flies up to six flights a day out of Heathrow; three to Jeddah (departing at 14:40, 17:50, and 22:10), and three to Riyadh (departing at 10:10, 16:15, and 17:50). In comparison, Air France also flies six flights from London to Paris every day, and these are smaller aircraft (A220s and A320s, as opposed to 777s and 787s).
All business class passengers and SkyTeam Elite Plus members will be granted access to the Saudia business class lounge, and first class passengers will have access to the lounge’s VIP section. For reference, nine SkyTeam airlines fly out of Heathrow’s Terminal 4, and would use this lounge – that’s Air France, KLM, China Eastern, China Southern, Kenya Airways, Korean Air, Saudia, TAROM, and Vietnam Airlines.
Korean Air passengers will have access to the Saudia Lounge Heathrow
This looks like a great lounge, and competitive within the region (as far as outstation lounges go)
I went to Qatar Airways’ lounge at Heathrow Airport in 2023, and it was one of the best outstation lounges I’ve ever been to. There was a-la-carte dining, barista coffee (unfortunately I think that has been phased out since), and a wide range of beverages.
While Saudia’s lounge doesn’t feature a-la-carte dining (and obviously adheres to its home country’s 0% alcohol policy), I can’t help but be particularly impressed by the lounge’s features, particularly the food and beverages. The drinks selection is outstanding, and I particularly enjoy the variety between fruit juices, smoothies, non-alcoholic wines, teas, and more. I’m also excited to learn more about this partnership with London Tea Exchange – we see brands feature at lounges all the time, and it’s often quite a fun partnership.
The lounge itself looks bright and airy, and I’m especially excited about the fact that I’d be able to visit before flying in business class on a short Air France/KLM flight.
Conclusion
Saudia opened a new lounge at Heathrow Terminal 4 today, and it’s a competitive lounge that is a great option for SkyTeam passengers flying out of Heathrow. While it isn’t quite as over-the-top as the neighbouring Qatar Airways lounge, it joins them and Etihad to offer strong outstation lounges at Heathrow Airport.
What’s your favourite lounge at Heathrow Airport?