Qantas has quietly abandoned plans for a flagship First Class Lounge at London Heathrow, shelving a project first announced in 2023 and instead turning its attention to a major refurbishment of its existing Terminal 3 lounge.
The airline has instead confirmed it will focus on a major refurbishment and expansion of its existing London Lounge in Terminal 3, with the upgraded facility expected to open progressively through 2026. The Heathrow T3 lounge will now see a premium dining room modelled on the Auckland lounge experience.
The decision, first revealed by Executive Traveller, marks a significant shift from plans announced in early 2023, when Qantas revealed ambitions to open a standalone First Lounge at Heathrow featuring premium dining, wellness facilities, airfield views and direct access to departure gates, a significant attraction for Project Sunrise passengers.
At the time, then-CEO Alan Joyce described London as “one of the most important destinations on our network” and said the airport was the ideal location for a First Lounge, particularly ahead of the launch of Project Sunrise services between Australia and the UK.
However, several reports now suggest the project has been shelved due to the lack of suitable space at Heathrow, one of the world’s most capacity-constrained airports.
The proposed London facility would have become Qantas’ fifth First Lounge, joining existing locations in Sydney, Melbourne, Singapore and Los Angeles.
Instead, the Flying Kangaroo will invest in its current Heathrow lounge, which serves premium passengers departing from Terminal 3. The refurbishment is expected to increase overall capacity while introducing a premium dining space modelled on features recently introduced at the airline’s Auckland lounge.
The dedicated dining area is likely to be available to First Class customers, as well as top-tier Frequent Flyer members including Platinum and Platinum One travellers.
The move comes as Qantas continues to refine its long-term premium strategy in London, despite ongoing delays to Project Sunrise. The airline had originally targeted late 2025 for the launch of non-stop flights from Sydney to London, coinciding with the planned opening of the First Lounge.
Project Sunrise has since been pushed back, with the inaugural non-stop Sydney-London service now scheduled for 2027. While its daily Airbus A380 from London to Sydney via Singapore carries 14 first class passengers, Project Sunrise will add six more on the A350-1000ULR.
While the cancellation will disappoint some of the airline’s highest-value customers, the Heathrow upgrade ensures Qantas will still deliver an enhanced premium ground experience in one of its most important international markets.
For now, however, London’s long-promised Qantas First Lounge appears destined to remain on the drawing board.
