In late 2023, British Airways revealed plans to open its own lounge in Miami, which is my home airport (so I take a special interest in the lounge situation here). There’s an exciting update now, as this lounge has just opened. Not only that, but this is one of the first two lounges globally to feature British Airways’ all-new lounge design motif.
Basics of the new British Airways Lounge Miami Airport
The British Airways Lounge at Miami International Airport (MIA) has just opened. The lounge is located in Concourse E, where British Airways flights depart from. After clearing security and taking the train to gates E20-E33, you’ll see the entrance to the lounge right there, as it’s located one level above the concourse.
The new lounge measures 13,000 square feet, making it British Airways’ largest lounge outside of London that’s solely operated by the airline. The lounge is currently open daily from 1PM until 5PM, though you can expect the hours to change over time, based on British Airways’ flight schedule. For those curious, the airline is paying annual rent of around $1.75 million for this space.
So, what can guests expect from the new lounge?
- The lounge’s design is described as being “a celebration of the airline’s British originality, charm and wit, combined with features that have taken inspiration from the city, such as its Art Deco design and iconic buildings”
- The lounge has large windows throughout, offering sweeping views across the airport, and even views of the city
- The lounge boasts a full service bar, which acts as a focal point for the space; bartenders can prepare classic cocktails and mocktails, including a Prickly Margarita, which is unique to this lounge
- The lounge has five distinct zones that flow seamlessly into each other, while offering individual spaces; beyond the central bar, there’s the main dining space, focus pods, and a lowered central lounge with partitions, for those looking for private spaces
- The lounge has two shower suites and colorful striped bathrooms, inspired by traditional Miami deck chairs
- The lounge features a self-serve dining area with seasonal Miami dishes with a British twist, all prepared in the restaurant-style kitchen; expect local papaya and lacinato kale salad with toasted coconut and citrus honey vinaigrette, and seared South Florida flounder fish with lemon, kalamata olives, fried capers and rice
- The lounge has the Concorde Dining Room, open exclusively to those traveling in first class, offering a la carte dining, with dishes like wagyu beef strip loin with roasted trumpet mushrooms and a truffle reduction, or roasted diver scallops, plus champagne and English sparkling wine, including Pommery, Cuvée Louise 2005
For what it’s worth, British Airways offers up to two daily year-round flights to Miami, with many frequencies being operated by the Airbus A380, so this lounge will get some good use. Previously, British Airways primarily sent its passengers to American Airlines’ lounges in Concourse D, including the Admirals Club and Flagship Lounge.
British Airways’ history with lounges at Miami Airport is interesting. From 1999 until 2007, British Airways had its own roughly 6,000 square foot lounge in Concourse D, though that lease ended up being canceled due to the North Terminal Development Consolidation project, which resulted in British Airways’ operations being moved.
In 2014, British Airways was supposed to open a lounge in Concourse D near gate D21, coinciding with the airline planning on flying the Airbus A380 to Miami. However, construction plans ended up being canceled because British Airways’ operations got moved to the Concourse E satellite to accommodate American Airlines’ growth in Concourse D. Funny enough, that space is now expected to become an American Flagship Lounge.
British Airways Lounge Miami Airport access requirements
With the British Airways Lounge Miami now open, who can access this lounge? Clearly it’s intended primarily as a lounge for those traveling on British Airways, especially given its location and hours. In that regard, the lounge should follow standard oneworld lounge access rules, and be open to British Airways first and business class passengers, plus oneworld Sapphire and oneworld Emerald passengers on British Airways.
In theory, this lounge should also be open to other oneworld first and business class passengers, plus select oneworld elite members traveling on airlines other than British Airways. However, British Airways is also known for its arbitrary restrictions at outstation lounges, and denying entry to non-British Airways passengers, despite the lack of any published policies in that regard.
Regardless, a British Airways Lounge Miami is exciting for passengers on several levels:
- Some British Airways lounges in the United States belong to Priority Pass during non-peak hours, so hopefully (maybe?) this will result in a new Priority Pass option in the terminal over quieter hours; there’s no indication of that yet, but since the lounge just opened, it might take some time
- While American’s Flagship Lounge is a nice facility for premium passengers, it’s quite out of the way for those departing on British Airways
- British Airways having its own lounge alleviates crowding in other lounges in the terminal, including the Flagship Lounge
Bottom line
The British Airways Lounge Miami Airport is now open. This lounge is exciting on many levels. The 13,000 square foot facility is British Airways’ largest dedicated lounge outside of London. Furthermore, this is one of the two first lounges to get British Airways’ all-new design motif.
Even if you’re not flying British Airways out of Miami, this lounge is good news in terms of more overall lounge capacity, and reducing crowding in other lounges.
What do you make of the new British Airways Lounge Miami?
