British Airways Reveals New A380 Cabins and Heathrow Lounge Plans

British Airways just unveiled the finished cabins for its retrofitted A380s, and the big change is upstairs. The entire upper deck becomes Club Suites, with 106 seats in total, which the airline says makes it the industry's largest business class cabin.

Meanwhile, premium economy grows from 55 to 84 seats, and economy shrinks from 303 to 215, bringing the total down from 469 to 417 seats. First class drops from 14 suites to 12 and gets a new design with privacy doors.

The London-based airline says the first refurbished A380 will fly on selected routes in the coming months, but it hasn't said which ones. The first jet went to the Philippines for its refit in August. Each aircraft will reportedly be out of service for six to eight weeks, and the full program is expected to run through 2028.

On the ground, British Airways is redoing its Heathrow lounges. The Terminal 5 arrivals lounge goes first, with work starting in early 2027 and a reopening later that year. The updated lounge will have 59 shower suites, a coffee bar and deli, and a new arrivals experience for first class passengers.

At the end of 2028, the airline will also open a brand-new lounge at Heathrow's Terminal 5C gates, which have never had one. Finally, a new first-class check-in area at Terminal 3, built with American Airlines, is due this winter.

Andrew's Take

I'm glad British Airways is finally upgrading its aging A380s — and the lounge upgrades are the icing on the cake. The A380 is one of the last BA jets still flying the old Club World seat, where half of passengers ride backward and window seats have to step over a neighbor to reach the aisle, so moving to Club Suites with doors and direct aisle access is a big step up. With 106 business class seats on every flight, I'm also hoping it means more Club Suite award space for those of us booking with points.