What happened
London Heathrow Airport would place Delta Air Lines in Terminal 4 in 2028 while Virgin Atlantic stays in Terminal 3, ending Delta business-class access to the Virgin Clubhouse and Upper Class Wing. Finnair and Japan Airlines would follow Delta to Terminal 4. The five airlines in the reshuffle account for about 3.5% of Heathrow departing seats.
Delta shared Terminal 3 with Virgin Atlantic from 2016, after leaving Terminal 4, then used Terminal 2 during the pandemic and came back in July 2021. Heathrow looked at putting Virgin Atlantic in Terminal 4 with Delta. That option would push out other airlines and mean rebuilding Virgin's premium facilities. Virgin Atlantic has indicated it may contest the plan. The airline's chief executive says separating the partners would make connections harder and reduce competition.
Delta business-class customers who now use the Clubhouse and Upper Class Wing would lose that Heathrow product, and Delta-Virgin connections would have to change terminals. Finnair and Japan Airlines passengers would lose Terminal 3 lounges as well.
Watch Virgin Atlantic's challenge and any joint Terminal 4 proposal, because either could keep Clubhouse access after 2028.
- Numbers
- 2028 year: planned year Delta would leave Terminal 3
- 3.5%: share of Heathrow departing seats on the five airlines being moved
- 2016 year: year Delta finished moving from Terminal 4 to Terminal 3 to join Virgin
- 40%: share of Virgin’s Indian customers connecting at Heathrow to North America
- Where
- London Heathrow Airport, Heathrow Terminal 3, Heathrow Terminal 4
- Who qualifies
- Delta business-class customers who today use Virgin’s Heathrow Clubhouse and Upper Class Wing; Finnair and Japan Airlines passengers would also leave Terminal 3’s lounge cluster
- Links
- Offer page Virgin Atlantic Heathrow Clubhouse virginatlantic.com
- Takeaway
- Treat 2028 T4 for Delta as a plan not a done deal, and watch whether Virgin’s challenge or a joint T4 move changes lounge access.