# Qantas Scraps Planned London Heathrow First Lounge, Expands Existing Lounge Instead

_Jun 19 06:54_

Tags: Qantas, Qantas First Lounge, oneworld Emerald, London Heathrow, loyalty program, policy change, airline, program change

Qantas has cancelled its long-anticipated new First Lounge at London Heathrow, citing insufficient terminal space. The airline will instead expand the existing Qantas Heathrow Lounge with 40-60 additional seats

## Summary

Qantas has officially scrapped plans to open a dedicated First Lounge at London Heathrow Airport (LHR). The lounge, initially announced in early 2023 as part of a broader lounge network investment and tied to Project Sunrise flights, was expected to open in late 2025. Management stated that despite years of searching, they could not find sufficient space in the terminal. Rather than building a new facility, Qantas will upgrade its existing Qantas Heathrow Lounge. The expansion will add approximately 40 to 60 seats, achieved in part by reducing the size of the downstairs bar area. The existing lounge currently serves first class, business class, and oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members

## Why it matters

Affects 2 airline programs (Cathay Pacific, Qantas).

## Sources cited

- [One Mile at a Time](https://onemileatatime.com/news/qantas-backtracks-first-lounge-london-heathrow) — Qantas Backtracks On London Heathrow First Lounge: It Was All Fake Hype

## Related signals

- [Qantas Points Planes to Tokyo, Paris and Hobart open until 8 Nov](https://thetravelsignal.com/s/qantas-launches-tokyo-pairs-hobart-point-planes-for-2027-book-by-november-8.md)
- [Flying Blue adds Qantas Premium Economy and First awards](https://thetravelsignal.com/s/qantas-premium-economy-first-class-award-now-available-through-air-france-klms-f.md)
- [Qantas cuts domestic Classic Flight Rewards 20% to 30% to 16 Oct](https://thetravelsignal.com/s/qantas-20-to-30-off-classic-flight-reward-sale-for-travel-november-1-september-2.md)
- [Qantas and Air New Zealand drop domestic codeshares on 7 April 2027](https://thetravelsignal.com/s/qantas-air-new-zealand-end-codeshare-agreement-on-april-7-2027.md)
- [Qantas will fly Sydney to New York nonstop from mid-2028](https://thetravelsignal.com/s/qantas-9-950-mile-20-hour-sydney-to-new-york-a350-flights-launch-mid-2028.md)

Older: [Air France-KLM Flying Blue Multiply Your Miles Bonus Up to 50% Until June 30, 2026](https://thetravelsignal.com/s/air-france-klm-flying-blue-multiply-your-miles-bonus-up-to-50-until-june-30-2026.md)
Newer: [Qantas Backtracks on Economy Seat Pitch Promise for Project Sunrise Flights](https://thetravelsignal.com/s/qantas-backtracks-on-economy-seat-pitch-promise-for-project-sunrise-flights.md)

Canonical URL: https://thetravelsignal.com/s/qantas-scraps-planned-london-heathrow-first-lounge-expands-existing-lounge-inste