British Airways’ flagship US lounge at JFK’s Terminal 7 has reopened its doors on, following a 16-month closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The opening of the Galleries Club lounge also marks the next step in the airline’s phased lounge reopening plan and will be available for customers travelling in First, Club World and eligible card holders, ahead of their flight to London Heathrow. Those flying from JFK in First and Club World can enjoy an enhanced check-in experience at the exclusive Premium Zone.  The First Wing and First check in are also open to ensure a smooth start to the journey.

British Airways’ customers will now also be able to use the airline’s innovative new digital app ‘Your Menu’ to order food directly from their mobile device to their seat after scanning a QR code. The app will be available throughout the lounge, meaning that customers can select from a wide range of complimentary food and beverages, to any seat.

A walk-through of the lounge can be viewed here.

At Heathrow on their return to the US, customers will have access to the Club and First lounges from Terminal 5, which also boasts a new sleep zone ‘Forty Winks’, allowing travellers to rest ahead of their flight.

Tom Stevens, British Airways’ director of brand and customer experience, said: “After the news about the change in entry requirements for US customers in to the UK, we expect to host more customers who need to travel and so we have decided that it is the right time to open our flagship lounge in New York. We are looking forward to welcoming some of our American customers back to London from next week and bringing Britons who reside in the US home for much-needed family time.”

Elsewhere the airline recently reopened three domestic lounges in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.