I have been patiently awaiting the refresh that British Airways made in their Seattle lounge. For months they had been working on this huge remodel which was completed earlier in the year in February. The photos looked really impressive, so I decided to have a gander myself.
ACCESS: The Seattle lounge is mainly for premium British Airways patrons (first and business class customers, oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members, etc.), and it is also available for BA One World partners such as Japan Airlines, Qatar Airways, etc.
The British Airways lounge is located in the S gates, so you have to take the train there. There are stairs and also an elevator that leads to the lounge, located on the second floor.
The entrance is more spacious than before and as you enter the lounge, is it considerably less closed off than it was in the past. Their station manager, Andrew Tadros, explained that they really wanted to open up the space and take advantage of the wrap around windows that let you view planes landing and taking off.
I really enjoyed this quilted map of the Seattle area which is at the front entrance. There is also a cute little seating area next to it and the main room feels very open and spacious.
The main area is expansive and all of the seating and flooring is new. The bathrooms haven’t changed much and could use a refresh. The main area has a large bar which is self-serve as well as a buffet that served a pretty nice range of foods. I tried a few items from the buffet which were satisfactory in food quality and had a coffee at their large coffee station.
All of the snacks and cold drinks were self-serve and the coffee machine made a really nice espresso. It is worth noting that the buffet offers considerable more food options than prior to the remodel. There was plenty of room around the buffet so it never felt crowded grabbing some food.
The bar is in the center of the lounge and is clearly in the focal point. Due to silly Seattle regulations there is no seating at the bar. I snagged a glass of Piper-Heidseick Champagne which is available for all guests. That is a pretty nice perk for all Emerald and even Sapphire level guests to be able to have champagne at a lounge.
Compared to the laughable complimentary sparkling wine in the Alaska lounge, this was quite a treat. The lounge also has First Dining for those who are Emerald status or those who have a first class ticket. The First Dining makes NV Pol Roger Champagne available, which I was able to sample due to my Emerald status. I found very little difference in quality between the two champagnes, with the Pol Roger being slightly richer and mustier.
In terms of offering complimentary wine to guests, this wine list is very thoughtful. While the reds and whites are rather blasé, the fact that anyone can enjoy champagne just by being a Sapphire status flyer is pretty awesome. Pendulum Red Blend from 2021 is a perfectly palatable red from a good vintage in Washington
Even better than the wine list was the first dining which was really very good in terms of food quality. Food quality was better than the offerings at the buffet. We ordered the pasta and short rib and both were really well-done. The short-rib was soft and melted in my mouth.
As good as the food quality was, the service was really top notch. People were always coming over and refilling our water or asking us if we wanted more drinks or more food. The service has definitely improved with the remodel as there is clearly more care and attention to the customer. The place was also spotless with no debris around. Attendants were constantly cleaning the area.
BOTTOM LINE: We had a marvelous visit to the British Airways Seattle Lounge. I found it to be considerable better in terms of food options and food quality than the Alaska lounges and being able to enjoy unlimited pre-flight champagne is definitely not something you can get at the Alaska lounge. Service was attentive as they really made an effort to make guests feel welcome. I will very much look forward to my next visit.