All great things must end. Yet, some would say it’s time to say goodbye to the much dated British Airways Concorde Room at JFK. British Airways is vacating Terminal 7 at New York’s JFK airport and rehousing next door with partner American Airlines in terminal 8. When this happens all British Airways branded lounges including the first class lounge and Concorde rooms will close on December 1, 2022. New British Airways and American Airline co branded lounges will open in Terminal 8. With that in mind, I decided to plan one last trip to visit the Concorde Room at JFK before it is permanently shuttered. The lounge is small and is showing its age. Then again, the JFK Concorde Room hasn’t served Concorde guests since 2003 and has instead been utilized as a dedicated First Class lounge for those only flying first class.
Overall, the lounge is quite small. It was designed for Concorde guests. As the Concorde capacity was only 100 passengers, this lounge was never meant to be utilized by swarms of people. Instead, it was an intimate facility designed for only a few guests and families at a time. This still holds true as the lounge has multiple social areas and limited private areas for solo travelers. There’s no elemis spa here or sleep pods like in London. Instead there are Big comfy couches and chairs that look like they came from Windsor Castle in the early 90s litter the lounge. The cushions are well worn and allow passengers to sink into the furniture. Wear and tear or character, you can be the judge
One of the highlights of the lounge is the piano. Play it and entertain yourself. The Piano is connected to headphones making it essentially an electric keyboard. My partner decided to take it for a spin and spent a few minutes serenading himself. I honestly think this is a JFK specific feature. I never recall seeing a piano in the London Heathrow terminal.
The JFK Concorde Room also hosts a lovely dining area with made to order food and an excellent beverage menu. A staple in first class airport lounges. Upon visiting in November 2022 the champagne was Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle. Easily retailing for over $150 a bottle. I can also say the Concorde Lounge at LHR was serving the same champagne. It was also the option while flying British Airways First Class.
The restaurant has several seating options available for both those traveling alone or with a partner. Serving food cooked to order, there’s really no reason to want to eat on the plane. Especially on a short late night flight from JFK to London. Sadly, I forgot to take photos of the menu. Most food was ready in less than 15 minutes. Making service quick here too!
Overall, the small and intimate JFK Concorde Room will be missed. American Airlines does not invest in the premium experience the same way British Airways has over the years. It was nice to see the Concorde Room one last time before it closes and terminal 7 is demolished. The new lounges opening next door look nice, but the history of this lounge is what makes it unique and what we’ll all miss the most.
