I’ve just returned from a three-day city break in Lisbon, flying Club Europe in both directions. Club Europe can be hit or miss, especially on shorter routes, but it’s the extra touches that make the difference.
I ended up flying in two different cabins, the older generation on the outbound and the newer 2024 generation on the inbound. The trip also gave me a good opportunity to see how consistent BA’s short-haul premium experience really is.
Lisbon cityscape from Alfama
Booking
I booked the trip a couple of months in advance, using a Barclays Cabin Upgrade Voucher.
I’d originally hoped to use the voucher for a long-haul redemption, where you can get much better value, but that wasn’t possible on this occasion. Rather than let it go to waste, I used it for a short-haul trip.
Lisbon is in Band 2 of redemption pricing, and I booked the trip before the devaluation. The return journey cost 20,000 Avios plus £30 in taxes and charges (booked before the May 2026 increase). I paid the Avios required for Euro Traveller but the cash charges for Club Europe.
Booked now without a voucher, a return would cost 44,000-49,000 Avios + £40, or 26,000-28,000 Avios + £40 with the voucher (saving 18,000-21,000 Avios). Read our BA short-haul reward chart for details.
Booking with the voucher was easy. Barclays vouchers are stored in the Vouchers section of your BA account, and you can apply them easily using the main redemption search tool. I had to travel a day earlier and take the 7 AM flight to use the voucher, but I thought it was worth it.
The Outbound: Heathrow to Lisbon
Flight Number – BA 500
Travel Date – October 2026
Aircraft Reg – G-TTNK
Aircraft Type – Airbus A320neo
Aircraft Age – 6 years
Check-In and Fast-Track
I checked in easily via the new BA app, which I found considerably more user-friendly than the previous version.
I travelled with carry-on only, but the Club Europe check-in queues looked reasonable at 4:15 AM.
Fast-track security took around 10 minutes, and I was at the Terminal 5 Galleries North Lounge in no time.
The Galleries Lounge
The Galleries Lounge was quieter (52% occupancy, according to Loungebird) than most of my previous visits, which was a pleasant surprise.
The food choice was good, although the cooked breakfast could have been a little hotter, particularly the hash browns. The usual drinks selection was fully stocked, with no queues, and plenty of showers were available. The lounge was clean, with plenty of seating, though it was much busier near the dining area.
Boarding
I left the lounge a little earlier than usual after learning the flight departed from B gates. Boarding was fast, and the service was very good. I was onboard within 15 minutes of arriving at the gate.
I was seated in 1A on this flight, which was, of course, very convenient for boarding and food and drink service. This was a random allocation.
Unfortunately, things went downhill once everyone was onboard. Although the flight initially appeared on time, we eventually departed 68 minutes late because some connecting baggage was delayed.
We had already pushed back from the stand and were waiting near the runway, which made the delay particularly frustrating after such an efficient boarding process. Plenty of updates kept us informed.
Aircraft, Cabin and Seat
This departure had around eight rows of Club Europe seating, with the usual blocked middle seat. This was BA’s older generation A320neo interior. Being in the bulkhead row also gave me some welcome extra legroom.
The main issue was the broken plug socket, which left me with very little battery for my journey into Lisbon. I also wasn’t a fan of the armrest table, which was more fiddly to use than a conventional tray table.
Although the aircraft was only around six years old, its cabin design already felt noticeably older than the one I experienced on the return journey.
Food and Drink
The first drink service was prompt, and I opted for a Bacardi and Coke. Given the early departure, I wasn’t planning to finish it all at once!
Breakfast was served on this departure. You could choose from three main courses, plus warm miso sourdough, breakfast pastries, and summer berry muesli.
I opted for the Wookey Hole Cave-Aged Cheddar omelette, served with grilled asparagus, herb-roasted potato rösti, and cherry tomatoes.
This was a highlight of the outbound flight. The omelette was piping hot and full of flavour, and the accompaniments worked well together. BA’s Club Europe breakfasts can be inconsistent even with the same omelette dish on different flights, but this was a very good example of what BA can deliver when it gets the catering right.
Arrival
In the end, we made up 34 minutes of the delay, arriving around 34 minutes later than scheduled.
We were quickly transferred by bus to the terminal, and passport control was fast. Luckily, it’s very easy to get to Lisbon, even by metro. It’s also easy to get to Lisbon Oriente if you’re travelling onwards.
The Inbound: Lisbon to Heathrow
Flight Number – BA501
Travel Date – October 2026
Aircraft Reg – G-TTSE
Aircraft Type – Airbus A320neo
Aircraft Age – 1 year
Check-In and Fast-Track
My return flight was scheduled for 11 AM. Lisbon Airport was relatively busy when I arrived, but security only took around 15 minutes.
Finding the lounge was slightly less straightforward. The airport signage initially caused some confusion, as the only lounges I could see listed were the TAP lounges. Once inside the departure lounge, I found the ANA lounge easily on Level 6 via the escalators.
The ANA Lounge
Outside the lounge, there was a huge queue of Priority Pass cardholders, which looked to be at least an hour long.
I’m not sure why they didn’t put a full sign outside the door. There’s no way most of those people were going to make their flights.
Fortunately, when I showed my Club Europe boarding pass, they directed me to the front of the queue and let me in as soon as another passenger left.
Inside, the lounge was pretty basic, but comfortable enough, with views and a few different seating areas.
Views from the dirty windows
There was hot food, but also a range of sandwiches and pastries. The coffee machines always had a short queue, and seating was limited.
The pastel de nata were kept behind the bar, so I had to ask for one rather than help myself.
The lounge also had a fully stocked bar with spirits, wines, and soft drinks. The fridges also stocked a few Schweppes products.
The lounge is worth a visit, but it’s not somewhere you would arrive early. I certainly wouldn’t recommend arriving at the airport particularly early to spend more time here.
A snack at best – not the most appealing
In fact, Lisbon Airport itself was quite pleasant, and next time I’d probably spend more time exploring the duty-free shops rather than rushing to the lounge.
Exploring the terminal
Passport Control – A Word of Warning
One important point to remember: the lounge is located before passport control. When travelling outside the Schengen Area, you’ll still need time to clear immigration before you reach your gate.
This took me about 30 minutes, partly because several flights to the US and Canada departed around the same time. I’d strongly recommend leaving plenty of time, rather than assuming you can stay in the lounge until boarding is announced.
Boarding
Boarding was very smooth, with three clearly signposted queues and staff on hand to help.
After passing through the gate, we had to wait for the bus to fill up before heading to the aircraft. The drive to the aircraft was short, but we had to wait longer on the aircraft steps before we could finally board.
Unfortunately, we were told we could be on the tarmac for up to 2 hours due to air traffic control restrictions and weather, but the delay ended up being 45 minutes.
I was emailed about this the night before, but it was still unexpected, as boarding was on time and I’d hoped the disruption wouldn’t affect the flight as much.
The captain came out of the cockpit herself to explain the situation, including the possibility of changing our routing to make up some time. Quite a few concerned passengers onboard had onward connections, including those travelling on Cathay Pacific and American Airlines codeshares, some of whom also needed to change terminals at Heathrow.
The cabin crew were equally helpful, going around the cabin to speak with passengers individually about their connections and what options were available.
Cabin, Seat and Aircraft
The return flight was operated by a much newer A320neo, fitted with BA’s refreshed short-haul interior introduced in 2024.
This flight also had a much larger Club Europe section, with 12 rows. I was seated in 12C, right at the back of the cabin. This is an emergency exit row and has extra legroom. However, the curtain separating Club Europe from Euro Traveller was immediately behind me, so I had less privacy than you might expect.
Food and Drink
Due to the delay, the crew initially handed out bottles of Harrogate water and packets of nuts, which was a welcome gesture. Once drinks service began, I opted for Cîroc vodka and Coke, plus another packet of nuts. The drinks menu matched the outbound flight.
With 12 rows of Club Europe to serve, the initial drinks service took almost an hour to complete after takeoff. The crew were attentive when they reached each passenger, but the cabin size clearly made service more time-consuming.
As the return flight was scheduled around lunchtime, I had the chance to try a different menu than on the outbound journey.
I pre-ordered a vegetarian meal (though vegan was the only option) and got the pasta with a vegan dessert. The salmon had run out by the time the crew reached my row.
The pasta was very nice but lukewarm and slightly overdone, maybe because I was in 12C this time at the back of the Club Europe cabin.
I thought the crew were particularly good on this flight, regularly checking whether passengers needed anything and promptly clearing glasses and rubbish.
On the second drinks service, I opted for a Bacardi and Ginger Ale.
Arrival into Heathrow
Despite the earlier weather warnings, the flight itself was surprisingly smooth, with only a few bumps on the approach to Heathrow.
Given the initial warning of a two-hour delay, we landed just 5 minutes late, which was a welcome outcome. We were on a remote stand and had to wait for buses to the terminal, but passport control was very quiet and took less than five minutes. This was very different from my visit at the end of August, when the arrivals area was packed, passengers surrounded the baggage carousels, and abandoned luggage was everywhere.
This time, only a handful of carousels were in use, and with no checked luggage to collect, I could walk straight through and head for the Heathrow Express.
Despite the delay, I still caught my original train from Paddington, which was a better ending to the journey than I’d expected.
Worth It
For 10,000 Avios + £15 each way, using a Barclays Cabin Upgrade Voucher, I’d say Club Europe was absolutely worth it on this occasion and made all the difference to my trip.
Whether I’d pay cash to upgrade is another matter, and it depends on the cost and the value I’d get. It’s also worth considering which benefits you already receive through BA status before paying extra. Lounge access, fast-track security, an empty middle seat, and onboard catering all add value.
Neither flight was perfect, but the service was fantastic, and the benefits made up for it.
The difference between the two aircraft was quite noticeable, despite both being A320neos. The newer layout felt much more modern, which added to the experience.