British Airways ARC Opens at Olympia — London’s Biggest New Music Venue in Over a Decade

London has a major new place to see live music — its first big new entertainment venue in over a decade. British Airways ARC opens its doors at Olympia today (16 June 2026), a 3,800-capacity space that’s set to become one of the capital’s most significant cultural hubs.

British Airways ARC, London’s newest live music and entertainment venue, opens at Olympia. Image: British Airways

The new venue forms part of the £1.3 billion transformation of Olympia, the West London landmark that has been a home for live entertainment since 1886. Operated by AEG Presents UK, British Airways ARC sits above Olympia’s existing West Hall and promises a world-class experience for both fans and artists, with British Airways signing on as Olympia’s Founding Partner.

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An opening season of big names

The venue launches tonight with a performance from Self Esteem, the first in an opening season that brings a run of global artists to W14. Still to come this year are McFly, Van Morrison, Khalid and The Black Keys, as British Airways ARC settles into its stride.

There are perks for the airline’s loyalty members, too. Members of The British Airways Club have had access to exclusive, ringfenced ticket allocations, and a dedicated lounge inside the venue — the British Airways Wing — is available for eligible ticketholders. From 22 June, customers can also collect 10 Avios per £1 across selected Olympia bars and restaurants.

Inside British Airways ARC at Olympia. Image: British Airways

British Airways ARC represents an exciting new chapter in our partnership with Olympia and AEG, and a step forward in how we connect our customers with unforgettable experiences, both in the air and on the ground. We’re proud to be a Founding Partner of a destination that celebrates British creativity and world-class entertainment.
Hamish Mcvey, Director of Marketing at British Airways

From the rooftop to 35,000 feet

To mark the launch, British Airways has teamed up with one of Olympia’s buzziest new openings, Wolves of Tokyo — a bold contemporary Japanese restaurant and rooftop bar in Olympia’s Canopy — to create an exclusive onboard menu. From 1 July, customers in Club World on long-haul flights from Heathrow to Tokyo (Haneda) can try a selection of the restaurant’s signature dishes, developed with the airline’s catering partner DO & CO to taste their best at altitude.

British Airways’ Club World menu collaboration with Olympia restaurant Wolves of Tokyo. Image: British Airways

The menu includes crab maki with avocado, cucumber, lime mayonnaise and orange tobiko; North Atlantic miso-glazed cod; a kaiso seaweed salad with white goma dressing; and matcha cheesecake with fresh berries. The dishes will run for two months from 1 July.

Working closely with our teams, we’ve carefully curated a selection of dishes to taste great at altitude, ensuring they retain their depth of flavour while reflecting the quality and attention to detail our customers expect at 35,000ft.
Mark Brega, British Airways’ Executive Chef

More to come at Olympia

British Airways ARC is only the beginning. A second, 1,575-capacity British Airways Theatre is currently under construction and scheduled to open in 2027 — billed as the largest permanent new theatre to be built in London in almost 50 years, operated by Trafalgar Entertainment in partnership with The Shubert Organization. Together the two venues will form the heart of a reimagined Olympia that will also include two hotels, new restaurants, offices and public spaces.

For tickets and the latest on the opening season, see olympia.co.uk. British Airways ARC is at Olympia London, Hammersmith Road, W14 (nearest station: Kensington (Olympia)).