MISSION A jet lag-beating express preening to be smart enough to melt into the New York crowds on touchdown and relaxed enough to make the most of the Big Apple.

USP The Cowshed spa, at the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, Heathrow airport, sells itself: a hip, compact spa, in its own stylish lounge, for preflight pampering; ideal for soothing nerves after a frazzled dash to the airport and before flying. This is a mini version of the original Cowshed at Babington House, the Somerset outpost of the trendy members’ club Soho House.

AMBIENCE Redstreaked marble stairs, lit by a chandelier backed by patterned boutique hotel wallpaper, lead from one world (departures: brashly lit retail central) to another (Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse: a well-designed space, with everything from champagne to hot tub on tap). A shoeshine and personal flight-call service immediately set the tone. I swapped my scuffed shoes for white spa slippers (which look a bit silly with red-tipped socks) and headed through suspended pods filled with magazine-browsing, wine-sipping, upper-classers for the Cowshed outlet in the corner.

The spa has black-clad staff and decor: mosaic tiles, textured slate walls and floors. Out front are four massage chair stations and four beauty treatment rooms for facials, wet shaves, manicures and pedicures. Each room has a black veil rather than a door, a foot basin filled with rose petals, and flash leather chairs that recline and warm your backside. Behind these Cowgroom rooms is a darker, more private space, comprising six personal steam and shower rooms (bliss after coming off a redeye night flight) and a small wet area with whirlpool bath, sauna and two relaxation beds enclosed by orange glass walls and mottled water streaming down the window.

EXPERIENCE After filling out a brief consultation form, Karen gave me a 15-minute back, neck and shoulder massage with my T-shirt on. No oils, no unguents. It all happened so quickly that it was the first treatment where I’ve left my mobile phone on in my pocket. She used whip-like karate chops and gentle arm-stroking, rounding off by fingertip-kneading acupressure points on my scalp. Next my hair was chopped and washed by Bumble and bumble’s Danielle to the best music I’ve ever heard in a spa: Ben Harper and Paul Simon. In under an hour I’d had a massage, haircut and shoeshine and was ready to be called to board.

No sooner had I boarded than the in-flight beauty therapist Nicole offered me a choice of four in-flight treatments (Back in the Clouds, Hot Hands, Handsome Hands, Hands Zone. I ordered the Hot Hands “arm facial” – how’s that for a misnomer? – for research purposes. At her spa station (two stools and a pull-out table) she exfoliated and moisturised my arms and scrunched my palms, which felt good for someone permanently on the brink of RSI. She told me that the combination of alcohol, altitude and massage often left people feeling faint. It left me ready to sleep.

PRODUCTS The spa has a wall of Cowshed products with cheeky names such as Lippy Cow Natural Lip Balm and Dirty Cow Freshening Hand Wash. The range is 100 per cent vegetarian and uses hand-picked herbs from the walled garden at Babington House.

IN-CROWD The usual Gucci-loafered execs and media types who would be equally at home at Babington House.

FOOD There is a healthy food cabinet near the spa where you can help yourself to water, cranberry juice, Eat Natural bars with goji berries and pots of freshly chopped fruit. The clubhouse has a salad and charcuterie deli bar and, like upper class, a Freedom Menu with healthy options such as Alaskan crab salad and arugula, autumn vegetable pie with baby carrots.

WALLET WATCH All services are complimentary for passengers travelling Virgin Atlantic upper class or gold card users. Return tickets from London to New York start at £2,208, including taxes (08701 909090; www.virginatlantic.com ).

NEED TO KNOW Cowshed, Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, Terminal 3, Heathrow (020-8897 5055; www.virginatlantic.com/cowshed)

For those in economy class . . .

The next time you miss your flight or face long delays with hundreds of other frustrated passengers, here are some spas to ease the tension and help to banish rattled nerves.

Soft landings

Addressing the needs of stressed-out travellers at Heathrow Terminal 1 is a new Urban Retreat (www.urbanretreat.co.uk ; 020-8745 6440). For £15, you can enjoy a foot-reviving massage, programmed back and leg massage chairs, free internet and complimentary tea and coffee. The £15 fee is waived if you book a tailor-made preflight treatment, such as a Mini Break, a 30-minute body brush, massage and back compress for £30, or the 75-minute Long-Haul body massage for £70.

Winging it

For extra preening, the Tokyo Lash Bar at Heathrow Terminal 3, which opened earlier this year, offers wacky false eyelashes, which are popular with those venturing forth on hen weekends. Speedy but stylish haircuts are available at Terminal 4’s walk-in HairPod (www.hairpod.co.uk ), and a session in Manicure Express (07950 252098) will have your cuticles sorted in just 15 minutes at its several outlets at Heathrow and one at Gatwick North.

Fast-track service

If you’re seeking something more sophisticated than the coin-operated massage chairs at Gatwick North and South, the Clarins Studio (www.uk.clarins.com ; 01293 507249), at Gatwick South international departures, offers a range of beauty treatments for men and women, including a fast-track facial, back and head massage, aromatherapy body treatments, self-tans and pedicures.

While at the Clinique (01293 507458) and Mac beauty salon outlets at Gatwick North, you can have a complimentary makeover.

For more information on beauty services at British airports, visit www.baa.com

Times recommends

• The world's 10 weirdest things to eat
• Correspondents: hoteliers revenge for Tripadvisor
• A slow, ponderous journey up the Mekong