Admirals Club Benefits - Worth it? (consolidated)
Jun 27, 2017, 11:28 am
#121
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: DL: Silver; AA: EX PLAT; UA: Silver; HY: DIA; HH: DIA; MR: TIT
Posts: 1,708
I personally pay for mine and definitely feel like I get value. Yeah the wine is crappy and free beer is horrific. Even when crowded (which I don't often find it to be but I travel late morning or early afternoon) the wifi, power outlets and decent snack options make traveling less stressful.
Jun 27, 2017, 11:32 am
#122
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHL
Programs: AA - Plat, HHonors - Diamond, IHG - Plat, Marriott - Gold, National - Exec, Amtrak - Select, NEXUS
Posts: 1,075
I've paid for my own and the membership has value for me. Honestly, access to AAngels is worth the fee alone to me and is invaluable when things get really IRROPS sideways during travel.
I primarily use PHL's lounges before a flight for a quiet place to work (i.e. emails, calls prior to a business hours departure) and for a place to cool my heels when I return (clean bathroom, quick snack, hold off until traffic dissipates before leaving for home).
I agree that the lounges that are under renovation are substandard for now, and that most connections are too short to really use a lounge with the current banked schedules in hubs.
I primarily use PHL's lounges before a flight for a quiet place to work (i.e. emails, calls prior to a business hours departure) and for a place to cool my heels when I return (clean bathroom, quick snack, hold off until traffic dissipates before leaving for home).
I agree that the lounges that are under renovation are substandard for now, and that most connections are too short to really use a lounge with the current banked schedules in hubs.
Jun 27, 2017, 11:46 am
#123
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: CMH
Posts: 100
I "pay" for mine with the Citi Advantage Executive card, AC membership is included in the fee. Spend enough each year and you can get Citi to credit you the fee. I probably wouldn't pay for it outright each year, but wow is it nice during irrops and getting help from the staff. I'm not really a beer snob at all, so a nice cold draft and a couple snack type foods and I'm good. Most I've been to have been fairly chill and quiet (for the most part, irrops can cause a crowd).
Card comes with Global Entry credit and some other nice perks.
Card comes with Global Entry credit and some other nice perks.
Jun 27, 2017, 12:01 pm
#125
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA EP, UA Gold-MM, UA 1K (former), GS (former),SPG LT Platinum, Hyatt Diamond, HH Diamond
Posts: 2,299
Caveat: "Raised in San Francisco, taught to love God ... AND hate Los Angeles"-Herb Caen
I guess it depends on what you are looking for.
LAX specific-LAX is a zoo, on a good day, from leaving the house to boarding. Line Nazi's , overzealous TSA disappointed you are just cattle, instead of famous, and (ex AC AAngels) GA's that are ONLY concerned about getting the flight out AND nothing else. If one can get over temporary construction time frame over runs, in a quieter than an airport Chili's environment, ...
The rest of the universe-IMHO, AC's are that oasis that give us AAngels that still get us out of town when we have a CXL, WX, etc., , shield us from bimbo's that sit in one seat and put their bags in the seats on other side, screaming, misbehaving children that should be on Benadryl instead of sugar, fighting over plugs to charge dying equipment, (insert bad behavior here), ad nauseum, ...
It's all relative. YMMV re: $450 (or less) My AC cost is worth it.
I guess it depends on what you are looking for.
LAX specific-LAX is a zoo, on a good day, from leaving the house to boarding. Line Nazi's , overzealous TSA disappointed you are just cattle, instead of famous, and (ex AC AAngels) GA's that are ONLY concerned about getting the flight out AND nothing else. If one can get over temporary construction time frame over runs, in a quieter than an airport Chili's environment, ...
The rest of the universe-IMHO, AC's are that oasis that give us AAngels that still get us out of town when we have a CXL, WX, etc., , shield us from bimbo's that sit in one seat and put their bags in the seats on other side, screaming, misbehaving children that should be on Benadryl instead of sugar, fighting over plugs to charge dying equipment, (insert bad behavior here), ad nauseum, ...
It's all relative. YMMV re: $450 (or less) My AC cost is worth it.
Jun 27, 2017, 12:04 pm
#126
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 30,987
Full disclosure: I am not an AC member. I get free day passes with my Business Extra account. If I don't have a day pass, I just find some comfy place near the departure gate to wait and immerse myself in Killer Sudoku.
I have been in the LAX AC a few times since they started construction that was supposed to be finished in "Spring 2017". We are almost to July 2017, past Midsummer, and it's still not done. I've read here in FT that they don't expect the LAX lounge to be finished until October 2017. I've also read, here on FT, that the JFK lounge is sub-optimal.
I look around me and see a crowded and noisy room. I can't say this is the "oasis of calm" they advertise. I wonder, to myself, "Who in their right mind would pay $400 (+/-) a year for this? Is this really that much better than just waiting at the departure gate or sitting in an airport restaurant?"
So, please enlighten me. Is it worth your annual membership dollars? Has anyone taken it up with the airline and, perhaps, received a discount or rebate for their annual membership fee? If your annual membership is paid by OPM, would you pay for it out of your own pocket, if your employment situation changed?
I have been in the LAX AC a few times since they started construction that was supposed to be finished in "Spring 2017". We are almost to July 2017, past Midsummer, and it's still not done. I've read here in FT that they don't expect the LAX lounge to be finished until October 2017. I've also read, here on FT, that the JFK lounge is sub-optimal.
I look around me and see a crowded and noisy room. I can't say this is the "oasis of calm" they advertise. I wonder, to myself, "Who in their right mind would pay $400 (+/-) a year for this? Is this really that much better than just waiting at the departure gate or sitting in an airport restaurant?"
So, please enlighten me. Is it worth your annual membership dollars? Has anyone taken it up with the airline and, perhaps, received a discount or rebate for their annual membership fee? If your annual membership is paid by OPM, would you pay for it out of your own pocket, if your employment situation changed?
If you're comfortable playing Sodoku in a corner hundreds of times a year as you wait for various flights, or if you don't fly as often as some, then perhaps it's not for you. Believe it or not, other folks travel to different places, more often, and may have different needs.
No, I wouldn't pay out of my own pocket, but I understand those who do.
Jun 27, 2017, 12:28 pm
#127
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Mesa, AZ
Programs: AA Ex Plat, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Silver
Posts: 638
For me I wouldn't pay for the club out of my own cash but my company refunds it to those of us who travel more than 20 round trips per year. I'm glad I have it but it's sometimes very hard to find an outlet or an outlet that isn't so worn out your plug won't stay plugged in and some have better food than others but really I just like it for a little quieter place to sit and somewhat more comfortable place to wait for the plane.
Jun 27, 2017, 12:34 pm
#128
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, Marriott Platinium
Posts: 1,334
The day passes are not free, it cost 300 points which you could use it for upgrades or award flights. Besides is June 27 and Summer started just a week ago.
My advice, use those points for upgrades on longer (domestic) flights and save your upgrades certificates for short flights.
My advice, use those points for upgrades on longer (domestic) flights and save your upgrades certificates for short flights.
Jun 27, 2017, 12:34 pm
#129
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SNA
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K (until it expires then never again), *wood Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 9,239
Jun 27, 2017, 12:45 pm
#130
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: RDU
Posts: 2,262
For me, I think it was $5k/month for 3 months for a $450 statement credit.
Jun 27, 2017, 1:12 pm
#131
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SNA
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K (until it expires then never again), *wood Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 9,239
Jun 27, 2017, 1:12 pm
#132
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,590
I had A/C membership for many years in the past via AAirpass and various credit cards. There are definitely some perks to having membership when things go south operationally but the overcrowding I encountered a couple years back, combined with the other general AA nonsense, caused me to drop AAirpass, my AA cc's and, thus, the A/C.
Don't really miss it.
Don't really miss it.
Jun 27, 2017, 1:14 pm
#133
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Just for reference, has been hashed-over before (unsurprisingly) - here was one thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html
Jun 27, 2017, 1:51 pm
#134
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
Now that MIA is using 3 clubs they are much less crowded for me. The complimentary food and beverage selection is much improved over the years. Plus the ability to take showers on long trips (at those ACs with showers.) What I save alone on food (considering airport prices) nearly pays my annual membership.
The ability to help with travel rebooking tends to be spotty. For some strange reason over the past several years I've had maybe one long delay/misconnect.
The ability to help with travel rebooking tends to be spotty. For some strange reason over the past several years I've had maybe one long delay/misconnect.