<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by BNAFlyer:
I'm really not sure what people expect for a few hundred dollars a year....my city club charges over $600 a year and that doesn't get you anything free, just the opportunity to buy food and drink at fairly steep prices....I know of at least three country clubs here in Nashville that charge hundreds of dollars a MONTH for basically the same thing. So I'm always a little surprised to read people complaining about what they are getting for the fairly minimal cost of an Admiral's Club membership. Personally, I think it is a good value since it give me a quiet place to rest between flights, particularly when connecting. I'm really not concerned about whether the club staff is up to date with the latest airline industry news or whether I have to pay for a drink (I am amazed that people seem to expect unlimited free booze for such a small annual fee!). Maybe my view is a little off because my firm pays for the membership but I am relatively satisfied with the AC.</font>
I think some of the complaint is rooted in the comparison between AA and other major airlines - BA/QF/CX which not only charge less for annual membership, but also provide elites with free access and provide free food and alcohol. On a competitive standpoint, ACs especially domestically are a poor last.