Originally Posted by
Torquer
Thanks for the quick reply. Sorry, but it is not at all obvious to me, since the domestic leg itself, is not an international flight. I interpreted the "same day" meaning that you couldn't enter the lounge the day before your international flight, and the "domestic flight" it mentions are just certain cross-country flights if you read further. Frankly, I can't see how the statement you quoted, and I studied carefully before posting, could cover the case I am talking about. So I am more interested to hear from people with personal experience who flew on a similar ticket, whether we would or would not have lounge access before the domestic segment.
I have plenty of experience. I have been accessing AA lounges, on exactly these type of flights, numerous times per year, for 25+ years. You will have access on this itinerary, if its as you described. If you have a PNR with a same day international flight you have access all along the way.
Now, the piece of information you did not share in your initial question which is relevant to the answer, is if your domestic leg is the day before, but you didn't say that in your post, so I chose not to muddy the waters in my answer, since most folks have their flights all on the same day. If the LGA-MIA segment is the day before your MIA-SCL segment, it can get into a bit of a "gray" area depending on the time of day and somewhat to the lounge attendants discretion. Technically, if the domestic segment is the day before then yes, you may be denied access at LGA because, obviously, you do not have a "same day international segment" in that case (you would, of course, have access in MIA going to SCL). If the international segment is within 24 hours the lounge attendant in LGA may let you in, but you probably should plan for not getting in and then be pleasantly surprised if they allow access.
I'm not sure how to help you build confidence in the statement I quoted, but I can assure you that is how it works. If you have a "same day international flight," (and that is the key,
same day) you have access all along the way. If you have a boarding pass in hand for an international flight then that is the criteria. They actually don't even have to be on the same reservation. For example, if you had separately purchased ticket for LGA-MIA, you just show your boarding pass for MIA-SCL at the LGA Admiral's Club and you will be allowed entry (again, assuming same day).
There are still more in's and out's to this (i.e. AA definition of "international," etc.) but again, I'm going to avoid muddying the waters and just answer the question you asked, rather than broadening the scope to all scenarios.
Regards