MIami Lounge for AC - not RCC!, but Club America lounge!
 

Today, was the first time I flew from Miami, since AC took over CP.

I had arrived 2 days ago on an UA flight, arriving at concourse "G". It has a RCC. I assumed that coming back to Canada today on AC, I would be able to go to the lounge.

However, AC flies from concourse G - the 2 concourses are not connected to each other. The AC check-in agent gave me a paper invitation to go to the Club America lounge (presumably a contract lounge?).

She stated that it was outside security, at concourse "F" (not "G"!). I could not find it, today.

Could someone tell me where the Club America lounge is - I will be flying from Miami again, in a couple of months. What amenities does this lounge offer?

PS-Are there any plans for AC to move to concourse "G", where UA is located?

Walk towards the person checking boarding passes to go up the escalator for F gates. To the right of where the person stands there is a small hallway about 15 metres in length. The hallway takes you to the door of Club America. About 2m into this hallway, to the right is the elevator to the departure levels for F gates.

Cheers

I did not go up the escalators, thinking that the lounge would be on the ground floor.

However, I am confused - some people are going by security (to their gates) at ground level, and others are going up the escalators, to reach security (and their gates)?

The RCC is nothing special but you should still have access to it when flying AC. I'm not sure I remember all the concourse letters, but I've always used the RCC when flying back on AC.

BTW, I think it's one of the few RCCs with self-service alcohol!

I used to use some Varig lounge in MIA.

The Club America lounge is a tiny, dark, claustrophobic place tucked into a corner just past the security entrance to the UA concourse. It's worth the walk out to the RCC at the end of the UA concourse -- their lounge is much nicer. I haven't been in MIA since 9/11, but you used to have no problem getting through security to use the RCC with your *G card and a boarding pass (has this changed?).

Thank you, Stu McIlWain.

The AC agent was somewhat wrong - she stated that the Club America lounge is before security. If it is after security, than one would preferentially want to go to the RCC.

The problem with either lounge option (Club America or RCC) is that one has to go through security of concourse F, realizing that AC flies out of concourse G, not concourse F. One then has to exit concourse F, and go through security again, through concourse G. It does take some time, going to concourse F, for the lounge, and then back to concourse G, for the flight departure. If one only had 15 minutes to spend in the lounge, one could not do it, and still make the flight.

Ideally, AC should move to the UA concourse (F), or have a lounge accessible to its passengers either outside or (preferably) inside concourse G. However, during my quick inspection of the airport in these areas, I could not see any lounge outside or inside the concourse G security.

I wonder if the security screening person would let an AC SE/Elite passenger go to concourse F (for the RCC lounge), based on a Star Alliance Gold card, without having the written invitation to go to the Club America lounge, in concourse F.

FlyerGoldII

Sorry, I wasn't clear enough. It is landside on the same level as the check-in counters, just past the entrance to concourse F.

There used to be no problem accessing the RCC. Security would let you through with a *G card and an AC boarding pass. I don't know if this is still the case.


[This message has been edited by StuMcIlwain (edited 06-25-2003).]

If the Club America lounge is at the same floor level as the check-in counters, then it would contradict Sing-Along's statement, indicating that one needs to go up the escalators, to reach this lounge.

can't AC get anything right!

"can't AC get anything right! "

Huh? What hasn't AC done right? It is not their fault they can't get gates in the same pier as UA operates from. They have made alternative lounge arrangements with Club America. Interestingly, the STAR Agent Guide shows an AC "contract" lounge near gate F1, which I assume is to indicate it is landside and not airside, as the UA RCC is shown to be near gate F10.

Just to set the record straight guys -

Club America on the F Concourse is located at the entrance to F concouse Before Security checkpoint. While it's not the greatest lounge, I've been in many airline operated lounges that are far worse. MX also uses this lounge as do a couple of other carriers on Concourse F. Club America operates several other lounges in Miami as well on different concourses.

The RCC is at the end of F, so if you are departing on AC, you would have to walk to the end of F, return to the main terminal and then walk to the end of G where the AC gates are located. This would easily take 15 minutes, not including time for security. In my opinion it makes much more sense to use the Club America as it is more convenient.

The Master Development plan for MIA will eventually relocate the Star carriers into new Concourse J, and concourse G will be demolished (2005-2006). Therefore I am sure none of the carriers in the current F and G concourses are willing to make any significant investment in those facilities right now.

Hope this helps.

Since AC passengers preclear US customs in Canada there is no need for them to be based on concourse F which has secured hallways directly into Customs and since there are so many international carriers into MIA, if you don't need that space, you aren't going to get it. Since 9/11 you can no longer access a concourse in MIA without a boarding pass for that concourse. We used to offer the RCC as an alternative for those passengers who had a while before their flight departed but this is no longer possible. The entrance to the Club America is the the right of the BASE of the escalator for concourse F. There are no lounges in councourse G, period. Hope this helps

Welcome back, SA. Nice to see that you're still around.

Yes, SA, do let some of your "friends" know what is happening down in ATL, and where you will be ending up in all the changes. Even if it needs to be by private email.