frenchcargo371

Can myself and my partner (we are both MVP Gold) access the American Airlines Flagship lounge in MIA as part of a booking in J from SEA-CLT-MIA-BGI? The AA terms below weren't clear if the requirement is for MVP Gold or higher AND a qualifying international or just one or the other.

Barbados isn't technically in South America but it's also not in the US, Canada, or Mexico. To me it sounds like YMMV on getting into this lounge, with the fallback of the Admirals' Club being available. To complicate matters further, the OneWorld website leads me to believe that since we're both OW Sapphire we'd have to the Flagship lounge since it's a Business Class lounge.

Anyone have experience trying to access this lounge in the same circumstance?

Same question would reply to the return legs, except this would be from AUA-MIA-DFW-SEA...since Aruba is technically in South America, would that change the calculus here?

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...hip-lounge.jsp

icelandman2

You do not have access - this is captured in the carve-out for AS/AA elites. BGI/AUA are not Flagship routes (so not Qualifying First/Business for either purpose).

mildfrequence

I do wish AA's page would be a little more clear that the "flagship route" designation is of course limited to AA's own flights and not applicable for partners. EG if you're flying Iberia to Europe in J, you'll get access, and if you are sapphire/emerald the same is true regardless of your cabin.

firemandan9

Have access to Admrials Clubs, Alaska Lounges, if you happened by a BA/Qantas lounge but not AA flagship? The level they go through to bury these policies is certainly confusing.

econ

I wouldn't count on getting into any BA/QF lounges on this itinerary either (although there's only one I can think of on that routing anyways).

frenchcargo371

So we were just denied entry into the Alaska lounge in Seattle. We earned OW Sapphire through Alaska and I thought the policy reads as follows:

Alaska Airlines Emerald and Sapphires may access the Alaska Lounge when traveling on a oneworld® member airline to a destination outside of the US, Canada, or Mexico.

However the supervisor told me that it “actually” includes the Caribbean as well, despite that statement being in a different paragraph on the page for those who earned one world status through AA.

Am I wrong, or are the lounge staff?

firemandan9

Policy on Alaska's own website for Alaska lounge access based on status seem to make it pretty clear the rules for Alaska MileagePlan elites and AAdvantage elites differ in access for the Caribbean.

Anyone else have actual experience?

TalkingPoint

Haven't had any issues in LAX at AA flaghship and QF F.

WarringDanimal

Do different OneWorld airlines sync with Alaska Airlines status at different times? I downgraded from 75k to MVP this year and flew ALG-AMM on January 4 - Royal Jordanian knew I was Ruby - but I'm sitting in the SoHo lounge at JFK now because AA thinks I'm Emerald. A nice surprise lounge upgrade!

eponymous_coward

I was still Ruby on JAL on 1/5 (12/31/23 expiring MVP). ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Mwenenzi

If you made a reservation when you had a certain status, that can stick. Reservations are not always refreshed.
In OW forums often get complaints when people go to a higher status. The old lower status in a reservation means they are not getting benefits from the higher status. Usually seat allocation and bags.
Airline IT systems are not that robust, tending to poor. Worse when Sabre (AA AS) <--->Amadeus (all the others?) GDS.

beckoa

Well, will be interesting to see what happens on my trip to GUA next week. I think I should be able to access AA FL and QF F lounge with myself + 1 guest (as an AS 100K) but will be my first try on AS metal.

Kacee

We were able to access QF F lounge at LAX on Monday, arrived in BA J, separate ticket on AA LAX-PHX.

Lounge is great (including a very nice F dining menu), but too many families with totally out of control kids waiting for the Australia flights.

ASA_1

Question: if I use Alaska miles to book a Qatar airways flight and I book into a fare that allows changes, will I then manage the reservation (like changing departure date) through Alaska, or through Qatar?

Kacee

Changes to the reservation would be made through Alaska, as ticketing carrier.

Things like seat assignment would be handled through QR.