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ARCHIVE: Lounge Access Based on Class of Service (master thread)

Old Apr 11, 2013, 8:02 pm
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Last edit by: JDiver
Lounge Access for oneworld First or Business Class Passengers

NOTE: This thread has received little use since the establishment of the thread HELP DESK: Will I Have Lounge Access? Access, Rules (2017). Please use that thread to inquire about Lounge access. A few more recent posts have been moved to that thread.


Relax in more premium lounges around the world

If your oneworld frequent flyer tier status is Emerald or Sapphire, or you are traveling in a First or Business Class cabin on a oneworld member airline, you can access more than 600 airport lounges throughout the world.

This means you can relax or catch up with work in comfort and style before departure, regardless of which oneworld member airline you choose to fly with.

To be eligible, you must be departing on a flight that is both marketed and operated by a oneworld member airline.
  • Some lounges may get busy at peak times, and access to them may be restricted as a result.

  • Lounges operated by third parties are identified in the lounge finder tool (above). Access to these lounges is restricted to eligible customers when travelling on specific oneworld airlines as shown in the lounge finder tool.

  • Arrivals lounges are excluded.

  • Spa and Pre-Flight Dining facilities are excluded.

  • British Airways Concorde lounges are excluded.

  • Other exceptions may apply (see below).

oneworld lounge access for First Class or Business Class customers (link)

Indulge yourself before departure in a wider range of airport lounges when you fly First Class or Business Class with any oneworld member airline.
  • Customers flying First or Business Class have access to the equivalent class of lounge regardless of their frequent flyer status. First Class passengers may use a Business Class or frequent flyer lounge if a First Class lounge is not available.

  • First Class passengers may invite one guest to join them in the lounge. The guest must also be travelling on a flight operated and marketed by a oneworld airline.

  • Connecting between oneworld marketed and operated flights:

  • First and Business Class customers connecting on the same day of travel, or before 6am the following day, can access the lounge when travelling between an international long haul (a oneworld international long haul flight is defined as an international flight marketed and operated by any oneworld carrier with a scheduled flight time longer than 5 hours) and an international short haul or domestic flight (and vice-versa).

  • Lounge access will be determined on the international long haul ticketed flight (either First of Business Class) regardless of the ticketed class of travel on the international short haul or domestic flight.

  • You must be prepared to show your boarding pass or itinerary showing travel in First or Business class on the international long haul flight, in order to access the lounge before your international short haul or domestic flight.
The following exceptions apply:
  1. First and Business Class customers who do not hold Emerald or Sapphire tier status are not eligible to access American Airlines lounges when travelling on solely domestic flights within the U.S. or between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico [except Mexico City], the Bahamas, Bermuda and the Caribbean; customers travelling in First or Business class on U.S. transcontinental flights between JFK-LAX, JFK-SFO and MIA-LAX (and vice-versa) are eligible for lounge access.

  2. Guests are not permitted at Qatar Airways Al Safwa and Al Mourjan lounges at Hamad International Airport in Doha or Qatar Airways Premium Lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 4.

Please see the following resources for further details on Class of Service Based Lounge Access Rules:

. . . oneworld Lounge Access Wizard , created by FlyerTalk member imagineertobe

. . . ● AA.com: AA Lounge Access Rules

. . . ● oneworld.com: Lounge Access Rules and Search Tool

. . . ● FlyerGuide Wiki: Lounges

. . . ● FT thread: AAdvantage status-based access to AA & oneworld lounges (consolidated)

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ARCHIVE: Lounge Access Based on Class of Service (master thread)

Old Jan 24, 2013, 8:40 am
  #166  
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Signatures
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
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Originally Posted by elkhornne
According to AA the BA flight does not have First, just Business Exec and Economy.
BA offer two classes of service on short haul European flights: Club Europe (business) and Euro Traveller (economy). Tangent: be prepared to be underwhelmed on your European segment.
Microwave is offline  
Old Jan 24, 2013, 8:52 am
  #167  
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Austin
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Originally Posted by elkhornne
Even if my US based departure airline is AA in First from DFW to LHR? And based on the rules for BA lounge access my wife and I could each bring in one guest?

Thank you

I should add I appreciate everyone's help. I made Life time Gold mainly in the US with one trip to Asia and 2 to Mexico. When it comes to the International Europe travel I'm lost. We have a couple coming along, but in coach, so if I can get them in a lounge I want to. Thank you again.
IMHO, this is one of the best benefits of the Oneworld alliance .
teemuflyer is online now  
Old Jan 24, 2013, 9:01 am
  #168  
 
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Originally Posted by elkhornne
We are departing on BA from LHR to CDG in Business Exec, would that matter? According to AA the BA flight does not have First, just Business Exec and Economy.

Thank you for your help.
Only F and certain status passengers can bring in a guest. Business class ticket allows access only to the holder.
I am not saying that you won't get access at the connecting point but the rules are not very clear in this regard, and some agents may construe them as allowing access only before the actual F flight, although I'd think that same benefits should be extended at all points of the journey.
Andriyko is offline  
Old Mar 17, 2013, 10:45 am
  #169  
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
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Last week I flew First on AA DFW->LHR, continuing in business / Club Europe on BA to CDG. The oneworld site suggests my long haul should have given me access to BA's first lounge in LHR's T5, but they denied me access and sent me to the business lounge. When I asked for clarity on the long-haul flight rule the agent said it'd have worked if I had flown on BA rather than a oneworld partner.
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Old Mar 17, 2013, 12:31 pm
  #170  
 
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Lets fly east for a moment...
AA metal J to NRT, several day stopover,
Then JAL in Y (not by my choosing..AA Award)
To BKK. Since it is ongoing from AA Metal in J
Does the J lounge admission apply for the JAL portion in Y ?
I kind a 'know' the answer, as JAL seems to be picky in this
Regard...
Thx for your advice.
aafreq is offline  
Old Mar 17, 2013, 4:53 pm
  #171  
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Originally Posted by aafreq
Lets fly east for a moment...
AA metal J to NRT, several day stopover,
Then JAL in Y (not by my choosing..AA Award)
To BKK. Since it is ongoing from AA Metal in J
Does the J lounge admission apply for the JAL portion in Y ?
I kind a 'know' the answer, as JAL seems to be picky in this
Regard...
Thx for your advice.
Since it's several days later...nope. You could buy a day pass though to the AC in NRT.
JJeffrey is online now  
Old Mar 17, 2013, 5:09 pm
  #172  
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVPG 75K
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Originally Posted by armus
Last week I flew First on AA DFW->LHR, continuing in business / Club Europe on BA to CDG. The oneworld site suggests my long haul should have given me access to BA's first lounge in LHR's T5, but they denied me access and sent me to the business lounge. When I asked for clarity on the long-haul flight rule the agent said it'd have worked if I had flown on BA rather than a oneworld partner.
Did you try to access the Concorde Room or the Galleries First Lounge? The former only admits those flying/connecting from BA First (as well as BA GCH/Premiers) while the latter allows oneworld Emeralds and those connecting from oneworld First Class. If refused entry to Galleries First I would ask to see a manager and present this page (printed out in advance):


Connecting between oneworld marketed and operated flights:
First and Business Class customers connecting on the same day of travel, or before 6am the following day, can access the lounge when travelling between an international long haul* and an international short haul or domestic flight (and vice-versa). (* a oneworld international long haul flight is defined as an international flight marketed and operated by any oneworld carrier with a scheduled flight time longer than 5 hours)
Lounge access will be determined on the international long haul ticketed flight (either First of Business Class) regardless of the ticketed class of travel on the international short haul or domestic flight.
You must be prepared to show your boarding pass or itinerary showing travel in First or Business class on the international long haul flight, in order to access the lounge before your international short haul or domestic flight.
BrewerSEA is offline  
Old Mar 18, 2013, 12:31 am
  #173  
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
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I was definitely at First rather than Concorde but didn't feel like pressing the issue since I wasn't 100% sure of the rules and she did scan the boading pass (I presented both for the flights with the transatlantic flight in First on top, though she scanned the second) so I assumed it was the computer that made the decision rather than her. I mostly wanted wireless and a soda so either lounge suited my needs. I suppose I could try again in a few days when I take the same itinerary in the opposite direction but I had planned to use AA's lounge in T3.
armus is offline  
Old Mar 18, 2013, 11:51 am
  #174  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
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Originally Posted by armus
I was definitely at First rather than Concorde but didn't feel like pressing the issue since I wasn't 100% sure of the rules and she did scan the boading pass (I presented both for the flights with the transatlantic flight in First on top, though she scanned the second) so I assumed it was the computer that made the decision rather than her. I mostly wanted wireless and a soda so either lounge suited my needs. I suppose I could try again in a few days when I take the same itinerary in the opposite direction but I had planned to use AA's lounge in T3.
In my opinion, the BA F Lounge in T3 is much nicer than AA's Admirals Club or Flagship Lounge, so its still worth it to talk to the lounge dragons to get admitted.
BA is notoriously--some say needlessly--strict about lounge entry, but your itinerary should qualify. The long haul segment is what matters. Often times it helps just to provide this boarding pass first and the short haul segment only if asked. If they still don't let you in, ask to speak to a manager.
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Old Mar 19, 2013, 9:48 pm
  #175  
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
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My mom is flying SCL-MIA-DFW-PHX later in the week. Having heard horror stories about clearing immigration at MIA, she chose a later connection to make sure she wouldn't misconnect. Assuming she arrives on time, she would like to connect and standby for earlier flights. The earlier MIA-DFW flight is looking promising, but the DFW-PHX leg is pretty full. If she were to make an earlier flight to DFW but not PHX, would she be entitled to use the AC in DFW?

As I read the rules, I suspect she only has access in MIA, but would like to confirm.

First and Business Class customers connecting on the same day of travel, or before 6am the following day, can access the lounge when travelling between an international long haul* and an international short haul or domestic flight (and vice-versa).
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Old Mar 19, 2013, 10:00 pm
  #176  
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As long as your mom is flying First or Business class on the SCL-MIA leg, she'll have access to oneworld lounges along her entire itinerary.

Just have her show her international premium class boarding pass to the lounge agents. They'll scan it and see that she's eligible to enter.
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Old Mar 19, 2013, 10:44 pm
  #177  
 
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Forgot that (minor) detail -- she is flying up front SCL-MIA. I'll make sure she saves the J BP. Thanks.
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Old Mar 25, 2013, 2:03 pm
  #178  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
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Which lounge at LAX for F tickets?

Will be flying on award tickets in F:

MCI-DFW-LAX on AA flights
LAX-HKG-DPS on CX flights

I have 4 hours on the ground at LAX. Should I use the AA Flagship Lounge or the OneWorld Lounge? Do I have access to both? If so, which is nicer to spend 4 hours in? This will be later in the evening, from 8:45pm to 1:15am.
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Old Mar 26, 2013, 11:07 am
  #179  
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
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Originally Posted by susiesan
Will be flying on award tickets in F:

MCI-DFW-LAX on AA flights
LAX-HKG-DPS on CX flights

I have 4 hours on the ground at LAX. Should I use the AA Flagship Lounge or the OneWorld Lounge? Do I have access to both? If so, which is nicer to spend 4 hours in? This will be later in the evening, from 8:45pm to 1:15am.
You will have access to both the T4 Flagship Lounge and the TBIT oneworld First Class lounge.

In my opinion the Flagship Lounge is superior. You will arrive in T4 airside so should just walk to the lounge without passing through any security. Then I would probably walk over to TBIT (this requires going landside) about an hour before departure.
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Old Mar 29, 2013, 2:29 pm
  #180  
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
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Searched but didn't see anything specific to SDQ.

Am flying AA business class aard tix tomorrow SDQ-JFK. Appears only OneWorld lounge is Iberia. Can I access based on class of service? If not, do my AA plat, BA silver or Citi Exec Cards help?
tylerdurden4543 is offline  

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