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SAN / San Diego Int'l. Airport AirSpace Lounge / "Admirals Club" (master thread)

Old Apr 3, 2015, 4:46 pm
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Last edit by: Prospero
San Diego Lindbergh Field International Airport (SAN) Aspire Lounge
Terminal 2 East, near Gate 33


Link to SAN AA airport information.

Link to SAN airport web site.

LOCATION:
Terminal 2, immediately to the left, before Gate 23

INFORMATION:
This former Airspace Lounge is a contract lounge that accepts Admirals Club members as well as American Express Centurion and Platinum members and certain premium cabin passengers on British Airways, Japan Airlines, and Edelweiss. All staff are contracted employees, there are no longer AA staff (AAngels) at the front desk.

Irrespective of travel class or airline, the Aspire Lounge at San Diego Airport is open to all guests departing from terminal 2. Guests at this lounge can enjoy a range of facilities including: free WiFi, complimentary showers, dedicated business areas and facilities and an expansive food and beverage menu. Formerly the Airspace Lounge, this airport lounge allows guests to separate themselves from the busy airport concourse and work, play or simply relax.

HOURS:
The hours and additional information are posted here.

AMENITIES:
  • Additional $10 credit for premium menu items included with every entry (Not available for Admirals Club members. Credit available for AMEX Platinum and Centurion holders. Passengers who access via BA or JL are entitled to two premium items, regardless of price)
  • Unlimited, complimentary soft drinks and light snacks
  • Full bar
  • Unlimited complimentary espresso and cappucino
  • Unlimited complimentary Peet's Coffees & Teas
  • Complimentary WiFi
  • Power outlets at every seat
  • Semi-private conference room (Seats up to 6)
  • Complimentary printing
  • Complimentary scanning
  • Complimentary use of shower facility

Photographs
Credit: Swissport















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SAN / San Diego Int'l. Airport AirSpace Lounge / "Admirals Club" (master thread)

Old Jun 14, 2015, 7:34 pm
  #76  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: CHS
Programs: Lots
Posts: 1,009
Quick update for those who aren't at SAN frequently - the Commuter Terminal is closed and all AA SAN-LAX flights now depart out of T2 so no need to switch terminals for lounge use.
IggySD is offline  
Old Jun 15, 2015, 6:20 pm
  #77  
formerly southsidesilver
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: San Diego,CA
Programs: BA Gold, UA Silver, HH Diamond
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If I hold the US airways free lounge day pass, Can I use it here to get in for free ?
When I Travel The World is offline  
Old Jun 15, 2015, 10:56 pm
  #78  
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
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Originally Posted by N1120A
Having been in there a few times now, I've never seen it crowded.
Last time I was in there it was totally packed, no seats. I believe it was because one AA flight had been delayed. But other times it's been very open and nice.


Originally Posted by N1120A
As for the LAX-SAN flights, if they are cancelled, they will likely bus you. The distance is short enough that it makes sense for the plane to be re-accommodated that way. I'd imagine an elite could get a seat on the next flight, assuming that it was not faster to sit in a bus.
Back when they used props rather than RJs, it was not uncommon to have a flight cancelled due to fog. A few times the flight was cancelled early enough that I could rent a car one-way and drive myself to LAX in plenty of time. But there were occasions when the flight was cancelled after I got to the airport and AA arranged a shuttle to drive everyone to LAX. That time we all missed our flight. It's 2.5-3 hours to drive if you don't hit bad traffic, so starting that run at the time a 40 minute flight is supposed to depart pretty much guarantees problems. But, as I said, I have not experienced a cancellation since the switch to RJs a few years back.

Originally Posted by N1120A
I'm guessing it made more financial sense to make this deal with AirSpace. I do wonder if they saw a large percentage of AMEX access at SAN. If so, it likely made sense for AA to sublet the lounge to AirSpace after they ended their deal with AMEX, with the caveat that they keep staff there for their PAX (something JL definitely and maybe BA does as well). This way, you keep your people happy, but don't worry as much about the loss of a revenue source.
My understanding was that AA wanted to keep their lounge, but the airport forced them to cooperate a shared space (or nothing).

Originally Posted by N1120A
It may be only "Expedited" but that means you don't have a chance at secondary (The T2 scanners are bad in the morning for that) and they seem to have decent (for TSA anyway) staff in Commuter.
Are you saying that people are pulled out of the Pre-Check lane in T2 and given secondary, but that this never happened with Pre-Check Light in the commuter terminal? I'm confused; wouldn't true Pre-Check in T2 always be a better experience that Pre-Check Light in the Commuter?
anabolism is offline  
Old Jun 16, 2015, 6:14 am
  #79  
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: USA
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My understanding was that AA wanted to keep their lounge, but the airport forced them to cooperate a shared space (or nothing).
Correction here: For a long time SAN had no problem with AA building their own space, but AA did not want to. What SAN did force upon AA was that the old space needed to be vacated b/c they were renovating the whole area. Knowing AA couldnt get HQ support internally for a new space at the time, AA and SAN eventually chose to work with Airspace b/c they liked the brand/concept and b/c they were willing to co-brand the space. Once SAN understood the Airspace concept, yes, they didnt want to move from the common-use model...but there was a years-long window for AA to build this all for themselves that AA passed on. I found most of this somewhere in the airport board records and by talking to both sides. The record is out there somewhere on the web. AA ppl at the lounge, great as they are, often spin this story a bit for whatever reason.
DrivingRain is offline  
Old Jun 18, 2015, 3:26 pm
  #80  
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: STL
Programs: AAdvantage, Hilton Honors, Marriott Rewards, AvisFirst
Posts: 54
Disappointed in this lounge. While it is very nice in how it looks and space it has, the fact it is a full cash bard and food is disappointing. What are you paying membership for if nothing is for free?
minnz21 is offline  
Old Jun 18, 2015, 5:36 pm
  #81  
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: SAN
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Posts: 1,260
The agents in the lounge are asking everyone to write and complain but most people don't so AA thinks everything is A-OK
AA-Flyer-SAN is offline  
Old Jun 18, 2015, 5:43 pm
  #82  
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
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Posts: 7,390
Originally Posted by minnz21
Disappointed in this lounge. While it is very nice in how it looks and space it has, the fact it is a full cash bard and food is disappointing. What are you paying membership for if nothing is for free?
When entering the lounge, everyone is supposed to get a free premium drink chit that is good for one free drink.

Normally that is reserved for those in international J/F or Oneworld elite members traveling internationally. However, I was under the impression that SAN is an exception and this is AA's workaround.

Or is this no longer the case?
golfingboy is offline  
Old Jun 18, 2015, 6:01 pm
  #83  
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: STL/ORD/MCI/SAN
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Originally Posted by golfingboy
When entering the lounge, everyone is supposed to get a free premium drink chit that is good for one free drink.

Normally that is reserved for those in international J/F or Oneworld elite members traveling internationally. However, I was under the impression that SAN is an exception and this is AA's workaround.

Or is this no longer the case?
Something may have changed recently, but previously, no, not everyone got a free drink chit. There were zero drink chits distributed back when the club used to be a pure AC (and you could actually get free premium drinks if a BA or JL flight was about to depart even when flying AA since no one ever asked which airline you were flying). Even after the lounge became an Airspace lounge, it was still the case that not everyone got a free drink chit, though.

If you entered using an Amex PLT/Centurion card, you got a smart card (like a hotel room key) that you could use at the bar for up to $10 of food/drink, including alcohol.

OTOH, if you entered using an Admirals Club membership, you got nothing (unless you would normally entitled to drink chits for traveling internationally or being a non-AA OW Emerald, etc.).

For this reason, I always used my Amex PLT card to enter, and at one point I even asked one of the AAngels whether people doing so would be hurting AA or the AC, and she said that the club actually benefited more from people entering with an Amex card.

Even after the transition to an Airspace lounge, I thought that house drinks were still complimentary, just as they are at every other AC, but perhaps I'm misremembering. It's been a few months since I actually used the lounge at SAN since it's such an easy airport to access, and I'm generally able to time my arrival to be just prior to departure.
metallo is offline  
Old Jun 18, 2015, 8:34 pm
  #84  
 
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Originally Posted by metallo
Even after the transition to an Airspace lounge, I thought that house drinks were still complimentary, just as they are at every other AC, but perhaps I'm misremembering. It's been a few months since I actually used the lounge at SAN since it's such an easy airport to access, and I'm generally able to time my arrival to be just prior to departure.
When I was there in February on the holiday weekend I got to the airport early-ish (even pre-check line was busy that day) and popped into the lounge for a few while waiting for a slightly delayed VX flight. House wine was free and poured freely for us at our seats at the bar. Better than AA house wine as I recall and basically no different than an AC. If this has changed, it's poor form.

Thrilled to hear we can fly out of the main terminal on AA too now, tho' of course the total absence of bay area flights from SAN makes it moot for me for the most part.
MarkedMan is offline  
Old Jun 19, 2015, 4:00 am
  #85  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
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Originally Posted by MarkedMan
When I was there in February on the holiday weekend I got to the airport early-ish (even pre-check line was busy that day) and popped into the lounge for a few while waiting for a slightly delayed VX flight. House wine was free and poured freely for us at our seats at the bar. Better than AA house wine as I recall and basically no different than an AC. If this has changed, it's poor form.

Thrilled to hear we can fly out of the main terminal on AA too now, tho' of course the total absence of bay area flights from SAN makes it moot for me for the most part.
When I was there in February, I experienced the same thing... House drinks and the usual light snacks were free, just like an AC. If anything, I thought the food for purchase seemed a little nicer than some of the typical AC Sodexo offerings, even if the menu was a little more limited.

I didn't feel like I was getting any less for my membership than in an AA-operated lounge though, so I'm kind of confused on what changed.
BWISkyGuy is offline  
Old Jun 19, 2015, 8:06 am
  #86  
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
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Programs: DL DM/2MM, MR Ambassador, National EE
Posts: 1,614
Originally Posted by BWISkyGuy
Quote:





Originally Posted by MarkedMan


When I was there in February on the holiday weekend I got to the airport early-ish (even pre-check line was busy that day) and popped into the lounge for a few while waiting for a slightly delayed VX flight. House wine was free and poured freely for us at our seats at the bar. Better than AA house wine as I recall and basically no different than an AC. If this has changed, it's poor form.

Thrilled to hear we can fly out of the main terminal on AA too now, tho' of course the total absence of bay area flights from SAN makes it moot for me for the most part.




When I was there in February, I experienced the same thing... House drinks and the usual light snacks were free, just like an AC. If anything, I thought the food for purchase seemed a little nicer than some of the typical AC Sodexo offerings, even if the menu was a little more limited.

I didn't feel like I was getting any less for my membership than in an AA-operated lounge though, so I'm kind of confused on what changed.
I was there at the beginning of April and the house alcohol was complimentary just like a regular AC. Will remember to use my AMEX Platinum card there next time if that gets me a comp upgraded beverage or 2 though!
krlcomm is offline  
Old Jun 19, 2015, 8:24 am
  #87  
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: LHR, SAN
Programs: BA GGL, AA PLT, VS-curious
Posts: 1,482
I've been using other so-cal airports more lately, so last time I was there was probably August and September. I recall not feeling like we got the great SAN service we used to--not getting as many chits as expected (three status pax on intl itinerary, we were handed one chit), having to put much more effort in to get the attention of staff (do they have more paperwork?) and I don't recall much in the way of food and drink available. But it was fairly new then, so I'm guessing by people's comments things have improved.
Arsey00 is offline  
Old Jun 19, 2015, 9:56 am
  #88  
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: USA
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Posts: 2,550
Originally Posted by AA-Flyer-SAN
The agents in the lounge are asking everyone to write and complain but most people don't so AA thinks everything is A-OK
Spot on.

The agents seriously try to recruit me and others to complain, but in the grand scheme of things the lounge has very few things to complain about. The most pressing things that are are AA's fault: supply the better snacks and give us the chits as we expect. AA could make both happen overnight.

I love the SAN agents, but theyre getting annoying with their agenda.
DrivingRain is offline  
Old Jun 19, 2015, 9:58 am
  #89  
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
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Posts: 2,550
Originally Posted by krlcomm
I was there at the beginning of April and the house alcohol was complimentary just like a regular AC. Will remember to use my AMEX Platinum card there next time if that gets me a comp upgraded beverage or 2 though!
Yes it is definitely open bar for all just like an AC. That Amex cross-benefit is a nice cherry on top. For me that means a charcuterie plate.
DrivingRain is offline  
Old Jul 16, 2015, 11:30 am
  #90  
Community Director Emerita
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,682
We're on an upcoming flight on BA in biz. We have the following cards:
  • Admirals Club
  • Platinum card
  • BA business class boarding card

Does it make any difference which we show as to which benefits we receive?

(By the way, having just attempted to google for information, I am proud to say this thread, especially its wiki, is the best resource I found on the internet.)
SanDiego1K is offline  

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