Dec 6, 2014, 4:43 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
Transcontinental Nonstop Flight Class of Service Based Lounge Access
AA Transcontinental Class of Service Based Lounge Access Policy
On nonstop transcontinental JFK-LAX, JFK-SFO and MIA-LAX routes
all Premium (First and Business) passengers (paid and upgraded) have lounge access.
Traveling on a Non-Stop Transcontinental Flight?
If you are traveling in the First or Business class cabin in one of the following non-stop markets, we welcome you to visit the lounge as indicated below.
If you are traveling in the First or Business class cabin in one of the following non-stop markets, we welcome you to visit the lounge as indicated below.
Code:
JFK-LAX / JFK-SFO / MIA-LAX Admirals Club Flagship Lounge Two-Class Flight First Class √ Three-Class Flight First Class √ √ Business Class √ Chart adapted by dstan
Admirals Club & Flagship Lounge Access For Transcon Customers Beginning September 1, 2012.
On nonstop transcontinental JFK-LAX, JFK-SFO and MIA-LAX three class and two class premium routes, all Premium (First and Business) passengers, paid, award travel, and upgrade) qualify for lounge admittance.
LAX-JFK, JFK-SFO and MIA-LAX First class (three class aircraft) passengers receive access to the Flagship lounge at JFK or LAX. There is no Flagship Lounge at MIA or SFO at the present time; access is to the Admirals Club. (MIA Flagship Lounge has been announced.)
See All About AA Flagship Check-In at JFK, LAX, MIA, ORD; DFW coming? (consolidated) for Flagship (premium) Check-In.
Updated 27 Mar 2016 by JDiver
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Nonstop Transcontinental Flights Lounge Access (master thread)
Jan 15, 2016, 9:06 am
#226
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 47
This applies whether the international leg is inbound or outbound on the same day.
Jan 16, 2016, 4:47 am
#227
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
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I'm trying to figure out my lounge access for an upcoming trip.... I'm Flying ORD-MIA in F. Then MIA-LAX in J on the 77W. Then Reverse in F the whole way (LAX-MIA-ORD) on two class birds (767s both flights). I know in MIA I'll have lounge access... But what about ORD since they are all on the same ticket?
Jan 16, 2016, 10:24 am
#228
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: D/FW, TX
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 428
I'm not sure about the LAX-MIA... The Lounge access page on AA.com just states that non-stop flights in Business or First get lounge access. It makes no mention to 3-class v. 2-class flights. I might also be missing something.
Jan 18, 2016, 8:33 pm
#229
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: los angeles, calif.
Programs: Alaska Airlines Gold MVP
Posts: 7,170
All MIALAX premium passengers get lounge access. If 2-class plane, it's AC. If three class plane, AC for J and LAX FL/MIA OW Premium Lounge for F.
Jan 6, 2017, 5:08 pm
#232
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,159
Inconsistent experiences and opinions have been reported in this thread about class-based lounge access at other airports on a same-day domestic itinerary that includes a premium transcon segment. My experience has been positive (always admitted to other ACs when attempted before and after a same-day premium transcon), except once last month when denied at SFO on SFO-LAX-JFK. From my email to AA:
From AA's response (AC rep):
Disappointing if this is the true policy. I will still try in such situations because there have been many positive results for me.
This specific incident was focused on the departure end. I believe access at the transcon destination (here JFK) is still secure -- it was not the focus of my query and I did not have a problem with it here or ever. But additional airports reached on a connection after the transcon would also appear to be officially without lounge access, although I haven't experienced denial there.
Flying AA--- SFO-LAX in First connecting on the same day to AA--- LAX-JFK in Business. Upon entering the SFO Admirals Club and presenting my boarding passes, I was denied access on the grounds that my nonstop premium transcontinental flight LAX-JFK in Business allows club access only at LAX and not at the original (same day) departure point of SFO. This is contrary to my understanding and previous experience, which is that a nonstop premium transcontinental flight (LAX-MIA, LAX-JFK, SFO-JFK) in Business, as part of a domestic itinerary, also allows Admirals Club access at other airports the passenger passes through on the same day as the premium transcontinental departure or arrival. Please clarify the policy in this situation.
You would only have access in SFO if you were departing on an premium international itinerary. Your premium transcontinental domestic itinerary would only give you access in LAX, not in SFO.
This specific incident was focused on the departure end. I believe access at the transcon destination (here JFK) is still secure -- it was not the focus of my query and I did not have a problem with it here or ever. But additional airports reached on a connection after the transcon would also appear to be officially without lounge access, although I haven't experienced denial there.
Jan 6, 2017, 10:15 pm
#233
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: LAX
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Flying BOS-JFK-LAX in F, I tried to find out if access was allowed in BOS by only scanning my boarding pass, but I guess my admirals club membership was also attached to my boarding pass via my FF number, so couldn't tell if the ticket got me in or not.
At JFK, of course access FL and again at LAX. Since then, I've flown in J a few other times on the premium transcons, but the lounge access bit isn't really relevant since my membership gets me in anyways.
At JFK, of course access FL and again at LAX. Since then, I've flown in J a few other times on the premium transcons, but the lounge access bit isn't really relevant since my membership gets me in anyways.
Jan 7, 2017, 3:58 pm
#234
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,159
Flying BOS-JFK-LAX in F, I tried to find out if access was allowed in BOS by only scanning my boarding pass, but I guess my admirals club membership was also attached to my boarding pass via my FF number, so couldn't tell if the ticket got me in or not.
At JFK, of course access FL and again at LAX. Since then, I've flown in J a few other times on the premium transcons, but the lounge access bit isn't really relevant since my membership gets me in anyways.
At JFK, of course access FL and again at LAX. Since then, I've flown in J a few other times on the premium transcons, but the lounge access bit isn't really relevant since my membership gets me in anyways.
Customers traveling in First Class on a qualifying international* or 3-class transcontinental flight marketed and operated by American or a oneworld® airline, and on a same-day (or before 6 a.m. the following day) itinerary
Transcons in J or 2-class F will soon fall under (new) FL rules. The complete rules do not appear to be out yet. If they do cover a same-day itinerary, then I'd expect likewise (with the AC fallback), and my SFO-LAX-JFK in J would have a better outcome.
Jan 8, 2017, 12:48 am
#235
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Transcons in 3-class F fall under International First Class Lounge (nee FL) rules, which do seem to extend the benefit throughout a same-day itinerary:
I think this would cover your case, on the principle that entitlement to a higher lounge extends to a lower lounge of the same airline (i.e., there's no IFCL in BOS but there is an AC). And one could, I believe, insist on IFCL in ORD if flying ORD-JFK-LAX in F.
Transcons in J or 2-class F will soon fall under (new) FL rules. The complete rules do not appear to be out yet. If they do cover a same-day itinerary, then I'd expect likewise (with the AC fallback), and my SFO-LAX-JFK in J would have a better outcome.
I think this would cover your case, on the principle that entitlement to a higher lounge extends to a lower lounge of the same airline (i.e., there's no IFCL in BOS but there is an AC). And one could, I believe, insist on IFCL in ORD if flying ORD-JFK-LAX in F.
Transcons in J or 2-class F will soon fall under (new) FL rules. The complete rules do not appear to be out yet. If they do cover a same-day itinerary, then I'd expect likewise (with the AC fallback), and my SFO-LAX-JFK in J would have a better outcome.
Admirals Club
First and Business Class customers
As a First or Business Class customer, you also have access if you’re traveling on non-stop, transcontinental flights marketed and operated by American Airlines between:
■New York (JFK) – Los Angeles (LAX)
■New York (JFK) – San Francisco (SFO)
■Los Angeles (LAX) – Miami (MIA)
But the wording has never stated that passengers will have access to any or all AC on your itineraries, I think this is where AA has fallen short.
Sep 26, 2020, 6:42 am
#237
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott BonVoy Titanium Elite, Marriott LT Plat.
Posts: 1,717
FL lounges at MIA and LAX are closed. Not sure if AC will be granting access to pax in F on 777-200 now that this nonstop route has been downgraded from 777-W. You might be better off searching for the thread on this matter as I recall there was a discussion about it and those that have recently traveled on the route with reported experiences.
Sep 26, 2020, 8:31 am
#238
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If it's the 77W, you do, however at the moment al FLs are closed so instead you get Admirals Club access. If it's the 772, we're still trying to figure out if you still do with that aircraft or not since it's specified as only 77W on the website. Also curious if the MIA-LAX 772 service is still getting a full meal or if it's now just a snack like the A321s. When it was a 77W it was a full meal flight in both F and J and sold as three class.
Editing to add: it looks like this flight goes back to a 77W on 10/7.
Editing to add: it looks like this flight goes back to a 77W on 10/7.
Last edited by cmd320; Sep 26, 2020 at 8:45 am
Sep 26, 2020, 4:32 pm
#239
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,159
Sep 26, 2020, 4:42 pm
#240
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
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Because the website was written at a time when the 77W was the only type of 777 on the route. Since then, it's gone to a 772 (and retained transcon Flagship Business service pre-CV) then back to a 77W with frequent 772 subs at the start of CV. More recently it went to 77W most of the time, and then it was switched in the last month back to a 772. The website was never updated through any of this. It looks like on 10/7 it will once again go back to a 77W.