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Guide to Lounge Changes: Flagship Lounge, Admirals Club, etc.

Old Feb 17, 2016, 11:08 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: JDiver
Admirals Club, Flagship Lounge, Flagship Dining Changes, Renovations & Additions


On 17 February 2016 American Airlines announced a number of additions and implied possible access changes. Link.


NOTES:: Day Pass sales have been suspended at all airports with Admirals Clubs under renovation.

Thirty day memberships ceased to be available 25 Jul 2016.

Read the newest posts for updated information.

Admirals Club, Flagship, Arrivals Lounges and Flagship First Dining

Chicago - OHare / ORD L Club is open again, after closure the month of October, 2019.

San Francisco / SFO New Admirals Club (and Terminal, gates move) March 2020 to new Terminal 1. See post #72.

DFW International Terminal D Flagship Lounge, Flagship First Dining and Admirals Club opened 16 May 2019.

NRT - Narita (Tokyo) Admirals Club is closing late March 2020.

PHL Terminal A East Admirals Club closed for refurbishment 6 May 2019.

PHL A-West Admirals Club to close 30 Sep 2019, to reopen as Flagship Lounge ETA July 2020. Mini-Club opened.

SCL / Santiago, Chile Admirals Club closed permanently as of 1 May 2019.

CLT / Charlotte Concourse B Club opened 20 Feb 2019) after expansion and renovation. Link.

New Flagship Lounge, Flagship First Dining and Admirals Club OPEN (16 May 2019). DFW Terminal D Club closed for refurbishment, Dining closed, interim Premium passenger lounge open ~7 Apr 2018. See this thread.

DFW Terminal A Club OPEN again as of 7 April 2018.

Current Flagship Lounges and Flagship First Dining
: Chicago (ORD), Dallas-Ft. Worth (DFW), Los Angeles (LAX), New York (JFK). LHR planned.

Flagship Lounge Additions, Club Renovations and Flagship Dining expansion and access changes:
  • Dallas - FT. Worth (DFW): Terminal "D Flagship Lounge / oneworld Airlines Premium Lounge, Flagship First Dining and Admirals Club opened 16 May 2019 .

  • Los Angeles (LAX): Renovation (Flagship Lounge, Flagship First Dining, Admirals Club) complete. T5 lounge OPEN in old Delta Sky Club space.[/b]

  • London (LHR): Arrivals Lounge was renovated; OPEN 3 Aug 2016 with enhanced breakfast, expanded hours and 29 shower suites.

  • Miami (MIA): D30 Flagship Lounge OPEN and Club renovation is finished, D15 renovation is finished, restrooms, children's room, business center all open; D30 new Flagship Lounge with 6 nice big showers, Arepa station, buffet and more is open; Flagship First Dining OPEN.

  • New York (JFK): B12 Club closed for renovation (temporary lounge open on mezzanine bridge or use C42 Club); Flagship First Dining OPEN 25 May 2017. First Class Lounge renovation completed 8 Dec 2016 and Flagship Lounge name restored.

  • Philadelphia (PHL): New Flagship Lounge planned - A West Club Gates A15/A16.

  • Rio de Janeiro (GIG) OPEN Renovation completed 4 Aug 2016.
Closures (2015): Clubs were closed at Buffalo (BUF), San Juan (SJU) in 2015 and Santiago, Chile (SCL) May 2018.

Narita (NRT) to close late March 2020.


Access changes from AA
  • Flagship Lounge access AA: Starting mid-2017, Flagship Lounge access was extended to customers booked in Business and First Class on A321T three class transcon, Trans-Atlantic, Trans-Pacific and deep South American flights, as well as EXP/EMD, PPRO/SAP & PLAT/SAP on qualifying flights in any class of service.


    See and discuss in Expanded Access to Flagship Lounge as of Spring

  • Flagship First Dining access: First Class customers on Americans 3-class international and transcontinental flights have exclusive access to FlagshipSM Dining as of 2017.

    (This has put Flagship Dining into a category similar to the BA Concorde Room and a few other lounges - not oneworld lounges, restricted to long haul Flagship (three class) First passengers on AA marketed and operated flights, and CX at JFK, only.)

  • Admirals Club access: Members other than Lifetime members) must be flying AA or a partner airline the day of access. Members not meeting that criterion will be turned away. Effective 1 Nov 2019.
Thirty day memberships are no longer available as of 25 Jul 2016, and One Day Pass cost has increased to $59. Annual Club memberships increased in price in 2016 and increased in 2019. Household memberships were abolished as if 1 Feb 2019. The cheapest Club memberships are using Business Extra or points or Award Miles, followed by the Citi AAdvantage Executive MasterCard, $450, which affords full Club membership and access for subsidiary cardholders.

Link to View from the Wing article

Link to archived posts 2016-2017





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Guide to Lounge Changes: Flagship Lounge, Admirals Club, etc.

Old Oct 2, 2019, 9:00 am
  #76  
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As AA closed the Admirals Club in SCL / Santiago, Chile and LATAM is leaving oneworld, it is unknown what arrangements may be made for AA Premium class flyers and status holders departing SCL.
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Old Oct 2, 2019, 11:01 am
  #77  
 
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I've seen LHR slated for a FL for years now, but I've never seen an update on when (if ever) they're going to convert the current dismal LHR first lounge and AC to a flagship lounge. Does anyone know what the status is of the FL at LHR?
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Old Oct 2, 2019, 1:50 pm
  #78  
 
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Originally Posted by AA100k
PHL Admirals Club at A15 was closed when I was there yesterday (Oct 1st) and the completion date for the new Flagship Lounge being built in its place is projected to be 9 months, opening in July 2020. The Admirals Club at B/C was mobbed, standing room only. Theres a small club in A East but I didnt check it out.
...and no pay passes available today
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Old Oct 2, 2019, 3:01 pm
  #79  
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Originally Posted by wjbesh
I've seen LHR slated for a FL for years now, but I've never seen an update on when (if ever) they're going to convert the current dismal LHR first lounge and AC to a flagship lounge. Does anyone know what the status is of the FL at LHR?
I don’t recall ever seeing that, myself. LHR has been slated to get Flagship First Dining, iirc.
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Old Oct 2, 2019, 3:39 pm
  #80  
 
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Originally Posted by rkh29
...and no pay passes available today
Yep. There won't be any day passes available at any of the PHL Admirals Clubs until the Flagship Lounge is completed and opened.
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Old Oct 2, 2019, 3:43 pm
  #81  
 
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Originally Posted by JDiver
I dont recall ever seeing that, myself. LHR has been slated to get Flagship First Dining, iirc.
Yes, LHR will get FFD given that is has numerous AA flights departing with Int'l F..
JDiver likes this.
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Old Oct 2, 2019, 3:49 pm
  #82  
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Originally Posted by JDiver
As AA closed the Admirals Club in SCL / Santiago, Chile and LATAM is leaving oneworld, it is unknown what arrangements may be made for AA Premium class flyers and status holders departing SCL.
There are a few independent lounges, and the entire International Terminal is moving to the new structure, bit by bit, where I imagine there will be ample room for new lounges. The current location of the (now closed) AC, as well as most of the current international gates will become domestic gates.
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Old Oct 2, 2019, 11:05 pm
  #83  
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Chicago - OHare / ORD L Club is closed for the month of October, 2019.
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Old Oct 3, 2019, 9:01 am
  #84  
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Originally Posted by JDiver
Chicago - OHare / ORD L Club is closed for the month of October, 2019.
Any idea why? Refurbishing things? The food options are noticeably a little worse in this lounge (only one soup etc).
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Old Oct 3, 2019, 3:23 pm
  #85  
 
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Originally Posted by JDiver
I dont recall ever seeing that, myself. LHR has been slated to get Flagship First Dining, iirc.
I could be misinterpreting, but Ive seen LHR listed for maybe 2 years now in the Coming Soon section on the FL page on AAs website (https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...hip-lounge.jsp).

Do you know if the FFD is/will be different than the current sit-down dining setup they have in the existing intl first lounge?
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Old Oct 3, 2019, 6:12 pm
  #86  
 
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I thought I also read plans were afoot to move AA into T5 at LHR?
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Old Oct 3, 2019, 7:13 pm
  #87  
 
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Originally Posted by Flyer78
I thought I also read plans were afoot to move AA into T5 at LHR?
Not ruling out the possibility, but find it highly unlikely anytime in the foreseeable future. T5 is pretty full, and the T3 is the main non-BA/IB OW terminal. If T5 could support it, I'd imagine BA would be the first to move their flights over there from their existing flights from T3, although, of course, everything is more complicated that.
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Old Oct 4, 2019, 12:06 pm
  #88  
 
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Originally Posted by JDiver
As AA closed the Admirals Club in SCL / Santiago, Chile and LATAM is leaving oneworld, it is unknown what arrangements may be made for AA Premium class flyers and status holders departing SCL.
Will probably result in the crappy contract lounges. I hope AA would continue use the LATAM lounge for their pax but it seems highly unlikely. DL runs their own SkyClub at SCL which will most probably close and the DL pax will be sent to LA...
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Old Oct 4, 2019, 2:18 pm
  #89  
 
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Originally Posted by miamiflyer8
Will probably result in the crappy contract lounges. I hope AA would continue use the LATAM lounge for their pax but it seems highly unlikely. DL runs their own SkyClub at SCL which will most probably close and the DL pax will be sent to LA...
I've been wondering what would happen to the space vacated by AA, which was considerable. I thought it might have been going to a consolidated Star lounge, or DL was finally going to expand because their lounge is ridiculously small. If DL moves to using the LATAM Salon VIP, AA may have the opportunity to open a new lounge. With the recent announcement of new service to SCL that may make sense.
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Old Oct 6, 2019, 8:13 am
  #90  
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Not sure where else to post this but want peoples thoughts.

I just went into the bathroom at the JFK AC and there was a lounge staff member (not AA) sitting on the sink area with feet dangling on his phone.....for a while as people come and go and he sat there while I washed my hands.

This just seemed odd an unprofessional to me. Do I let AA know?
AANYC1981 is offline  

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