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ARCHIVE: HELP DESK: Will I Have Lounge Access? Access, Rules (2017)

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Old Jan 4, 2017, 9:24 pm
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HELP DESK: Lounge Access, Access Rules. Will I Have Lounge Access? (2017)
Please read this wiki carefully; some fine nuances exist.


PLEASE DO NOT ALTER THE CONTENT OF THIS MODERATOR NOTE

The Lounge Access Help Desk

To assist members with questions about Lounge Access Rules that they have not been able to answer on their own using the above resources, the AA Moderator team has decided to institute this thread, the third in a series of "Help Desk" threads. N.B.: If you have questions about physical access to a specific lounge (e.g., airside vs. landside, different terminal, etc.), please search for and post to the appropriate specific thread for that lounge.

New threads on this topic will be merged into this one and bumped by the moderators as necessary. As such, we do not expect that this thread will develop into a searchable database, but that it will nonetheless provide a valuable resource to members. As well, we may shed / pare down posts from time to time to a trailing thread or similar device.

Our goal is to provide a place where members can feel welcome to post such questions and expect helpful, accurate responses. In this way, we hope to accommodate the needs and desires of both new and veteran members - those who aren't sure they are interpreting the available resources correctly can ask for help without fear of snarky-appearing responses; those who do not wish to participate in such threads are invited and, indeed, encouraged, to ignore this thread.

Please be forewarned: This thread will be subject to heavy moderation. Posts that are incorrect will be subject to deletion without notice - DO NOT POST answers unless you are 100% sure your answer is complete and correct. Posts that are unhelpful or off-topic will also be subject to deletion without notice - DO NOT POST unless you can be friendly, helpful, concise, and salient.

Finally, a few guidelines for members posting queries to this thread:
  • Please DO make an effort to review the listed resources before posting here.
  • Please DO try to give as much information as possible, including your entire itinerary, with carrier for each segment and codeshares and stopovers clearly designated, your class of service and fare class purchased, whether or not you have Admirals Club or Qantas Club membership, a Citi AAdvantage Executive card (which includes full Admirals Club membership), and the number of guests and your family relationship with them, if any.
  • Please DO understand it could take some time for answers (especially on holidays and weekends.)
  • Please DO thank helpful members volunteering to reply to your questions.
Note: Members interested in arranging AA lounge meet-ups or offer guesting in should use this thread: Admirals Club / Flagship Lounge Meet Up & Guest Offer (master thread)

Also see the future changes in lounges and access: Admirals Club and Flagship Lounge Changes, Renovations & Additions

Sincerely,
The American Airlines | AAdvantage forum Moderator Team
(Help Desk established by dstan)

=================end mod note===================

oneworld Lounge Access
Wizard by kduarte.

Help Desk: Lounge Access Rules / Will I Have Lounge Access?

Lounge Access can be obtained in a number of ways during travel on AA and its oneworld partner airlines. These include purchasing an Admirals Club one day pass, or via Citi AAdvantage Executive MasterCard (including, as of Dec 2015, authorized card users), reciprocity agreements with other airlines, traveling on certain transcon flights in F or J, or traveling internationally with Platinum (oneworld Sapphire) or Executive Platinum (oneworld Emerald) status or in F or J classes of service - except if flying solely within North America inc,Using destinations other than MEX or the Caribbean. The last is often the greatest source of confusion, despite lounge access rules being described clearly on aa.com. Threads about these are linked to in the American Airlines LOUNGE DASHBOARD thread.

Admirals Club members paid or Executive cardholder members) are entitled guests as follows:

Up to two guests or household members (spouse, domestic partner and/or children under the age of 18) may accompany the member.
* Note that AA no longer offers a 30-day membership as of July 25 2016.

For AA status-based access (PLT, PlatPro or EXP),* passengers must: (1) be traveling on an international itinerary (Europe, Asia, Central and South America, and Mexico City, excluding the Caribbean and other destinations in North America (other than on certain three class transcontinental flights) including other destinations in Mexico, and (2) have an onward flight on a oneworld airline marketed and operated flight on the same day. PLT and PPRO members are eligible for access to all oneworld Business Class lounges, now including Flagship Lounges, including Admirals Clubs; EXP members are also eligible for access to all oneworld First Class lounges, including Flagship Lounges.

Lounges operated by third parties or premium lunges operating outside of oneworld rules (e.g. BA Concorde Room, Qatar Al Safwa or Al Mourjan lounges) may be excluded, and all may may refuse admittance if they claim they are crowded. There are other exceptions.

*Non-AA oneworld Sapphire and Emerald elites are not subject to rule #1 above.

Emerald / EP on CX JFK-YVR are not subject to AA limitations and are issued Flagship Lounge invitations for use at JFK.

Another confusing rule relates to transcontinental access. From member FriendlySkies:

Traveling on a Non-Stop Transcontinental* Flight? http://www.aa.com/i18n/utility/trans-con-access.jsp

More changes:

If you are traveling in the First or Business class cabin (on flights sold as three classes) in one of the following non-stop markets, we welcome you to visit the lounge as indicated below.

The following exceptions apply:

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. one world lounge access page - link
On February 17 2016, AA announced an addition to the above. As stated on their Reimagining our lounges page, in the Flagship Lounges section, "Starting in 2017, lounge access will be extended to customers booked in Business and First Class on A321T, Trans-Atlantic, Trans-Pacific and deep South American flights."

In the Flagship Dining subsection, they state:

Beginning in early 2017, the Flagship Dining experience will be available in select cities with 3-class service:

● Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)

● New York (JFK)

● Miami (MIA)

● Los Angeles (LAX)

First Class customers on American’s 3-class international and transcontinental flights will have exclusive access to Flagship Dining in 2017
All Admirals Club visitors receive free Wi-Fi access at Admirals Clubs (password is available at front desk and throughout the Club on signs), some non-alcoholic and "well" (lower price tier) alcoholic beverages and counter snacks (fruit, some kind of snack mix, cheese cubes, hot cereal mornings and soup evenings are the most common - recent additions have been made); free computer terminals are available for all passengers, and many Clubs have Business Centers and tethered Samsung Galaxy tablets in seating areas. Passengers accessing Admirals Clubs based on status or class of service on international travel are entitled to free drinks coupons usable for higher-tier non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages and bottles of water.

Flagship Lounges (JFK, LAX, LHR and ORD) offer extended beverages and upscale snack services as well. See below for link.

NOTE: Some Lounges and Clubs are undergoing refurbishment.

Citi Prestige MasterCard holder Admirals Club access ended July 23, 2017.

American Express Platinum cardholder Admirals Club access ended 21 March 2014.

NOTE: It has been verified more airports are allowing multiple terminal access on one's day of departure. LAX has been one since mid-2014.

Admirals Club access is granted the day of flight for statusholders flyingone world and those flying F or J, or the following day at the first port of arrival if flying overnight and arriving by 0600.

Airports requiring Lounge users have a same day departure boarding pass include BOG, CCS, CDG, GIG, GRU, LHR, MEX, NRT, SCL, YYZ.

N.B. Qantas Lounges and Clubs require Smart Casual (sic) dress as of May 2015; those not meeting the standard may be turned away. They also require AAdvantage members be traveling on a departing AA marketed flight.

Please see the following resources for full details on Lounge Access Rules: (and see below)

. . . ● AA.com: Lounge Access Rules

. . . ● AA.com: American Airlines Flagship Lounge Access Rules

Beginning later in 2017: https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...ge-updates.jsp opens Flagship access to many more pax.

. . . ● AA.com: Reimaging our lounges

. . . ● AA.com: Admirals Club Membership Guide in a downloadable PDF format.

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

. . . ● Wiki: Lounges

. . . ● FT: American Airlines LOUNGE DASHBOARD


For various threads on membership, access by status, transcon service, class of service, Flagship lounge access, lounges directory with links to specific lounge threads, Club member access to partner lounges, recipripocity agreements, etc.

. . . ● Last year's thread:HELP DESK: Will I Have Lounge Access? Access, Rules (2016)

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ARCHIVE: HELP DESK: Will I Have Lounge Access? Access, Rules (2017)

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Old Nov 8, 2017, 1:36 pm
  #691  
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Austin
Programs: AA EXP +2MM- LT PLT! HH Diamond
Posts: 6,087
Originally Posted by gosha83
The OP will go to the Qantas F lounge, with which he is very familiar and a huge fan of. In fact, the OP may lounge hop given the silly amount of time he'll have at LAX. The DIY juice press at the OneWorld Business lounge is worth a short visit
^
teemuflyer is offline  
Old Nov 9, 2017, 8:53 am
  #692  
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 1
F from SLC-LAX-MIA, B from MIA-PAP

I've got a first class flight from SLC-LAX-MIA, departing LAX at 9:20 PM and arriving in MIA at 5:10 AM. I then have a flight (business class) from MIA to PAP at 10:50 AM.

I assume I will have access at LAX, but not sure at MIA. It would be nice to have somewhere better to spend the 5 hours in between (thanks AA for rescheduling my 11:55 PM departure from SLC to a 7:11 PM departure).
theostorm is offline  
Old Nov 9, 2017, 3:48 pm
  #693  
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: HNL
Programs: AA PP 1.8MM, PC Spire, Hertz 5*, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,030
I am doing a MR to SIN through LAX and HKG. I lost my EXP card.

Will I have problems accessing the Qantas lounge at LAX and SIN just using my boarding pass?

Will I have problems accessing the Cathay lounges at HKG just using my boarding pass?
nutwpinut is offline  
Old Nov 9, 2017, 4:01 pm
  #694  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: NYC,MIA,XFL
Programs: AA EXP, B6 Mosaic, DL PM
Posts: 863
Use the digital card in the AA app
jay_dubya is offline  
Old Nov 9, 2017, 5:19 pm
  #695  
Senior Moderator and Moderator: American AAdvantage & TravelBuzz
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 10,418
Originally Posted by nutwpinut
I am doing a MR to SIN through LAX and HKG. I lost my EXP card.

Will I have problems accessing the Qantas lounge at LAX and SIN just using my boarding pass?

Will I have problems accessing the Cathay lounges at HKG just using my boarding pass?
You shouldn't have an issue. As long as your AA number is attached correctly, your status should be on your PNR and show on your boarding pass. But as jay_dubyamentioned, you can also pull up your credentials on the AA app as a backup.
JY1024 is offline  
Old Nov 11, 2017, 4:47 pm
  #696  
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA, BA, Delta, SPG, Hilton
Posts: 718
I have looked online and called AA numerous times and still cannot get a definite answer.

Travelling an award ticket in Business class between LAX-MIA...
1. Can I enter Admirals Club lounge upon arrival?
The website has info only about departure PLUS states that non-revenue tickets are not eligible. Yet, customer service reluctantly gave positive answers. But when I requested where to see that in writing - did not get anywhere.

2. If the answer is positive then how to make sure luggage is not stolen from baggage area since it cannot be collected immeadiately upon arrival?

Thanks

PS If I go to collect luggage then there is no way to get back into the airport lounge. Catch 22
ellylex is offline  
Old Nov 11, 2017, 6:09 pm
  #697  
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Austin
Programs: AA EXP +2MM- LT PLT! HH Diamond
Posts: 6,087
Originally Posted by ellylex
I have looked online and called AA numerous times and still cannot get a definite answer.

Travelling an award ticket in Business class between LAX-MIA...
1. Can I enter Admirals Club lounge upon arrival?
The website has info only about departure PLUS states that non-revenue tickets are not eligible. Yet, customer service reluctantly gave positive answers. But when I requested where to see that in writing - did not get anywhere.

2. If the answer is positive then how to make sure luggage is not stolen from baggage area since it cannot be collected immeadiately upon arrival?

Thanks

PS If I go to collect luggage then there is no way to get back into the airport lounge. Catch 22
Non-revenue tickets are industry (i.e. airline personnel tickets), not award tickets which are considered "revenue", so you will have access in LAX. Without AC membership you should not have access upon arrival.
teemuflyer is offline  
Old Nov 11, 2017, 6:36 pm
  #698  
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA, BA, Delta, SPG, Hilton
Posts: 718
Originally Posted by teemuflyer
Non-revenue tickets are industry (i.e. airline personnel tickets), not award tickets which are considered "revenue", so you will have access in LAX. Without AC membership you should not have access upon arrival.

Thanks for clarification about non-revenue.

Hmm, interesting, 4 people from AA told me that I can access MIA lounge upon arrival, knowing that I do not hold any status or membership, just ticket in business class. I can't believe that they can provide false information... I guess I should tape the conversation. One of the reasons that I want to get flight in business is to have access upon arrival to their lounge. Flight arrives between 5-7am, and cruise boarding starts from 12pm.
ellylex is offline  
Old Nov 11, 2017, 6:57 pm
  #699  
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Austin
Programs: AA EXP +2MM- LT PLT! HH Diamond
Posts: 6,087
Originally Posted by ellylex
Thanks for clarification about non-revenue.

Hmm, interesting, 4 people from AA told me that I can access MIA lounge upon arrival, knowing that I do not hold any status or membership, just ticket in business class. I can't believe that they can provide false information... I guess I should tape the conversation. One of the reasons that I want to get flight in business is to have access upon arrival to their lounge. Flight arrives between 5-7am, and cruise boarding starts from 12pm.
Is it an AA vacations cruise by any chance?
teemuflyer is offline  
Old Nov 11, 2017, 7:00 pm
  #700  
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA, BA, Delta, SPG, Hilton
Posts: 718
Originally Posted by teemuflyer
Is it an AA vacations cruise by any chance?
No. Cruise was purchased separately, with no connection to AA.
PS I simply added this information here about the cruise so that it would explain why I want to stay at the lounge for few hours upon arrival.
ellylex is offline  
Old Nov 11, 2017, 7:06 pm
  #701  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: NYC,MIA,XFL
Programs: AA EXP, B6 Mosaic, DL PM
Posts: 863
You'll have access on arrival
jay_dubya is offline  
Old Nov 12, 2017, 7:10 am
  #702  
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,998
Originally Posted by ellylex
I have looked online and called AA numerous times and still cannot get a definite answer.

Travelling an award ticket in Business class between LAX-MIA...
1. Can I enter Admirals Club lounge upon arrival?
The website has info only about departure PLUS states that non-revenue tickets are not eligible. Yet, customer service reluctantly gave positive answers. But when I requested where to see that in writing - did not get anywhere.

2. If the answer is positive then how to make sure luggage is not stolen from baggage area since it cannot be collected immeadiately upon arrival?

Thanks

PS If I go to collect luggage then there is no way to get back into the airport lounge. Catch 22
I believe you will have access.

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...lub-access.jsp


Originally Posted by teemuflyer
Non-revenue tickets are industry (i.e. airline personnel tickets), not award tickets which are considered "revenue", so you will have access in LAX. Without AC membership you should not have access upon arrival.
I don't think that is correct. See the link above. Many people in this thread have mentioned access on arrival.
Global321 is offline  
Old Nov 12, 2017, 8:21 am
  #703  
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Austin
Programs: AA EXP +2MM- LT PLT! HH Diamond
Posts: 6,087
Originally Posted by Global321
I believe you will have access.

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...lub-access.jsp


I don't think that is correct. See the link above. Many people in this thread have mentioned access on arrival.
I don't see anything that gives transcon flights different access rules than international flights based off of class of service.

1) The first headline on the referenced page says:

"Relax before the runway"

2) The "*" for class of service access says:

"*Departing flight must be the same day or before 6 a.m. the following day. Non-revenue passengers aren’t eligible."

3) I can assure you that if one arrives from an Int'l trip flying F or J and then connects to a non-oneworld flight (ex. arrives to LAX from SYD flying J, then connecting to a Delta flight), that person would not have access to the AC without membership.

Maybe there is something different for transcons, but I'm not aware of those rules.
teemuflyer is offline  
Old Nov 12, 2017, 8:29 am
  #704  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: NYC,MIA,XFL
Programs: AA EXP, B6 Mosaic, DL PM
Posts: 863
In practice AA gives access on arrival to both transcons and international flights, assuming you have access to the terminal. For example, I've been given access in LGA when arriving from MXP-MIA-LGA, and I was not a club member at the time.
jay_dubya is offline  
Old Nov 12, 2017, 8:32 am
  #705  
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Austin
Programs: AA EXP +2MM- LT PLT! HH Diamond
Posts: 6,087
Originally Posted by jay_dubya
In practice AA gives access on arrival to both transcons and international flights, assuming you have access to the terminal. For example, I've been given access in LGA when arriving from MXP-MIA-LGA, and I was not a club member at the time.
I'm cool with that..
teemuflyer is offline  


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