Jan 1, 2018, 2:40 pm
Last edit by: coolcoil
HELP DESK: Lounge Access, Access Rules. Will I Have Lounge Access? (2018)
Please read this wiki carefully; some fine nuances exist.
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.
- Please DO understand it could take some time for answers (especially on holidays and weekends.)
- 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.
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===================
The kduarte Lounge Access tool page is unavailable
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.
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.
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
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
Important Note: Though this announcement excluded Northern South America and Central America, those travelling to or from those destinations in J/F or whom hold OWE or OWS, including AA elites, do indeed have access to the Flagship Lounge. See the link below for Flagship Lounge access rules for details.
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
● 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
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:https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...es-2017-a.html
ARCHIVE: 2018 HELP DESK: Will I Have Lounge Access? Which, Access, Rules
Aug 17, 2018, 5:45 am
#526
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,482
Aug 17, 2018, 6:02 am
#527
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Austin
Programs: AA EXP +2MM- LT PLT! HH Diamond
Posts: 6,087
If you are a BAEC Silver level (Oneworld Sapphire), as per your profile, then you would have access based on your OW tier level.
Aug 17, 2018, 10:14 am
#528
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: STL
Programs: AA Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 504
If I fly into Chicago on a Cathay Pacific business award, connecting to AA in First (also award) can I use the AA flagship lounge? I know I can use it traveling outbound from Chicago to Hong Kong but I am unclear about the return trip since the rules state access is for flights between the US and Asia but does not state Asia to US. Does that exclude incoming flights? (I know I can get access to the regular Admirals Club).
Aug 17, 2018, 10:24 am
#529
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Austin
Programs: AA EXP +2MM- LT PLT! HH Diamond
Posts: 6,087
If I fly into Chicago on a Cathay Pacific business award, connecting to AA in First (also award) can I use the AA flagship lounge? I know I can use it traveling outbound from Chicago to Hong Kong but I am unclear about the return trip since the rules state access is for flights between the US and Asia but does not state Asia to US. Does that exclude incoming flights? (I know I can get access to the regular Admirals Club).
Aug 17, 2018, 10:54 am
#530
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: STL
Programs: AA Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 504
Thank You!
Aug 21, 2018, 3:40 pm
#531
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 26
CLT departure lounge options for toronto or bahamas?
Hi, I am PLT with american and i was told recently when traveling business class from charlotte to bahamas and from charlotte to toronto that i can not access the admirals club lounge? are there any other options in charlotte for traveling to bahamas or toronto? these are my most frequent destinations
Thank you
Thank you
Aug 21, 2018, 3:54 pm
#532
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,248
You can buy a Admirals Club membership.
Caribbean and Canada/Mexico (except MEX) doesn't qualify for lounge access.
Caribbean and Canada/Mexico (except MEX) doesn't qualify for lounge access.
Aug 21, 2018, 4:02 pm
#533
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: CLT
Posts: 89
The CLT flight map is your friend but good luck getting anything but American for the Bahamas. Air Canada, United also fly nonstop to Toronto. Though if your gripe is about lounge access for what all US carriers consider to be domestic flights you might be SOL.
You can pay for the admiral lounge on a per day visit, sign up for full membership, get the Citi card with included membership, or use the minute suites if you're a priority pass member / pay.
You can pay for the admiral lounge on a per day visit, sign up for full membership, get the Citi card with included membership, or use the minute suites if you're a priority pass member / pay.
Aug 21, 2018, 4:13 pm
#534
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
To make this simple, in order to obtain AC access based on class of service, you must be ticketed in F or J and destined for one of the following (cut & pasted directly from the AA website). As you can see, neither the Bahamas nor Canada appear on the list.
- Asia
- Australia
- Central America
- Europe
- Mexico City (MEX)
- New Zealand
- South America
Aug 22, 2018, 1:31 am
#535
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Hi, I am PLT with american and i was told recently when traveling business class from charlotte to bahamas and from charlotte to toronto that i can not access the admirals club lounge? are there any other options in charlotte for traveling to bahamas or toronto? these are my most frequent destinations
Thank you
Thank you
You have no access through AA with these destinations unless you buy a one day pass or a Club membership. But check https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/airport-lounges-763/ for other options, such as Priority Pass or pay Lounges.
Aug 22, 2018, 11:44 am
#536
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: PNW
Programs: AS 100K
Posts: 1,551
kinda like you, i'll be flying AQJ-AMM-DOH-ORD-SEA in business all in one ticket. However, ORD-SEA is on AS since crappy AA only has a morning flight to SEA that day. Will i still get AC or Flagship access? I'm not sure if I have to fly AA to SEA to get access.
Aug 22, 2018, 1:36 pm
#537
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,482
Unfortunately no, in order to qualify for access at ORD your onward flight needs to be on a oneworld carrier.
Aug 23, 2018, 11:14 am
#538
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: TPA/SRQ
Programs: Hyatt Explorer, Marriott Titanium, AA Plat Pro, UA Silver, Avis Plus, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,692
I have a flight leaving HNL-DFW on the 772. I have an AC membership. It is ticketed as first but its business. I a Plat pro which means I am OW Sapphire
Do I have access to the Qantas club according to the rules.
"Eligible oneworld Status
Emerald
Next onward flight that day must be on a oneworld operated and marketed flight.#
One guest allowed and must be travelling on a oneworld operated and marketed flight.#
Sapphire
Next onward flight that day must be on a oneworld operated and marketed flight.#
One guest allowed and must be travelling on a oneworld operated and marketed flight.#"
Do I have access to the Qantas club according to the rules.
"Eligible oneworld Status
Emerald
Next onward flight that day must be on a oneworld operated and marketed flight.#
One guest allowed and must be travelling on a oneworld operated and marketed flight.#
Sapphire
Next onward flight that day must be on a oneworld operated and marketed flight.#
One guest allowed and must be travelling on a oneworld operated and marketed flight.#"
Aug 23, 2018, 11:43 am
#539
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,482
No. AAdvantage elites do not get oneworld lounge access on purely domestic itineraries (outside of LAX-JFK in F/J). Besides, the QF lounge is only open Thurs and Fri in the mornings, so it will be closed anyways before the DFW flights. You can use the JL lounge by virtue of your AC membership.
Last edited by JJeffrey; Aug 23, 2018 at 12:23 pm
Aug 23, 2018, 12:07 pm
#540
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: TPA/SRQ
Programs: Hyatt Explorer, Marriott Titanium, AA Plat Pro, UA Silver, Avis Plus, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,692
No. AAdvantage elites do not get oneworld lounge access on purely domestic itineraries (outside of LAX-JFK). Besides, the QF lounge is only open Thurs and Fri in the mornings, so it will be closed anyways before the DFW flights. You can use the JL lounge by virtue of your AC membership.
As a data point, I contacted JAL and they responded that an AC membership does *not* get entry into the new Lounge Sakura Hale that just opened in Termina C