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ARCHIVE: 2018 HELP DESK: Will I Have Lounge Access? Which, Access, Rules

Old Jan 1, 2018, 2:40 pm
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HELP DESK: Lounge Access, Access Rules. Will I Have Lounge Access? (2018)
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===================

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.
* 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."
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 Americans 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:https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...es-2017-a.html

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ARCHIVE: 2018 HELP DESK: Will I Have Lounge Access? Which, Access, Rules

Old Aug 23, 2018, 12:31 pm
  #541  
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Join Date: Feb 2001
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Posts: 12,278
Originally Posted by Ceres
Thank you! I am just doing a MR, in at 12:30 and out that evening. Was just hoping to grab a shower was all.

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
Not surprising, I would not expect a random JAL customer service agent to know or be trained on AA lounge access policies or which lounges AA contracts with in the US. The existing Sakura Lounge at HNL is clearly listed at aa.com as an AC location though.
JJeffrey is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2018, 2:33 pm
  #542  
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AA PLT, United Silver
Posts: 173
Will I have flagship lounge access I am exp travelling leaving YYZ-ORD-PHL-MUC and returning MUC-PHL-ORD-YYZ. Will i have flagship lounge access at ORD both ways?
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Old Aug 25, 2018, 4:39 pm
  #543  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: New York
Programs: AA, CX, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 1,484
Originally Posted by Daniel Solis
Will I have flagship lounge access I am exp travelling leaving YYZ-ORD-PHL-MUC and returning MUC-PHL-ORD-YYZ. Will i have flagship lounge access at ORD both ways?
Yes
andersonCooper is offline  
Old Aug 27, 2018, 10:54 pm
  #544  
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Atl, GA
Programs: AA EP, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat
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Apologies in advance if this is not the right thread to be posting in but this scenario is new to me. I am wondering as an AA EXP flying out of PVG (Shanghai) on a regular main cabin fare, if I will have access to the oneworld lounge there. The only other 2 times I've been there this year I was upgraded to Business class, but noticed I was still directed into the Air China first class lounge.

Lastly, if I am able to gain access, would I be able to bring a guest?

Thanks.
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Old Aug 28, 2018, 3:15 pm
  #545  
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Austin
Programs: AA EXP +2MM- LT PLT! HH Diamond
Posts: 6,057
Originally Posted by shootermcgav1n
Apologies in advance if this is not the right thread to be posting in but this scenario is new to me. I am wondering as an AA EXP flying out of PVG (Shanghai) on a regular main cabin fare, if I will have access to the oneworld lounge there. The only other 2 times I've been there this year I was upgraded to Business class, but noticed I was still directed into the Air China first class lounge.

Lastly, if I am able to gain access, would I be able to bring a guest?

Thanks.
Yes, as an AA EXP you have access to all non-US OW lounges regardless of what class you're in as long as you are flying a OW operated and marketed flight, and can bring 1 guest.

Just FYI, you also have access to the CX (Cathay Pacific) Lounge at PVG.
teemuflyer is online now  
Old Aug 28, 2018, 3:39 pm
  #546  
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Originally Posted by shootermcgav1n
... I am wondering as an AA EXP flying out of PVG (Shanghai) on a regular main cabin fare, if I will have access to the oneworld lounge there. The only other 2 times I've been there this year I was upgraded to Business class, but noticed I was still directed into the Air China first class lounge.

Lastly, if I am able to gain access, would I be able to bring a guest?

Thanks.
Full access details are here: https://www.oneworld.com/ffp/lounge-...eaccess/PVG/-1


Note that the only lounge available to all oneworld elite/premium PAX is the CX lounge as it is the only one operated by a oneworld airline. e.g. Only AA and IB PAX can use the No 71 facility.


Originally Posted by teemuflyer
Yes, as an AA EXP you have access to all non-US OW lounges regardless of what class you're in as long as you are flying a OW operated and marketed flight, and can bring 1 guest.

Just FYI, you also have access to the CX (Cathay Pacific) Lounge at PVG.
Just to add that guest access is available as log as the guest is traveling oneworld.
serfty is offline  
Old Aug 30, 2018, 7:23 pm
  #547  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 745
Hi guys

lounge question for everyone. I'm flying to SFO soon. I have a Jal business class award ticket. Wanted to know which lounge is better to use? ADMIRALS club or sakura lounge?I've heard the Sakura lounge isn't that impressive. Is the admirals club pretty good out of SFO? Thanks
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Old Aug 31, 2018, 9:02 am
  #548  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
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Originally Posted by brabb12
Hi guys

lounge question for everyone. I'm flying to SFO soon. I have a Jal business class award ticket. Wanted to know which lounge is better to use? ADMIRALS club or sakura lounge?I've heard the Sakura lounge isn't that impressive. Is the admirals club pretty good out of SFO? Thanks
Hi brabb,

There is probably a better thread for this question, but you'll likely want to go to the options in International Terminal A. As a JAL business class passenger you will have access to the JAL Sakura Lounge, British Airways Terraces Lounge, and Cathay Pacific Lounge. You would also have access to the Admirals Club theoretically, but it's in Terminal 2 and not connected airside to International Terminal A. JAL does not participate in Precheck, so you'd have to clear normal security twice and take a tram between terminals outside security. Your best option is the Cathay Pacific Lounge. Follow the directions to the Sakura Lounge but turn left when you get up to the top of the escalator. The Cathay Pacific lounge is at the end of the long hallway. The Sakura Lounge is on the opposite end of the hallway, but it often gets crowded.
Majuki is online now  
Old Aug 31, 2018, 1:25 pm
  #549  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 745
Originally Posted by Majuki
Hi brabb,

There is probably a better thread for this question, but you'll likely want to go to the options in International Terminal A. As a JAL business class passenger you will have access to the JAL Sakura Lounge, British Airways Terraces Lounge, and Cathay Pacific Lounge. You would also have access to the Admirals Club theoretically, but it's in Terminal 2 and not connected airside to International Terminal A. JAL does not participate in Precheck, so you'd have to clear normal security twice and take a tram between terminals outside security. Your best option is the Cathay Pacific Lounge. Follow the directions to the Sakura Lounge but turn left when you get up to the top of the escalator. The Cathay Pacific lounge is at the end of the long hallway. The Sakura Lounge is on the opposite end of the hallway, but it often gets crowded.
ah I see ok. I am flying in on Aa from lax. So either way I have to go to Tsa again.
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Old Aug 31, 2018, 4:28 pm
  #550  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
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Originally Posted by brabb12
ah I see ok. I am flying in on Aa from lax. So either way I have to go to Tsa again.
You can stop by the Admirals Club for a bit. I would then head to the Cathay Pacific lounge.
Majuki is online now  
Old Sep 8, 2018, 6:24 pm
  #551  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: China
Posts: 817
AA Platinum Pro, flying AA PVG-LAX and LAX-IAH on two separate tickets, same day, both business class.
Will I have access to the LAX flagship lounge in LAX?
sniles is offline  
Old Sep 8, 2018, 7:58 pm
  #552  
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
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Greetings AA forum!

I'm a temporary AA refugee because I need to get to BDA and neither United nor any other *A carrier [read: Air Canada] can get me to and from BDA on anything approaching what even I would consider a sane schedule and even the insane schedules have a fare I can't stomach.

I'm booked in F/J CLE-DFW-MIA-BDA/BDA-PHL-CLE. I have no OW status nor an AC membership. [Why the outbound? (a) I've never flown through DFW, (b) it was the best schedule AA.com offered on the outbound]

To confirm my understanding of AA's rules, I will have no lounge access of any kind at any point on either the outbound or return journey, because AA doesn't consider BDA to be international-enough correct?

(I do have a UA club membership and may try to leverage it [for the UA club] at PHL if nothing else)

Last edited by lincolnjkc; Sep 8, 2018 at 8:16 pm Reason: clarify club membership
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Old Sep 8, 2018, 8:13 pm
  #553  
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: American EXP; British Airways Gold
Posts: 1,896
Originally Posted by lincolnjkc
Greetings AA forum!

I'm a temporary AA refugee because I need to get to BDA and neither United nor any other *A carrier [read: Air Canada] can get me to and from BDA on anything approaching what even I would consider a sane schedule and even the insane schedules have a fare I can't stomach.

I'm booked in F/J CLE-DFW-MIA-BDA/BDA-PHL-CLE. I have no OW status nor an AC membership. [Why the outbound? (a) I've never flown through DFW, (b) it was the best schedule AA.com offered on the outbound]

To confirm my understanding of AA's rules, I will have no lounge access of any kind at any point on either the outbound or return journey, because AA doesn't consider BDA to be international-enough correct?

(I do have a UA club membership and may try to leverage it at PHL if nothing else)
Avoid the drama (and certain failure) of "leveraging" anything. Just pay for a one-day Admirals Club pass on each day of travel. EZ.
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Old Sep 9, 2018, 4:01 am
  #554  
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Austin
Programs: AA EXP +2MM- LT PLT! HH Diamond
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Originally Posted by sniles
AA Platinum Pro, flying AA PVG-LAX and LAX-IAH on two separate tickets, same day, both business class.
Will I have access to the LAX flagship lounge in LAX?
Yes. Would have access even if flying in Y, due to PPro status. You can also check out the OW Business Lounge in TBIT if you'd like. Just remember to bring along your PVG-LAX boarding pass to facilitate entry.
teemuflyer is online now  
Old Sep 12, 2018, 11:23 am
  #555  
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Join Date: Apr 2010
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If I purchase a one day AC pass for $59, would I be able to access the AC in two different airports during travel on AA on the same day/date?

Or would I have to purchase two (2) one day passes, one for the AC at each airport?
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