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Admirals Club rates increased, new restrictions: 1 Nov 2019

Old Nov 19, 2019, 3:16 pm
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Last edit by: JDiver
Admirals Club access rules for members changed, membership costs increased 1 November 2019.

Changes to membership link to this page on aa.com

Access changes

Starting November 1, 2019

Boarding passes for same-day travel on American Airlines or partner airlines are required for entry.1

1 Any departing or arriving flight: marketed or operated by American Airlines, marketed and operated by any oneworld partner carrier, or marketed and operated by Alaska Airlines
This is true regardless of membership type, excluding lifetime members. Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard Authorized Users must fulfill the same requirements. (Lifetime Admirals Club members may access Admirals Clubs even if theyre flying non-AA partners, e.g. Southwest, United.)

Declared Business Purposes or rental of a conference facility without a same day boarding pass will not suffice to allow access.

As far as we know, authorized guests accompanying a member do not have to present a same day boarding pass.

No discount is available for a household membership, which will cost $600 regardless of the sponsoring guests AAdvantage status.

One Day Passes are available at $59 per person, available for purchase at all Clubs except those where Club refurbishment or construction is going on (currently, ORD and PHL). One Day Passes are not available online.
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Admirals Club rates increased, new restrictions: 1 Nov 2019

Old Oct 26, 2018, 7:59 pm
  #166  
nrr
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Originally Posted by SouthernCross




If AA offered an enhanced Admirals Membership with FL access then maybe.

But Im departing out of JFK gate 5 on a domestic flight today, and it pisses me off that theres no Admirals Club in the terminal. There was when I puchased the membership. (Yes, I purchase my Admirals Club membership, sometimes with cash, sometimes with BizExtra.) Whatever...airline lounge T&C are some of the most customer abusive contracts around.
All AA (metal) flights depart out of Terminal 8 in JFK. T8 has two sections: low numbers (called B) and high numbers (called C); the lounge in B is now FL only, the one in C is a regular AC. While it requires some walking and negotiating moving walkways (not always working), you can still access the AC (near gate 42) even when departing from gate 5 (in B).
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Old Oct 27, 2018, 8:59 am
  #167  
 
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Originally Posted by TheDudeAbides
Only one of you needs to get the Citi card for both of you to have access, even when traveling separately. So, with that card, your cost is $450 total.
Well, yeah. That's what I said.
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Old Oct 27, 2018, 9:26 am
  #168  
 
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Originally Posted by DenverBrian
I think people are missing a HUGE reason to have the Exec card besides AC membership: 10,000 EQM (yes, EQM) for $40,000 spend.
I wasn't missing that at all--that was my point about the Aviator Silver card...

Originally Posted by JDiver
Now that the Aviator Red wont give holders any EQD offset at all, and Silver will afford $3,000 EQD offset only after $50,000 spend, as of next year, what will be your plan?

Barclaycard Aviator Red no EQD, Silver $3k EQD Only as of 2019
Aaaannd AA dropped the other shoe...which made this snap into focus.

So, yeah--now it makes some sense to get their friggin' card for the club membership and push my spend to it for the EQM. Apparently there's no comparable remaining option for the Barclay's EQD earning unless I'm missing it. The Aviator card is gone just as soon as we've met the requirement for EQD to post and have burned the companion certificate early next year. I think I see a Priority Pass membership in my future also.

As others have noted, it surely does feel like AA is determined to screw those most committed to them as customers in the name of increasing revenue for the sake of increasing revenue...can't wait for the next round of "exciting customer experience enhancements" from AAdvantage
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Old Oct 28, 2018, 8:57 am
  #169  
 
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Originally Posted by AAir_head
Well, yeah. That's what I said.
My AA Barclays card gets 10,000 annual RDM with the 89 annual fee, which is the only reason I now have to keep it. I have the citi exec card for the Admirals club membership.
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Old Oct 28, 2018, 11:35 am
  #170  
 
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Originally Posted by Frequentflight
I think the improvement AAs done to both flagship and Admirals lounges are worth the increase in price. Better food, more options and nicer amenities than UA/DL
I disagree with the "better food" comment as to the AC. We were just in the T5 AC at LAX and the breakast offerings have been cut back. In little ways, such as no more raisin/craisins for the oatmeal, no more bananas. There was something else, but it was so little that I can't remember it.

Originally Posted by nrr
All AA (metal) flights depart out of Terminal 8 in JFK. T8 has two sections: low numbers (called B) and high numbers (called C); the lounge in B is now FL only, the one in C is a regular AC. While it requires some walking and negotiating moving walkways (not always working), you can still access the AC (near gate 42) even when departing from gate 5 (in B).
OP was talking about GATE 5, not Terminal 5. The pathetic AC that remained after the creation of the Flagship lounge wasn't worth stopping in for, IMO, but it's very annoying (to me, anyway) that OWE on other airlines have access to the FL while EXP do not.

DH and I argued this year about whether or not to chase EXP for 2019. I was against and "lost" the argument (we will both make it). I think I'm going to "win" this year. Our spending will go down as we inch toward retirement, so my Barclaycard will be shredded when it expires (he got his this year so has a year's grace period). And we will likely cancel one of two Citi cards and just have a member + authorized used on the other.
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Old Oct 28, 2018, 5:49 pm
  #171  
nrr
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Originally Posted by critterchick
I disagree with the "better food" comment as to the AC. We were just in the T5 AC at LAX and the breakast offerings have been cut back. In little ways, such as no more raisin/craisins for the oatmeal, no more bananas. There was something else, but it was so little that I can't remember it.



OP was talking about GATE 5, not Terminal 5. The pathetic AC that remained after the creation of the Flagship lounge wasn't worth stopping in for, IMO, but it's very annoying (to me, anyway) that OWE on other airlines have access to the FL while EXP do not.

DH and I argued this year about whether or not to chase EXP for 2019. I was against and "lost" the argument (we will both make it). I think I'm going to "win" this year. Our spending will go down as we inch toward retirement, so my Barclaycard will be shredded when it expires (he got his this year so has a year's grace period). And we will likely cancel one of two Citi cards and just have a member + authorized used on the other.
Yes and that is the issue I addressed--nowhere did I mention Terminal 5. The AC in concourse C of JFK T8 near gate 42 is no different from AC's in PHX, CLT, ORD, LGA, PHL which I visited recently. That "pathetic area" is no longer an AC, but will be absorbed into the B concourse FL.
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Old Oct 28, 2018, 9:10 pm
  #172  
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Originally Posted by FlytheTail
Of course, United will soon follow.
AFAIK, United was the first to implement the boarding pass requirement to access the United Club. I have several friends who have the Chase United MileagePlus Club card and they have been required to have a UA or partner same day boarding pass in their possession to enter the clubs since at least the beginning of this year.
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Old Oct 28, 2018, 9:18 pm
  #173  
 
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Originally Posted by TWA884
AFAIK, United was the first to implement the boarding pass requirement to access the United Club. I have several friends who have the Chase United MileagePlus Club card and they have been required to have a UA or partner same day boarding pass in their possession to enter the clubs since at least the beginning of this year.
A boarding pass is required, but any airline.
All United Club customers, including members, are eligible to access United Club locations only when they have a flight arriving or departing on any airline the same day, and must show a boarding pass for entry.
UC Rules
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Old Oct 29, 2018, 12:06 pm
  #174  
 
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Originally Posted by NovaEngr
A boarding pass is required, but any airline.

UC Rules
And unlike AA or DL Club members, UA Club customers can access member-owned lounges across their alliance with a same day ticket from any alliance member. AA offers customers some lounges with some partners (BA+QF?), and DL offers no partner lounge access effective 2019. This means a DL Club member flying CDG-ATL only gets access on one end of the flight in Atlanta, while a UA Club member flying KBV-BKK-IST on *A would have access at all three airports (assuming access at IST is legally allowed after arrival) even though UA does not currently fly to any of those airports. This is a really big deal and, in my opinion, one of the biggest value propositions to be a United Club member.
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Old Oct 29, 2018, 12:49 pm
  #175  
 
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Originally Posted by worldwidedreamer
And unlike AA or DL Club members, UA Club customers can access member-owned lounges across their alliance with a same day ticket from any alliance member. AA offers customers some lounges with some partners (BA+QF?), and DL offers no partner lounge access effective 2019. This means a DL Club member flying CDG-ATL only gets access on one end of the flight in Atlanta, while a UA Club member flying KBV-BKK-IST on *A would have access at all three airports (assuming access at IST is legally allowed after arrival) even though UA does not currently fly to any of those airports. This is a really big deal and, in my opinion, one of the biggest value propositions to be a United Club member.
It is no doubt presently the most generous with access. However, IMHO, United Clubs are my least favorite of the big 3 domestic airlines. Notably, most United Clubs do not offer showers.
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Old Oct 29, 2018, 2:24 pm
  #176  
 
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Originally Posted by AAir_head
...So, yeah--now it makes some sense to get their friggin' card for the club membership and push my spend to it for the EQM. Apparently there's no comparable remaining option for the Barclay's EQD earning unless I'm missing it. The Aviator card is gone just as soon as we've met the requirement for EQD to post and have burned the companion certificate early next year. I think I see a Priority Pass membership in my future also...
Taking a wait-and-see approach on AC membership for now--we're paid through next summer anyway so there's no need to get the Citi card just yet. In the interim, have now pulled the trigger on SPG(-Marriott) AMEX Luxury card that I previously passed on--includes Priority Pass Select and a number of other benefits/incentives that will (for me) offset its $450 annual fee. AAviator Silver gets a full-stop on spend until current EQDs post, we burn the companion cert early in 2019, and AA/Barclays reveal the mysterious new perks/benefits that will excite everyone into keeping it--I suspect it will end up getting closed with the changes to EQD/EQM earning effective 1/2019.

If driving folks who pay their own way away from AAviator cards and AC membership is AA's objective, they're well on the way to success in my case.

cheers!
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Old Oct 29, 2018, 11:28 pm
  #177  
 
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Originally Posted by Teckelspass
Notably, most United Clubs do not offer showers.
I agree 100% with that sentiment, and have complained to high heavens about it. TBH it cost them my business as a decade plus elite.
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Old Oct 30, 2018, 6:30 am
  #178  
 
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As a Citi Exec cardholder based in Charlotte where its pretty much all AA - Im out. I didnt really think about it all until a recent trip to BOS where the AC in B was closed for renovations. I went to the BA terraces lounge in E and used my BA silver membership for access on my AA ticket. No squares of cheese, or drink coupons in there. Ill just use my BA silver for AC access on AA flights, and use my BA exec club membership for the tier points on AA domestic, and I get my 4 qualifying flights in one paid round trip CLT-LHR-MAN when I go back home every year. I do this trip anyway and fly AA a lot with work, so why pay the extra $450?
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Old Oct 30, 2018, 6:33 am
  #179  
 
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A long time ago in a galaxy, far, far, away.

[QUOTE=jtav559;30326219]Keep in mind ...
They have guys and gals that analyze and crunch the financial data on this stuff all day long - they know what they will make on a single cardholder (+/- 1 std deviation, of course )[/QUOTE)

IMHO-Something like this would never could have happened back in the 20th Century, long before DATA supplanted common sense, long before sales projections were based solely on spread sheets, long before HR took over hiring totally, and WAY LONG BEFORE CEOs became charisma challenged "bean counters" focused only on the bottom line.

The passenger is dead. Long live the passenger.
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Old Oct 30, 2018, 6:51 am
  #180  
 
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Originally Posted by enviroian
United did this already several years ago. How many people in the grand scheme of things are going to be 1. flying a different airline than AA as a top tier flyer and more importantly 2. going to be anywhere remotely near an AC when flying another airline?

I think it's a great idea in crowd thinning.
I've used the AA club a few weeks back when I had a long layover but was on a UA award booking. They were nice to allow me entry, but was a bit of a walk to another terminal. That said, it made the 3 hr layover MUCH more bearable and did think to myself, "I'm glad i bought this membership". While I might use it once or twice a year, it seems unnecessarily punitive, especially since they are upping the cost to families, which are the ones which seem to take the most toll on the club (imo - kids running around, stacking up plates and never finishing the food, etc)

-2 cents
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