Nov 19, 2019, 3:16 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
Admirals Club access rules for members changed, membership costs increased 1 November 2019.
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 they’re 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 guest’s 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.
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
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
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 guest’s 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.
Admirals Club rates increased, new restrictions: 1 Nov 2019
Oct 22, 2018, 7:12 am
#121
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: jfk area
Programs: AA platinum; 2MM AA, Delta Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,291
The irony of this is that I will never actually need to have my Citi Exec card on hand since it's linked with my boarding pass. I still carry it around for ease of entry when without an AA boarding pass. If that's going to be the requirement for entry, I can leave the card at home...
Oct 22, 2018, 9:53 am
#122
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Gold (prev. Ex Plat for 10 years); DL Plat; UA Gold; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,338
If we stay members, the most sensible route seems for both of us to get the Citi card; at $450 each it is much cheaper than either individual or household memberships (even more so if I get the card and just make her an authorized user, albeit less useful for her in a few circumstances). I can’t imagine how this plays out to AA’s advantage—neither one of us will spend one penny more than the annual fee; I use an Aviator Silver card with better benefits for me and she uses a card of her own for her own reasons. So AA ends up getting less for our membership in this scenario.
Oct 22, 2018, 10:30 am
#124
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Long Beach, CA
Programs: AA PLTPRO, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 3,559
However, there is no way that I spend enough on both cards to get both!
Oct 22, 2018, 11:43 am
#125
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: jfk area
Programs: AA platinum; 2MM AA, Delta Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,291
Oct 22, 2018, 12:01 pm
#126
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 165
Yeah, not a chance I'm putting $40,000 on the Executive card given other options. I don't care about pursuing AA elite status and see it as essentially a lounge membership card. Of course that is different for some, but I'm not the only one.
Oct 22, 2018, 12:08 pm
#127
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,005
What other (presumably better?) options? I've had the card for 5 years now and the travel benefits have been very valuable plus they give me a FICO score too on my statement. The 10K EQM usually deposits within a day of hitting the 40K spend mark.
Oct 22, 2018, 12:24 pm
#128
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
True, although my EQM v EQD need varies year to year. In the past, I needed those 10K EQMs but I've been OK with them the last few years. Instead, I've been relying on the Aviator card for the $3K EQDs.
However, there is no way that I spend enough on both cards to get both!
However, there is no way that I spend enough on both cards to get both!
Barclaycard Aviator Red no EQD, Silver $3k EQD Only as of 2019
Oct 22, 2018, 1:20 pm
#129
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: jfk area
Programs: AA platinum; 2MM AA, Delta Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,291
(2)Discover Card (FREE) gives you your FICO score and monitors the "dark web" for bad use your SS#. .
(3)I'm Plat for life
, with all the devaluation of perks on AA, the 10K might NOT be as big a + as it was 2 years ago.
Oct 22, 2018, 1:23 pm
#130
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Long Beach, CA
Programs: AA PLTPRO, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 3,559
Now that the Aviator Red won’t 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
Barclaycard Aviator Red no EQD, Silver $3k EQD Only as of 2019
I also found that I didn't have a problem with EQDs this year - either through more pricey tickets or some other combination of factors - one of which is buying up to Premium Economy fares on international travel.
With this latest breaking news, I'll likely cancel the Aviator card at renewal time, but not sure if I will focus on the Citi card for the EQMs. As someone squarely in the Platinum world these days, the overall EQM/EQD threshold isn't too difficult to meet.
So, the Citi card still works for AC membership (albeit somewhat downgraded), but I like that my spouse can benefit from it. I guess worst case, I'll hope there's a priority pass lounge during the times I'm not flying AA.
Death by a thousand cuts...is AA helping us out the door?
Oct 22, 2018, 1:54 pm
#131
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: GNV,TPA, & HOU
Programs: Hertz Presidents Circle, National EE, Lots of Stupid CCs&The I Am Crazy Enough To Actually Pay For F
Posts: 357
I agree, to me this is also a club card. That is an easy 60k UR points minimum for Chase, way more value.
Oct 22, 2018, 4:18 pm
#132
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,502
Club access during peak travel periods is a widespread issue; for example, multiple forums highlight waiting lists for those with Priority Pass. Rather than inconvenience its better customers, invest $$ in larger clubs, not a surprise that current AA management would follow DL's lead by restricting access. Inclusion of AS boarding pass holders works keeps me happy.
Oct 23, 2018, 5:40 am
#134
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: CLT
Posts: 89
Certainly makes membership less worth it for a non AA-exclusive flyer. Would need to have multiple club memberships if you fly through a lot of airports or use multiple airlines. Seems kind of silly, seeing as it is a membership club and not a frequent flyer benefit. I imagine pulling credit card fee memberships would have a similar effect, but wouldn't devalue overall membership. Anyway, I'm sure they've thought it through and those that choose not to retain won't hit that bottom dollar as much as we think.
Oct 23, 2018, 8:39 am
#135
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: jfk area
Programs: AA platinum; 2MM AA, Delta Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,291
The AA FL lounges have open bar, a larger hot/cold food selection and more comfortable seating than the AMEX Centurion lounges.