ARCHIVE: Guide to Flagship Lounge Access (expanded 2017) thru 2018
 

Any news about "Starting in 2017, Flagship Lounge access will be extended to customers booked in Business and First Class on A321T, Trans-Atlantic, Trans-Pacific and deep South American flights."?

I don't understand this either. So if you fly business class on a South American flight you get Flagship Lounge access too? Doesn't make sense to me.

Yes - and even OW Sapphire members flying internationally or domestically on AA gets access (non-AA OW elites).

It will no longer be an exclusive lounge of some sort unfortunately.

Things are changing.

Soon, AA will have only 17 A321T with 10 F seats and 20 777-300ER / 77W with eight F seats as aircraft with three class First class. These passengers will be eligible for Flagship Lounge and Flagship Dining.

AA is expanding the Flagship Lounges, so it makes sense they did so to allow more passengers access. (At the same time, Flagship Dining will be restricted to those in three class F cabins.)

The vaunted DFW "D" terminal premium lounge is the question - will it exist as a oneworld First lounge (three class F and Emeralds), or as the new Flagship Lounge? And will Admirals Clubs be primarily for paying members and one day pass holders who otherwise would not be eligible, and oneworld Business lounge eligible where there are no Flagship Lounges? If so, most Flagship Lounges will be AA operated Business lounges, on par or approaching with some other one world Business lounges, and Admirals Clubs will be second tier lounges.

Flagship Dining will most likely be a twilight zone except for JFK IMHO.

I am really worried about Flagship Lounge being able to accommodate everyone with ease during the banks. I know I'd like to enjoy the nice solace that the Flagship lounges provide, but when there are 200-300++ other customers and where is the differentiation for EXPs or Emeralds?

With the current stricter access rules (from personal experience)) JFK FL rebuilt/expanded lounge can be very crowded, will they have room for everyone when the less strict new rules kick in.:confused:

I believe some Flagship Lounges will become quite crowded, and AA may eventually find themselves having to fiddle with the rules a bit as we go forward. Emerald / EP heavy far international hubs such as JFK (and CX s in T-8 now) MIA and ORD are likely to approach SRO at times. (LAX has the QF First and onecworld Business lounges.)

Thanks for the info so even arriving on a OW business class flight and then departing on a AA domestic flight then I still get AA flagship lounge access? Wow that's pretty generous. I guess they want all international premium class passengers in the lounge then and then the AC is mainly just used for domestic travel apparently. When does the rule kick in? It says Spring so I assume before the end of March?

Spring ends in JUNE:D

Seems like basically what UA is doing with Polaris lounges. Flagship is becoming the international business lounge while AC is the paid membership lounge.

For AMEX CENTURION lounges (which can get crowded at times), they reserve several tables for CENTURION card holders. AA (for FL lounges) could do any of: (1)restrict access to EXPs (and/or CKs) at peak times, (2)NO guesting, (3)(like many restaurants do) create waitlists for entry.

Seems like AA should make the FL similar to the BA F lounge. AA doesn't have F lounges. F and Emerald. Although at LHR they have the Concord lounge for F.

Not that AA cares, but I oppose this change for many of the reasons listed above-
(1) Overcrowding of FL at peak (and even not-so-peak) times
(2) Reduction in benefit to buying F ticket - extra $$ just for "Flagship Dining" why bother?
(3) Potential for entry rules shenanigans when FL is crowded and agents make their own interpretations
(4) Further reduction in fast-disappearing EXP benefits

Bill

I think you nailed it.

With the spend requirement, fewer overall first class seats, and access to FL from business, it pushes more of us to become free agents and buy business as needed and fly other airlines when cheaper.

How long until the international AC locations are rebranded as Flagship lounges?