Antarius

I don't know if they have digital cards (don't have an AC membership). However, my understanding is that AC membership cards are still being sent out.

econ

Only time I really use the card is on the rare occasions when I have a difficult time getting my FF# on the reservation prior to check-in (e.g. sometimes when flying a partner airline and/or 3rd party booking). I find it easier to just hand over the card to the check-in agent instead of reading my FF# out loud.

I've never needed it to get into a OW lounge.

Not a big deal though. I'll just hang on to the most recent card that I have going forward.

lrdpenn

I have never once used a physical card across multiple (albeit not all) OW airline lounges - BA, JL, CX, MH, QF, AB (RIP) - I don't think this is a huge loss. OW doesn't seem to have the *A / LH lounge access issues.

I think the bigger loss is the AApplause certs that FAs have always been genuinely appreciative to receive in my experience. And for some crews it's nice to do something on-the-spot that is more than a "thank you". I imagine the same with reservation / counter agents but I have been rather lucky to not need major interventions there. How many people are really going to call in (or even know to call in) for those?

Dave Noble

It shouldn't work at other Oneworld lounges unless it is an associate lounge - does an AA boarding pass indicate AC membership? if so there shouldnt be too much issue at Reykjavik since access is only permitted for departure on an AA operated flight

VFR

Admirals Club locations (and the AirSpace lounge in SAN, which apparently is not currently staffed with AC agents like it used to be) will be able to scan your boarding pass to find your membership.

For the partner/contract lounges that AA uses at international stations, the check-in desk should give you a lounge invitation, or some lounges will be able to scan your boarding pass as well (likely QF).

An Admirals Club membership alone won’t get you into any oneworld business lounge, sadly.

GrumpyYoungMan

This.

cmd320

It’s really unfortunate that AA has decided they’d rather not recognize frontline employees who go above and beyond.

kabroui

I guess where I see some confusion arising without having a physical card to present, are times when you want to use your status from a different OW airline than the airline you are currently flying. For example, if I am silver BAEC and flying a BA flight and crediting that flight to BA, I should still be able to enter a OW Emerald lounge base on my AA EXP status. Conversely, if I am flying AA in the US and crediting my flight to AA, I should still be able to enter an AC based on my BA silver status. In neither case will the required status for my entry appear on the bp, and BA has stopped sending physical cards as well.

I would hope that the lounge agents would accept a digital card via BA or AA's app. BA actually has a bar-coded membership card in their app so I suppose that would work.

Antarius

I do this regularly as an AA EXP flying other OW airlines. Flown in BA, QF, LA (prior to their exit), AB (prior to demise), MH, CX, IB, UL, JL and QR on tickets that were booked directly with the respective carriers (and not part of an AA set of flights) and have never had an issue or request to present a card.

Either they scan my BP and let me in or the check in desk hands me an invite.

econ

I think previous poster is referring to a scenario where they are crediting to a program that would not in itself grant access to a lounge. (BP would not reflect lounge access).

Dave Noble

Even without your AA number in the booking? If the AA number was not in booking, how did the airline know what your status level was

The issue referenced would be of ilk - travelling on CX with a CX membership in the booking , but wanting to use AA status for lounge access

On some airlines, it is possible for 2 FF cards to be in booking - one that is for earning mileage and another for status - I have never trusted on agents correctly applying the numbers though, so havent used it

kabroui

Exactly the scenario I was considering.... Let's say I'm flying on BA through HKG and want to get into the Pier first lounge. If I'm crediting my BA flight to BAEC as a Silver elite, I will be denied access since my boarding pass identifies me as a OW Sapphire. However, my AA EXP/OW Emerald status should allow me access regardless of what the boarding pass says. Without a physical card, I will have to resort to trying to prove my AA EXP status by using the AA app... assuming that I can get it working using the HKG airport internet and the CX lounge agents will accept that as proof of my eligibility to enter.

Antarius

Ahh, understood.

In that circumstance, I have just used the app. You can save the card locally on an Android or add it to your Wallet on the iPhone.

dogcanyon

I'm glad you didn't have a problem with LA, but there was evidently a well-known glitch in their IT system where an AA member's current elite status would be listed incorrectly, resulting in the wrong status being printed on the boarding pass. A friend and I who were both AA Platinum at the time had oneworld Ruby printed on our LA boarding passes on multiple occasions. We were admitted to the LA lounges only because we had our AA Platinum cards on us and were told by LA agents at both check-in and at the lounge entry "Yeah, we see this all the time but they won't fix it". I never encountered this issue on BA, Finnair, Cathay Pacific, Iberia or Royal Jordanian

Antarius

Well, they did fix it by leaving

But interesting, never experienced that personally.