robbymc

If I upgrade using 25k miles and $350 from Main Cabin for a DFW to LHR flight (AA 80 - Boeing 777-300ER) - where the available purchased business ticket is "Flagship Business" - should I expect an upgrade to a "Flagship Business" ticket.
After doing this my itinerary just states "Business" - so I'm not sure if I get access to the Flagship lounge at DFW?
Thanks in advance for any insight.

777lover

You will get FSL access if you are confirmed in Business and have a Business BP

JJeffrey

Yea, business class on any AA longhaul flight to Europe, deep South America, and Asia/Pacific = Flagship Business, regardless of whether the aa.com search results or e-ticket receipt or anything else specifically call out Flagship or not.

enviroian

I wish they would drop that silly and misrepresentative word “flagship”. Hell they dropped “luxury liner” years ago they can drop this.

VegasGambler

They need a way to differentiate between long haul business and business on a flight to, say, Mexico.

LowValueCustomer

"Club Americas Business"

Dave Noble

Why? Most other airlines don't seem to find a need to do so on a booking page

vasantn

There needs to be a Flagship for the Admiral to command. Personally I've always liked these nautical names. At some outstations, gate personnel still refer to aircraft as "ships".

BlooJoo

Or BIRD! **tingle**

ijgordon

DL absolutely does. DeltaOne is a different column and/or label from First/Business. Not sure if UA does the same with Polaris.
I always thought these marketing names were gimmicky, but they can be helpful at defining what the actual product/service being sold is.

BlooJoo

It's a US airline thing (and BA). On LH, for instance, "Business" applies to long haul flat bed or a Y seat with blocked middle.

JJeffrey

I get that AA has to call their premium business class something clever to compete with DL and UA, but AA's problem is that the 'Flagship' crap is applied so inconsistently that they've just made things way more confusing than they need be.

Sometimes aa.com search results say Flagship and other times they won't (for the exact same flight), sometimes the rules for services like lounge access say you must be on a flight marketed as Flagship and other times they don't, and of course even if you do buy a Flagship flight the words Flagship are nowhere to be found on your email/e-ticket receipt or looking at your reservation at aa.com.

It's no wonder that we receive questions just like the OP's on a semi-regular basis about whether this flight or that flight is considered Flagship and whether it counts for lounge access, etc.

Dave Noble

The 1st 4 airlines that I checked - QF, NZ, AY and SQ - all just say business

BlooJoo

What Flagship branded flight doesn't allow lounge access for J or F?

JJeffrey

Any AA longhaul business class to Europe, deep SA, Asia/Pacific (and Hawaii now too I guess) is considered 'Flagship' and of course comes with Flagship Lounge access. But AA's marketing of 'Flagship' is terrible:

• Search aa.com for JFK-LHR in business and "Flagship Business" is clearly displayed on the AA metal options
• But search for JFK-CDG and Flagship Business is displayed for the AA metal nonstop, but not for JFK-LHR-CDG on the exact same JFK-LHR flight as above. I guess I get Flagship if I fly nonstop but not if I connect through London.
• Regardless of which flight I book, Flagship Business is nowhere to be found now on my email e-ticket receipt or looking at my reservation at aa.com.
• I go to the aa.com FL page to see what lounge I can use, crap, aa.com says FL access only for "Flights with Seats Ticketed as Flagship between..." I bought JFK-LHR-CDG, I guess I can't use the FL.
• Or in the case of the OP you upgrade DFW-LHR to business and again Flagship isn't displayed anywhere but the rules say you must have a seat ticketed as Flagship to access the FL...

It's confusing and inconsistent but 100% par for the course with AA and aa.com marketing.