Admirals Club Benefits - Worth it? (consolidated)
 

Friends just want some opinions on this topic. I've finally started my own consulting business and am traveling a lot out of TPA. We don't have an Admirals Club, but I fly a lot through MIA, DFW, STL, and ORD to connect to other locations.

Is it worth the $350 or 50,000 miles to get a Membership? I just wonder because I usually don't get to the airport too early and like to walk around during layovers. I already have a wireless laptop card through Sprint as well.

Thoughts and comments please - what do you like about the AC?

Pay the $50 go go try it out, and if you like it, they will apply the $50 to your membersip

Not worth it if you are going to use it once a month or less and that $350 is out of your pocket and can't be written off your taxes. On the other hand, if you know you'll use it at least 2-3 times a month, it may be worthwhile. Others on this board have raved about the ability of the club's agents to work miracles during irregular ops - and it would only take 1 or 2 of these a year for it to be a good return on $350. As far as facilities and services go, the AA clubs are spartan - a notch below CO and DL, though the AA clubs tend to be a bit better maintained than the UA clubs. Why not hold off until the first time you encounter a situation (long layover, cancelled flight ...) and join then?

what I like about the AC...
 

1. a quiet place to escape the terminal
2. dedicated desk agents to assist with upgrades, rerouting on a delay or cancellation, etc.
3. showers for int'l conxns

I'm mildly annoyed that wifi is not complimentary. the Regus complimentary membership is about as useful to me as a condo on the moon.

my employer reimburses the $ 250 AC renewal, but I'd pay that amount myself if I had to. Definitely worth the $$ if you fly a lot.

This, older thread, is actually entitled "AC Membership: Worth it?"
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthrea...orth+it%3F

But you'll also find about a dozen, comprehensive, more recent threads with a cursory search.

Edit to add: a few of them:

"AC worth the $?"
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthrea...ip+worth+it%3F

"Is Admirals club worth it?"
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthrea...ip+worth+it%3F

"Worth it to join AC?"
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthrea...ip+worth+it%3F

"Admiral's Club - Worth it?"
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthrea...ip+worth+it%3F

"Admiral's Club (Value For Money?)"
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthrea...ip+worth+it%3F

"Admirals Club worth it?"
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthrea...ip+worth+it%3F

And those are only the ones that used "worth".
Many other useful, detailed and thoughtful discussions in the "lifetime AC" threads and the "QF club vs. AC club threads."

I joined, but wish I could get my money back.

Example:
A couple of weeks ago I was in the "famed" new JFK T9 AC. Breakfast was a stack of shrink wrapped bagel quarters. There was orange juice too.

Earlier in the week, I had been at DTW in the NW WorldClub. There my breakfast consisted of: full toasted bagel, choice of muffins, yoghurt, banana, choice of juices and I finished it off with a cappaucino while surfing FT via the free wi-fi. If I had wanted a bloody mary it would have been free too.

For those with money to spare & expense accounts, sure AC is worth it. But for folks like me it's just not worth it. Now, if they would just give me one or two drink coupons I would not be so disapointed.

^ ^ ^ Maybe this thread now should be titled The Ultimate 'Worth It?' AC Master Thread :D

Have you asked?

I would imagine various people involved with the Admirals Clubs any of these addresses would be interested in your comments.

Ralph L. Richardi
Senior Vice President – Customer Service
Physical Address
4333 Amon Carter Boulevard
Fort Worth, TX 76155

American Airlines Admirals Club
Attn: Rosemary Lovejoy
New Terminal 9 - Remote Concourse C, Third Floor
JFK International Airport
Jamaica, NY 11430

You can also email Admirals Club customer service at [email protected].

At least once a year (sometimes more), the AAngels get me home when otherwise I might have to overnight at ORD or DFW. This Tuesday my LAX-SFO flight was cancelled, and an AAngel at LAX worked her magic to get me an assigned seat on an oversold flight, which got me back up the coast in time for a critical dinner meeting. Definitely worth the money.

The miles they charge for membership are seriously undervalued compared to the cash so I wouldn't consider that unless I had millions upon millions of unspent miles and didn't know what to do with them all.

Eventually we're going to have just "The Ultimate Master Thread." Things will be so much easier when we do. Every new thread will get a reply telling the OP to do a Search.

The food/snacks provided by the AC are certainly not exciting. To the OP, do not factor food/snacks into whether or not you should join.

The showers. Seriously. There have been times when one shower at DFW feels worth close to $350 in itself. :) On long trips or long runs, having a nice warm shower and a place to change makes the whole travel thing feel downright relaxing.

If you have the Tmobile wifi plan, you'll be very pleased with the AC's coverage. (If you don't, you'll be quite annoyed.)

New data point: The Regus business center benefit may be very useful to you, depending on your work. The single time I tried to use it in NYC, I was extremely underwhelmed -- they put me in a chair in a heavily trafficed area by the mail slots (...?) but I've heard anecdotally that some Regus' centers are proper lounges and pretty darn nice.

The AC is like elite status. If you use it frequently, you'll benefit greatly. If you don't, it's a waste to buy it/pursue it. I wasn't sure if I was wasting my $ last year when I bought, but I've gotten an abundance of good use out of it and will renew.

-KF

Or, if the other benefits are attractive, sign up for TravelPerks and use the free AC pass.

I too fly out of TPA. When in an airport with a Club, I am so glad I have it so I don't have to wait for as many screaming children, people sleeping on floors - THE FREAKS. I can load up on beverages and get a quick snack. I used to be the type that walked off my layover. With all the travel, it may be the only time I get to check out the newspaper, or even catch the day's news between flights. And I get away from the 'average' flyer that will annoy me enough when I am on the airplane. Peace of mind is worth the price.

Easy ? to answer: the AC Angels. I often fly to BDL which isn't a club location - but when problems arise in DFW/ORD, etc.. they work miracles.