OT AA Lounges PHX, CLT, DCA and BOS - preferences?
 

Not sure if this should be in the AA forum or what.

Anyway, looking at booking a flight from LAX-JFK.

F comes in at £793 direct and around £400 if I stopover for up to 90 mins at either PHX, CLT, DCA or BOS. Since all of these get 60 + 210TP, are any better for a short stopover than another? Haven't been to any of them so no idea if they're all standard Admiral Clubs or one has a little something to it.

BOS and DCA are essentially Admirals Club in heritage, CLT and PHX are US Clubs. They have been merged in terms of offering, so it's all the same in that respect. PHX has several clubs scattered around, one of which has been upgraded (but I didn't realise that it had been, it's not a SIN style upgrade!), but none are big or impressive really. CLT has a big lounge with impressive views, plenty of space, all sorts of nooks and crannies. BOS is medium sized, no views, not good not bad. DCA has a bit of a view but is high up. The staff there are extra good, and that is from a high baseline too. Not much space, but it's not that packed when I'm in there, and DCA is fairly compact so easy to nip in and nip out.

So in short, CLT for roominess and views, DCA for good staff and being near the gate. CLT is a great airport generally.

I haven't been through PHX yet, so can't comment on that.

CLT-As CWS said, big. I find it crowded and on the hot side. It's an easy airport, but I'm not in love with the lounge. Staff are not generous with drink chits for OWE.

BOS-Dark and small, but I find the staff very nice, and I've never seen a crowd.

DCA-The best of the bunch both on staff and overall experience. The old US club is maybe a touch more spacious and better appointed than the legacy Admiral's Club, but you can't go wrong either way. Drink chits flow freely. I'm not a big drinker anymore, but I often stumbled out of there in my mis-spent youth. :)

For what it's worth, one of the PHX lounges (the one in concourse A near A19) does have pretty decent hearty Mexican-style chunky beef soup and tortilla chips with guac and salsa as a free offering. Not sure of the other 2 lounges at PHX.

The old AA lounge at DCA is a nice little set up. AAngels are friendly, and the view is nice. And having eaten in there I can recommend the turkey and Swiss toastie!. Can get a little crowded, but never not been able to find a seat. DCA is a neat little airport too, so might make a connection easier.

BOS is a bit dark, but pretty good.

Not been to CLT or PHX (Will go through PHX next month, so can comment then).

I can't comment on the others, but I can say the DCA lounge is good. It's compact, but also close to the gates with about a 2 minute walk from lounge to each gate. The staff were incredibly helpful to the PAX that I saw.

On a separate note, if you haven't been to DC, the journey from DCA to central downtown took 12 minutes in a cab when I was there a couple of weeks ago on a Saturday afternoon. Great city and I would recommend a visit for a short stop.

Would recommend to avoid PHX ... The US Airways lounge above gates A5-A7 was closed when I passed through last week on a JFK-SFO trip, and the other domestic lounge (between gates A19 and A21) was absolutely packed.

I flew back to NYC via CLT, but with a 50 minute connection and a 20 minute delayed arrival I only had time to look around the door of the lounge.

Just one thing to keep in mind depending on your preferences

LAX > JFK in F gets a flat bed

All other routings (as far as I am aware) gets an F reclining seat.

When I was in the BOS AC in February the staff were awesome. At the entrance I had a lovely 10-15 minute chat with the front desk AAngels - my Aussie accent had them remarking that I was a long way from home - turns out one of them had just been to Perth so was having a wee reminisce about home with them! On my way into the lounge they said if I needed some more drink chits they would be more than happy to give me as many as I wanted. :D

I found two lounges in CLT last week and they seemed to have slightly different offerings. I think the smaller one might have previously been the U.S. Lounge and it had a lovely soup and selection of nibbles such as cheese, tomatoes, celery, carrots etc. it was perfectly adequate do for a 30 minute pit stop and a light lunch. I wasn't drinking so I can't comment on the alcohol situation.

LAX-JFK in F should also get you access to the Flagship lounge in LAX, so unless you really really need those extra TPs, the nonstop option will be a much better experience all round.

I was in the BOS lounge last Wednesday and think you may have experienced the old US lounge as opposed to the AA one it was anything but a bit dark and had plenty of view!

The lounge is pretty large, and has huge floor to ceiling windows offering great views of the apron, the runways beyond and even the ocean beyond them.

I really liked the lounge, easily the best of the (4) AA lounges that I've visited.

Here's a pic I took, unfortunately mainly of a beer bottle but it will give you an idea! http://catchmypicture.com/2YyHz6.jpg

Otherwise a recent review can be found here - http://www.pointsmd.com/lounge-revie...l-airport-bos/

The soup and nibbles (and improved breakfast offering) is now standardised for all AA and former US clubs. There may be delays getting stuff out, and in CLT they put them in different areas of the lounges, but it is the same throughout USA now. The big lounge, at the top of the pier, also former US, should have had the food at the further end, by the bar, and along from the main WC block on the right.

I'll get access to the LAX Flagship lounge anyway so I'll get fed there at the very least.
Don't really want to pay twice as much for a flat bed in F especially if I get a daytime flight - bit of a waste for 5 hours.

Tempted by an overnight flight that gets me into JFK early in the morning so perhaps being able to grab a shower on the east coast would be useful. Can then have the day in the city.