Jan 5, 2024, 11:41 am
Last edit by: Prospero
For the latest updates and discussion related to the champagnes on offer, please visit the sister thread linked below
JFK Chelsea Lounge | la mise à jour du champagne
JFK Chelsea Lounge | la mise à jour du champagne
British Airways and American Airlines Chelsea Lounge - JFK Terminal 8
Dec 1, 2022, 12:28 pm
#16
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: LHR / LAS
Programs: BA GfL, GGL/CCR
Posts: 2,409
Anyone know the beers they are stocking yet?
The old flagship, up until recently, used to have Guinness and the FFD used to have a couple local beers and IPAs as well
Champagne not really my thing, but willing to try when we are there next.....
The old flagship, up until recently, used to have Guinness and the FFD used to have a couple local beers and IPAs as well
Champagne not really my thing, but willing to try when we are there next.....
Dec 1, 2022, 12:29 pm
#17
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: London
Posts: 100
Dec 1, 2022, 1:00 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,514
Many thanks Tom! I remembered it wrong, it was an Alsace Riesling not a Gewurztraminer! The Chapelle d'Alienor is a very average Bordeaux Superieur (though it belongs to the excellent and prestigious Chateau La Gaffeliere in St Emilion) and that Miraval is quite a tragic sight. In short, if that's all we can expect, I'll personally probably stick to Champagne and cocktails!
Dec 1, 2022, 1:13 pm
#19
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: London
Posts: 100
I think the cocktails will be great - and of course you can always order a personal favourite.
My observation of being in US airport lounges is the cocktails are incredibly strong - more than half and half in the case of G&T.
Going back to the wines, I would say that a fair bit of what we saw was still being tweaked, so the wines etc... may change, just as not all the furnishings were in place when we were there (the fireplace, for instance).
These were the reds in the Concorde Room the night it closed...
Red wines, Concorde Room JFK
My observation of being in US airport lounges is the cocktails are incredibly strong - more than half and half in the case of G&T.
Going back to the wines, I would say that a fair bit of what we saw was still being tweaked, so the wines etc... may change, just as not all the furnishings were in place when we were there (the fireplace, for instance).
These were the reds in the Concorde Room the night it closed...
Red wines, Concorde Room JFK
Dec 1, 2022, 2:35 pm
#20
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: LDN / NY
Programs: BA GGL, Marriott Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 537
How so? I have counted those served as parts of the flights indeed when counting 14 Champagne and 3 sparkling wine. For completeness sake, the full list as I make it ordered in a hopefully sensible way:
CHAMPAGNE:
Blanc:
1. Moet&Chandon Nectar Imperial
2. Moet&Chandon Brut
3. Moet&Chandon Ice Imperial
4. Ruinart Blanc de Blanc*
5. Krug Grande Cuvee*
6. Lanson Black Label
7. Laurent Perrier La Cuvee
8. Jacquesson Extra Brut*
9. Laurent Perrier Ultra Brut*
10. Nicolas Feuillatte Terroir Premier Cru
11. Heidseck Extra Dry
12. Veuve Clicquot Demi-sec
Rose:
13. Moet&Chandon Rose
14. Billecart Salmon Rose
OTHER SPARKLING WINES
1. Gruet Brut (New Mexico)
2. Giuliana Prosecco (Italy)
3. Nyetimber Classic Cuvee (England)
CHAMPAGNE:
Blanc:
1. Moet&Chandon Nectar Imperial
2. Moet&Chandon Brut
3. Moet&Chandon Ice Imperial
4. Ruinart Blanc de Blanc*
5. Krug Grande Cuvee*
6. Lanson Black Label
7. Laurent Perrier La Cuvee
8. Jacquesson Extra Brut*
9. Laurent Perrier Ultra Brut*
10. Nicolas Feuillatte Terroir Premier Cru
11. Heidseck Extra Dry
12. Veuve Clicquot Demi-sec
Rose:
13. Moet&Chandon Rose
14. Billecart Salmon Rose
OTHER SPARKLING WINES
1. Gruet Brut (New Mexico)
2. Giuliana Prosecco (Italy)
3. Nyetimber Classic Cuvee (England)
Dec 1, 2022, 2:44 pm
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,514
I would be careful listing them out like this. Some of us see this as a challenge. @orbitmic's Chelsea Bubbles challenge perhaps?
for the records, I always limit myself to one or at most two glasses of anything alcoholic for any one trip (including lounge and onboard). 😇 And I do agree US lounges tend to be heavy handed on spirits in cocktails (I’ll admit the cynic in me assumes it is to get better tips as many seem to assume it means being “better” served!)
Dec 1, 2022, 2:49 pm
#22
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: London
Posts: 100
Well... I think you're right.
In the executive lounge at the NYC hotel, soft drinks were free, alcoholic drinks were extremely expensive.
Yet if you ordered wine, you got more than half a pint of white or red, and the spirits were poured very generously. So drinks like G&T were stronger even than most would have them at home.
Being British, I went from resenting paying in the lounge, to thinking 'How much? What a rip off' when I looked at the prices, to leaving a large tip!
In the executive lounge at the NYC hotel, soft drinks were free, alcoholic drinks were extremely expensive.
Yet if you ordered wine, you got more than half a pint of white or red, and the spirits were poured very generously. So drinks like G&T were stronger even than most would have them at home.
Being British, I went from resenting paying in the lounge, to thinking 'How much? What a rip off' when I looked at the prices, to leaving a large tip!
Dec 1, 2022, 2:50 pm
#23
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold; Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 3,227
I'm really looking forward to some day one reports and pictures. Crazy to think that with the exception of the first three posts, everything else so far has been about the champagne, wine and beer choices. No wonder people think we're a boozy lot 
Dec 1, 2022, 3:04 pm
#24
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: London
Posts: 100
Fair comment, yes. We tried samples of some of the food, and it was lovely, but I'm vegetarian, and not a food expert, so it will be good to see what others think. And in the Soho lounge there wasn't any food but that buffet station should be set up tonight so then we'll see...
Dec 1, 2022, 4:51 pm
#27
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: LDN / NY
Programs: BA GGL, Marriott Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 537
Alright, trigger pulled for Saturday. I'm still not sure we have confirmed that final detail on whether we can use the lounges on arrival for domestics like we could FL. If anyone does happen to find out do let us know, otherwise I will check on Saturday as currently I'm set to arrive back in JFK.
Dec 1, 2022, 8:25 pm
#29
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: BA Gold, AA PLT PRO, AGR, Strawberry (Nordic Choice), Marriott Bonvoy
Posts: 4,248
This raises an interesting question — it’s a shared lounge so is the tipping expectation British or American? What was the tipping custom or expectation in JFK T7 in the past?
Dec 1, 2022, 9:10 pm
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,230
Well, that plus I suppose it's a fairly objective way to assess how "premium" AA/BA will be treating these lounges, at least in terms of the price points of the alcohol on offer. A bit harder to say on the food, at least until we get numerous reports of the quality/quantity, but that's still more objective. (Though to be fair, AA's Flagship First Dining had a very strong reputation for quality, and I assume it's effectively the same operation here, albeit on a larger scale.)
