Oneworld Emerald benefit questions
 

Hello, apologies if this is the incorrect place or way to ask these questions.

I just flew from LAX to DFW, and am continuing onwards to another city, all on AA. Currently sitting in the Admirals Club at Terminal D with the following questions.

I have LATAM Black, which is emerald. I read that OW Emeralds could utilize the Flagship First Checkin at LAX. When I went to go utilize it, I was told no because it was only for AA international first class and JFK bound first class, even though the AA website says Emeralds can use it when flying on any AA flight, not solely international.

Now at DFW, I've gotten access to the international first dining room on multiple occasions thanks to Emerald, including on flights that were <30 min or less. Now I'm being told it's only for international bound Emeralds, although I cannot find such a policy change anywhere.

Should I have been able to use these benefits? Or is this regular procedure for Emeralds traveling on AA?

My understanding is that as a OW Emerald (not AA EXP) you are entitled to use first class options when flying anywhere on oneworld, including domestic America. I'm not aware that anything has changed.

You were denied wrongly both times.

I'm QF Platinum and regularly use AA Flagship Checkin at LAX since it's my home airport. Access rules are clearly stated on aa.com. Never have been denied or questioned for my domestic flights. They usually look on their list, not find me on it, and I just tell them I'm Qantas Emerald (yes, I've found that's easier for them than Platinum, Black, Gold, etc) and they let you right through.

Never any problem in Dallas either (though the food in there is nothing spectacular).

QF Plat/OW Emerald. I used the AA Flagship Check in at LAX T5 last October, twice, without issue. Was turned away from T4 the year before. Was flying Y LAX-SFO and F LAX-SEA.

When they first started rolling out the new Flagship Dining rooms in 2016, I was given an invite to the DFW room. This was during the period of the Flagship Lounges being renamed to International First Lounges during the refit process. Once the lounge refits were complete and they were renamed back to Flagship Lounges, you need to be flying in AA F on long haul or F on a 3 class transcon to access the Flagship Dining.
https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...rst-dining.jsp Same rules as the BA Concorde Room/Bar.

At LAX, you would have been better off heading through the T4-TBIT connector and using the QF F lounge.

i think international first dining is not part of emerald benefits.

i think international first dining is not part of emerald benefits.


also, at jfk, there is also emerald check-in area.

Not at the new LAX lounge.
Emerald has previously had access to the small (ex smokers room) at DFW which had an ok buffet and real champagne, rather than the rest of the Admirals Club

Correct. First Class Dining at DFW D is still considered by AA to be an International First Class lounge, and thus Emerald eligible. Please see the bottom of: https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...hip-lounge.jsp

They still have access at DFW - used it last month - it's a buffet but the food is very reasonable.

"Flagship Dining" is a Class of service facility with no status based access.

Interestingly, It looks like an area was designed for this at the new ORD Flagship lounge, but AA did not implement it.

It was included in the design when there was still F on some AA international flights out of ORD. They didn't bother changing it when they dropped the F cabins. It is nice and quiet, but gets a bit hot in the sun.

DFW doesn't have the new lounges yet (or international first dining) does it?

They are working on them and the first class dining is a substitute for a Flagship lounge rather than international first dining.

Have just flown on AA SAN-MIA-GCM with a five hour layover in MIA at 5am. As Emerald (BA Gold) I was pleasantly surprised to be invited into the new Flagship Lounge in MIA. In my experience, on past occasions MIA-GCM had not been considered a true "international" flight for purposes of using the Flagship Lounge; this time, even though I was flying Economy out of MIA, I used it - and very pleasant it was, even having had no sleep.

DFW Dining
 

DFW does have First class dining in their Business class lounge.... I was there in February.
I was flying to Mexico as a EXP and got an invite. The lounge said her scan of my boarding pass said I was eligible.

BA Gold is good for Admirals Club and Flagship Lounge access with any Oneworld departing flight, it is not good for Flagship First dining which requires international or certain transcontinental First class.

To be clear, currently at DFW there is a mall room with a small buffet and small tables availble for oneworld First PAX and eligible Emeralds. There is no "a-la-cart". Waiter service is for drinks only, although you can self pour.

I went in there once, but never again. Utilitarian with absolutely no ambiance, rest of the Admirals club is much nicer IMO. I'll be at DFW next time on April 4 on my way to Hawaii. Hoping the Terminal A lounge will be open as reported here as my departure gate will in all likelihood be A24.

Agree about abmbience, but the food in there was much better; so a quick visit.

Just for clarification, only people who are OneWorld Emeralds and Sapphires by virtue of their AA status are subject to the "international only" limitation on access to Flagship Lounges. All other OW elites are permitted Flagship Lounge access. ("International" for purposes of lounge exclusion means flights to/from specific countries or continents and excludes Canada, the Caribbean and all airports in Mexico except for MEX, which is considered "international").

Hi,

I recently had an interesting experience which I am not sure what the official rule is for OW as on the OW website, the different exceptions there are not very clear to me as they separate it into Tier eligibility and First/Business class eligibility.

I am AA Exec Plat. I flew on Day 1 LHR-JFK-LAX (arriving after midnight) and on Day 2 (in the same itinerary) LAX-HNL. On Day 1 I did not have any problem accessing the lounges, however on Day 2, I had wanted to use the QF First lounge but I was denied access because I was told that my international flight was on Day 1 and had no international flight on Day 2. I was connected to someone from AA and I was told now because my day 2 flight needs to be before 6 am (and also some other rules - which sounded very illogical. Furthermore this before 6am policy seems to be only applied on First/Business class travel).

Anyway, just wondering what is the official policy? I have never had problems with Skyteam lounges (where no lounge access is granted for domestic fligts) as long as everything is within 24 hours (even with separate tickets). In my opinion it is really silly that if you have everything in the same ticket and it is less than 24 hours, that you are denied access as there is no way someone can travel for some flights in the current policy.

Cheers!

AA exec plat does not get any lounge access when travelling solely on North American flights like your LAX-HNL flight (there are a few exceptions), so any access to lounges at LAX on your trip would have to be based on your LHR-JFK flight cabin class - I am assuming you were in F on LHR-LAX? What was the class of your travel on LAX-HNL?

In terms of connecting flight the oneworld rules are:

https://www.oneworld.com/ffp/lounge-access

As you were not connecting same day or before 6am the following day the QF agent was correct and your LHR-LAX flight no longer counted when trying to access the lounge and there was no

Hi Karfa,

Thanks but I do understand what you have quoted above re AA Exec Plat for domestic US flights. As it was connecting from an international flight in the same ticket, I would say that even if I was flying Economy (so not based on ticketed class), that it is not clearly stated if I should have access or not.
For me the First/Biz rules would be more applicable for passengers without status or a lowly Ruby.

My LAX-HNL flight was in First but since I arrived the previous day on my LHR flight, I was told that it was not eligible. This is what makes me so frustrated about it, to me this seems like it is AA that is stingy in providing/paying the lounge access that's why they have such a rule because basically nearly 99% of their flights would not be meeting it (lounges will most probably be closed for flights leaving just before 6 am) so they can easily deny their members from using the lounges.

So no matter what situation, as an OWE with AA, this is how they avoid paying the lounge fees. I know this is mainly impacting AA members, but it's just such a PITA.

Cheers!

well the connecting same day or before 6am is a oneworld rule, i can't think of any oneworld airlines which offer a more generous allowance than that. the rule i quoted is clear though and i don't think there is any doubt that the agent was correct in your case.

regardless of your connection point, if your point is why do AA not allow their status holders to access lounges based on status when travelling on domestic flights i can sympathise. it has been like this for a long time though and i doubt it would change anytime soon. perhaps look at earning some oneworld status with an airline other than AA?