Access to lounges
 

Does JAL Mileage Bank offer the best access to lounges, both its own and OW's one? Or some other airlines within OW that has a better access to lounges?

Your access to OW lounges is defined by your OW status (Ruby, Sapphire or Emerald) and/or class of travel regardless of which OW programme you are in. The only exceptions are AA and QF whose schemes don't allow access to their own lounges when on domestic itineraries. See http://www.oneworld.com/ow/ffp/lounge-access

JL used to have 5 or 6 different plans that had lounge access (including one that was cargo based, not pax travel; in fact CX has that too in Cargo Clan Elite). So if you don't qualify for OW status it is still possible to get JL lounge access by various means. But the OW access is superior.

AA - I agree; tried it get into the AAdmiral's Club at JFK in November and was knocked back (was flying 'domestic' - JFK to BGI)
QF - I disagree; Gold and Platinum members get complimentary Qantas Club membership

All programs with the exception of AA offer the same lounge benefits. There are some special status level of some programs which allow access to special lounges but they are usually by invitation only.

However, OW Sapphire or Emerald status are easier to get in some programs than in other programs so it might make sense to join a different program if you need easy access.

QF status gives access to any lounge even on domestic itineraries. I think you are confusing this with an old rule in which a person on a business class domestic ticket did not get lounge access (without status). But even this was changed to 100% the opposite about 3 years ago.

Apologies for the misinformation on Qantas - getting old you know!

[QUOTE=DownUnderFlyer;11007979]However, OW Sapphire or Emerald status are easier to get in some programs than in other programs so it might make sense to join a different program if you need easy access. QUOTE]

So which programs from your view within oneworld are easier to get?

Define easier. If flying F then QF and BA are the easiest to earn status. If flying Y then AA is easiest for AA operated routes. Status earning on discounted fares is a lot harder than a few years ago and varies by 800% within Oneworld (so you'll have to research your route pattern for each plan if you are cutting it that close).

But my understanding though from reading this forum and AA's website is that if you are a non-AA One World Sapphire+ you do get admiral's lounge access on a domestic ticket, correct?

Which actually leads me to my next questions as I hit Sapphire level in 2008 on JAL (this way my first year using oneworld airline). So moving forward, I can access any lounge in OneWorld as long as I'm flying on a Oneworld airline? E.g., I'm flying AA to LAX and I can use BA's lounge if want? I fly out of JFK so basically everyone OneWorld has a lounge there. Just curious as to what all I get by hitting Sapphire over Ruby, as it seems the only real difference between the two is lounge access.

In principle generally yes, but only if you can get to the lounge. The problem at JFK is that if you are flying AA domestic out of T8/9 there's no way you can get to the BA airside lounge in T7.

Good Point :eek: I forgot about that. Even though I could get there early to get in there and transfer via airtrain, I'm guessing the FTA probably won't let me into Terminal 1 with an American Airlines tickets :rolleyes:

But I should have no problem right though as a JAL OW sapphire getting into the AA Admiral Club, right? I know AA's can't get into AC w/o membership to AC or international ticket, but the same doesn't hold true for non-AA elites accessing AC on a domestic ticket.

If you are flying into JFK T8 on an AA flight; you can generally access the AA A/C before going out through security to, say, T7.

Same at LAX - flying in to T4 on AA you can access the A/C in T4 before heading off to another termianl, say TBIT.

Correct. The same is true if you have status in any OW program other than Aadvantage. The only requirement is to be flying a Oneworld flight that day (so no AC access if you are flying on DL for example).

Correct. http://www.oneworld.com/ow/ffp/lounge-access You should also be able to get a supply of complimentary drinks coupons from the reception desk.

Awesome! I fly to Japan most often as my international itinerary, but I also wanted to get lounge access on AA for all my domestic travel. Still don't understand why they don't let their own people use the lounge :confused:

But works for me in this case :D