SFO lounge: CX or AA?
 

I will be arriving into SFO on AA and continuing on via CX to HKG, with a 4-hour connection in SFO, and with the CX segment in F. So, I'll have access whatever lounge CX provides to F passengers in the int'l terminal (which may actually be the BA or JL lounge - I'm not sure), and/or the regular AA lounge in the domestic terminal near my arrival gate. My understanding is that I'll have to exit and re-clear security to get to the int'l terminal, so it's a one-way terminal switch.

With about 3 hours to spend in the lounge(s), what would you recommend? Stay in the AA lounge for a couple of hours, or head over to the int'l terminal right away?

AA's Admiral Clubs (even their Flagship Lounges) are never quite up to par when compared to other OW lounges. CX themselves don't actually have a lounge in SFO so my guess is that you will be invited to goto the BA/QF Terrace/First Lounge. If you/your travel companion has OW elite status maybe you can kill some time over at the JAL Sakura Lounge.

CX is using the BA Terrace in SFO. The F side is only a small room inside the lounge and is nothing to write about. Compared with the AC, the BA lounge is much better.

I don't think OP can access the JL lounge based on COS. Also the JL lounge is unlikely to be open then. Even if it is open and OP can access, there is no reason to get in.

Just spend some time on the internet and have a drink or two.

Never say never. I've been in a JAL Sakura lounge that was far inferior to some AA lounges. That's why I'm asking.

BA it is at SFO. JAL lounge is only open in the morning.

That's what I wanted to hear - specific advice about SFO.

Both you and akira seem to say that a F passenger can't access all ow lounges based on cos. I've been reading through many of the ow lounge threads, as well as the rules posted on the various carriers' websites as well as the ow website. As far as I can tell, access is provided to any OW lounge appropriate to the COS, based on either COS or ow elite status, with the following exceptions: a full lounge, or some specific exception such as what's going on with BA and CX at LHR. But other than that, a F pax can access any F or J ow lounge day of departure.

I'm certainly counting on this being the case, as I'll later be traveling HKG-NRT in JL F, and want to use The Wing.

The BA SFO F lounge is (as said) quite small. It seems full even if only half the seats are occupied. It is not really a place to stretch out and while away a few hours in a daze of pleasure (as you can do in LHR T5 F Terraces or SYD QF F T1 lounge). The wide open space of the concourse often provides more relaxation with window shopping and just wandering with the occasional pop into the lounge for a "top-up" with your favourite beverage.

BA lounge:
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/149834303_pZcoZ-S.jpghttp://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/149834435_o3LnB-S.jpg

There's nothing special about the AA lounge to want to spend more than a few minutes there.

Thanks for the pix tom911. At first I mis-read your post and thought those were pix of the SFO AA lounge. I thought that it looked quite different than any other AA lounge I'd ever seen and that they must have really gone to town with the California design, but then I saw it was the BA lounge.

As you said, never say never. It depends on the combination of the operating airline, and the airline operating the specific lounge. It is quite possible that you can get in the Wing.

As for the JL lounge in SFO, there is really no reason to spend time in it even if it is open and accessible as long as the passenger can get in the BA lounge.

I am flying DFW-SFO-SYD, first leg on AA, second on Qantas. Picked SFO over LAX as I can get a first class seat for a business ticket as they don't sell first class now.

Ticketed in Business, Qantas Platinum / OW Emerald.

On the Qantas web site they say to use the JAL lounge and it is open from 19:00 to 23:30.

My AA flight arrives at 17:30. I noticed that there is a BA flight that leaves at 18:55, which means the BA lounge will be opened. So should I stay in the AA lounge after getting off the domestic flight, or head over to the International Terminal and hang out in the BA lounge until I get chucked out then go to the JAL lounge?

This may happen so long as you have a 4 class aircraft on the route. They also operate 2 class aircraft without F seats. But that's not all, they substitute aircraft when you least expect it.

My suggestion is to choose a seat that is relevant to both aircraft layouts (eg 2A or 1K). I had a similar seat allocated in a 4 class bird and it was swapped to the same seat number when QF subbed a 2 class aircraft.

I'm in 1K at the moment.

:D

Had the same seat EZE-SYD in June. That flight was so empty in business they moved all the people in the downstairs business cabin into the first seats. It was a funny feeling walking through that section in flight and it was empty. But it did make looking out the windows easy as we flew down the coast of South America.

Interesting. The oneworld website says the Sakura Lounge is only open in the morning.

THe BA lounge is small, but it does have a direct entrance to the boarding jetway that BA, CX, JAL use at SFO. Not sure where the Sakura lounge is...

A small benefit, to be sure, but it's nice to not have to wade through the usual cattle call

OK, now I am really confused. A friend who is meeting me in HKG is in F on CX 879 which has a 11:50 AM scheduled departure.

1. oneworld site says BA Terraces lounge is open Daily 12:00-till last departure (I assume 12:00 is noon)

2. BA site says nothing about hours

3. CX site says BA Terraces lounge is used

4. Gotta Requalify and danger have conflicting info on JAL SFO lounge times from the oneworld site

So which lounge would he use?

A preferable answer would be from someone who has recently taken CX 879 and used one of the lounges.

TIA

Took CX879 in May and the BA Terrace was used.