In this article, we take a look at the main ways you can access the various premium lounges that American Airlines has available across its extensive network – including the classic Admirals Cub, the Flagship Lounge and a one of a kind International First Class Lounge at London Heathrow.
Whether it be with frequent flyer status, a benefit packing credit card or an annual membership, find out all the details of how to access an American Airlines premium lounge in 2024 below…
- The different types of American Airlines premium lounge and where are they located
- Access an AA Admirals Club with a one-day pass
- Access an AA Admirals Club with a membership
- Get an annual membership for your household
- Get access to OneWorld lounges on international flights as an AAdvantage frequent flyer
- Get an Admirals Club membership with the AAdvantage Executive Credit Card
- Fly in a premium cabin on an international flight or with a OneWorld partner airline
- How to gain access to a Flagship Lounge
- Special access for U.S. military personnel
The different types of American Airlines premium lounge and where are they located
American Airlines operates two main types of premium lounge: The ubiquitous Admirals Club and the more exclusive Flagship Lounge. In addition, American Airlines operates a one-of-a-kind International First Class lounge at London Heathrow, and there’s also a joint lounge partnership with British Airways at New York JFK.
An Introduction to the Admirals Club
All Admirals Club locations feature a variety of seating options, as well as self-service snacks and house drinks. Select locations also offer shower suites, business centers, and made-to-order speciality food.
A handful of Admirals Clubs also offer bookable conference rooms (see below for details).
Last year, American Airlines introduced an enhanced food menu at Los Angeles, Miami and Washington Reagan airports, and this improved offering is set to be rolled out across the Admirals Club network early in 2024.
You may also have heard that Mastercard has, for some strange, become AA’s official avocado sponsor, offering made-to-order avocado toast and guacamole.
An Introduction to the Flagship Lounge
AA’s much smaller network of Flagship Lounges is mostly designed for international long-haul premium passengers, although the reality is that there are lots of other ways to get into one.
Flagship Lounges offer full buffet selections, cocktail bars, shower suites and a range of seating options.
In addition, the Flagship Lounges at Dallas Fort Worth, Los Angeles and Miami also offer Flagship First Dining, a sit-down restaurant-style venue and dining experience. Access to Flagship First Dining is, however, strictly controlled and is currently only routinely open to Flagship First or Flagship Business Plus passengers traveling on long-haul international flights and select transcontinental flights.
An introduction to premium lounges at New York JFK
American Airlines and British Airways have been co-located in Terminal 8 at New York JFK since 2022, and the enhanced partnership includes three new joint premium lounges which are named after boroughs that can be found in both London and New York City: The Chelsea Lounge, The Soho Lounge, and the Greenwich Lounge.
The Chelsea Lounge is reserved for Flagship First passengers, as well as ConciergeKey members, but most Oneworld elite flyers and First Class passengers will end up in the Soho Lounge. Finally, the Greenwich Lounge is open to passengers in international long-haul Business Class.
Here’s the full list of every type of premium lounge throughout AA’s network:
| Admirals Club | Location | Hours of operation |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta (ATL) | Past security on the left, across from gate T11 | Sun – Fri: 5 a.m. – 8 p.m. Sat: 5 a.m. – 7:15 p.m. |
| Austin (AUS) | Inside security, across from Gate 22 | Sun – Fri: 4:15 a.m. – 9:15 p.m. Sat: 4:15 a.m. – 8:15 p.m. |
| Boston (BOS) | Terminal B, upper level past security by gate B4 | Daily: 4 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. |
| Buenos Aires | Terminal B across from Gate 9 on upper level, inside International departure lounge | Daily: 7:30 a.m. – 12 a.m. |
| Charlotte Douglas | Through security, between gates 3 and 5 | Daily: 5:15 a.m. – 10:45 p.m. |
| Intersection of concourse C and D, after security | Daily: 5:15 a.m. – 10:45 p.m. | |
| Chicago (ORD) | Concourse G – After security, across from gate G8 | Daily: 6:15 a.m. – 7:15 p.m |
| Concourse H/K – After security, in the crosswalk between gates H6 and K6 | Daily: 5 a.m. – 9 p.m. | |
| Concourse L – After security, before Gate L1 | Daily: 6:15 a.m. – 7:15 p.m. | |
| Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) | Terminal A – After security, across from gate A24 | Daily: 5 a.m. – 10:15 p.m. |
| Terminal B – After security, between gates B3 and B4 | Daily: 5 a.m. – 10:15 p.m. | |
| Terminal C – After security, between gates C19 and C20 | Daily: 4 a.m. – 10:15 p.m. | |
| Terminal D – After security, near gate D24 | Daily: 5 a.m. – 10:15 p.m. | |
| Terminal E – DFW E Satellite Terminal, Mezzanine Level | Daily: 5:30 a.m. – 10:15 p.m. | |
| Denver (DEN) | Concourse C – After security, mezzanine level, near gate 32 (above Great Divide) | Daily: 4:30 a.m. – 11:30 p.m. |
| Honolulu (HNL) | Admirals Club / Sakura Lounge – Shared with Japan Airlines | Daily: 6 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. |
| Houston (IAH) | Terminal A – After security, near gates A25 and A26 | Sun – Fri: 4:15 a.m. – 7:45 p.m. Sat: 4:15 a.m. – 6:45 p.m. |
| Los Angeles (LAX) | Terminal 4 – Concourse level across from gate 4 | Daily: 4:30 a.m. – 1 a.m. |
| Terminal 5 – Near Duty Free | Daily: 4:30 a.m. – 11:30 p.m. | |
| American Eagle Regional Terminal | Daily: 6:15 a.m. – 9 p.m.* | |
| London Heathrow (LHR) | Terminal 3 – Departure level, beyond Passport Control in lounge area H | Sun – Fri: 5 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. Sat: 5 a.m. – 5 p.m. |
| Mexico City (MEX) | International Departures, Terminal 1, Concourse H | Sun – Mon: 4:15 a.m. – 9 p.m. Tues: 4:15 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. Wed: 4:15 a.m. – 9 p.m. Thurs: 4:15 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. Fri – Sat: 4:15 a.m. – 9 p.m. |
| Miami | D-30, North Terminal, Concourse D | Daily: 5:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. |
| D-15, North Terminal, Concourse D | Daily: 5:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. | |
| Nashville | Concourse E, between Gates E6 and E8After security on Concourse C, Mezzanine level, across from gate C 15 | Daily: 4 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. |
| New York JFK | Terminal 8, Concourse C | Daily: 4:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. |
| La Guardia (LGA) | Terminal B – Concourse A, near gates 30 and 31 | Sun – Fri: 4:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. Sat: 4:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. |
| Newark | Terminal A – After security, mezzanine level, across from gate A8 | Sun – Mon: 4 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. Tues: 4 a.m. – 8 p.m. Wed – Fri: 4 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. Sat: 4 a.m. – 8 p.m. |
| Orange County (SNA) | Mezzanine level, after security, adjacent to gate 8 | Sun: 6:15 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. Mon – Sat: 5:15 a.m. – 8:45 p.m. |
| Orlando (MCO) | Terminal B – Near Gate 55 | Daily: 4 a.m. – 8 p.m. |
| Paris Charles de Gaulle | Terminal 2 – Connector building between Terminals 2A and 2C | Temporarily closed |
| Philadelphia (PHL) | Terminal A – In A East terminal, between gates A4 and A6A. | Daily: 6:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. |
| Terminal A In A West terminal, mezzanine level between Gates A15 and A16. | Closed (Will be renovated and reopened as a Flagship Lounge) | |
| Terminal B/C – On the third floor between terminals B and C. | Daily: 4:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. | |
| Terminal F – On level 2 above food court. | Daily: 6:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. | |
| Phoenix (PHX) | Concourse A – Above gates A7 – A9 | Daily: 5:00 a.m. – 11:30 p.m. |
| Concourse A – Between gates A19 – A21 | Daily: 5 a.m. – 9 p.m. | |
| Concourse B – Above gates B5 and B7 | Daily: 6 a.m. – 9 p.m. | |
| Pittsburgh | Main lobby past security, mezzanine level | Sun – Mon: 4:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. Tues: 4:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. Wed: 4:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. Thurs: 4:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. Fri: 4:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. Sat: 4:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m |
| Raleigh Durham | Terminal 2 – After security, across from gates C1 and C3 | Daily: 4:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. |
| Rio de Janeiro | South Pier (third floor) | Daily: 2:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. |
| San Francisco (SFO) | Terminal 1 – After security, Terminal 1, near Gate B13 | Daily: 4:30 a.m. – 11:30 p.m. |
| Sao Paulo | Terminal 3 – mezzanine level (3rd floor) above Duty Free shopping area | Daily: 6:45 a.m. – 10:30 a.m and 5:30 p.m. – 11:45 p.m. |
| St. Louis | Concourse C – Beyond the security checkpoint | Daily: 4:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. |
| Tampa | Airside F, adjacent to Gate 85 | Daily: 5 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. |
| Toronto | Terminal 3 – Transfer Level near the duty free stores | Sun – Fri: 5 a.m. – 7:15 p.m. Sat: 5 a.m. – 6 p.m. |
| Washington National Airport | Terminal 2 – Concourse C | Sun – Fri: 4:15 a.m. – 9:15 p.m. Sat:4:15 a.m. – 7:15 p.m. |
| Terminal 2 – Concourse D | Sun – Fri: 4:15 a.m. – 8:15 p.m. Sat: 4:15 a.m. – 9:15 p.m |
| Flagship Lounge | Location | Hours of operation |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago O’Hare | Terminal 3 Concourse H/K | Daily: 5 a.m. – 9 p.m. |
| Dallas Fort Worth | Terminal D Between gates D21 and D22 | Daily: 5 a.m. – 10:15 p.m. |
| Los Angeles | Terminal 4 Near gate 40 | Daily: 4:30 a.m. – 1 a.m. |
| Miami | Concourse D Near gate D30 | Daily: 5:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. |
| Philadelphia (PHL) | Terminal A | Opening soon |
| International First Class Lounge | Location | Hours of operation |
|---|---|---|
| London Heathrow Airport – Terminal 3 | Departure level, beyond Passport Control in lounge area H | Sun – Fri: 5 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. Sat: 5 a.m. – 5 p.m. |
Booking an Admirals Club conference room
Several Admirals Club locations have conference rooms available for hire for an additional fee.
| Membership type | 0-9 seats | 10+ seats |
|---|---|---|
| Admirals Club member | $65 | $90 |
| Non-member | $85 | $110 |
Conference rooms are available for hire at:
- Boston (BOS) – 1 room with 10 seats
- Chicago (ORD) – 2 rooms with 8 seats each
- Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) – a total of 9 rooms with up to 18 seats
- Houston (IAH) – 2 room with 6 seats
- Los Angeles (LAX) – 1 room with 8 seats
- Miami (MIA) – 1 room with 8 seats
- LaGuardia (LGA) – 2 rooms with up to 10 seats
- Newark (EWR) – 1 room with 6 seats
- Raleigh Durham (RDU) – 1 room with 8 seats
- San Francisco (SFO) – 1 room with 6 seats
- Washington DC (DCA) – 3 rooms with up to 8 seats
Access an AA Admirals Club with a one-day pass
For infrequent travelers, a One-Day Pass might be the best option to access an Admirals Club, especially if you want somewhere comfortable to sit and relax or get some work done away from the chaos of the rest of the airport concourse.
A One-Day Pass costs $79, and once activated, it’s good for access to any Admirals Club for 24 hours.
| Access | Cost | Number of travelers |
|---|---|---|
| Any Admirals Club within 24 hours of activation | $79 or 7,900 AAdvantage miles | One (plus up to 3 children aged under 18) |
The AA One-Day Pass is $20 more expensive than the equivalent United Airlines pass, but unlike the similar option from United, which is single-use only, the AA One-Day Pass can be used at multiple Admirals Clubs within 24 hours – for example, at the departure and arrival airport, as well as any connecting airports.
This pass could also come in handy if you have a quick trip and you’re flying out and back within 24 hours.
You can use the One-Day Pass if you have a boarding pass for same-day travel with any of the following airlines:
- Any flight marketed or operated by American Airlines
- Any flight that is marketed and operated by a OneWorld airline
- Flights marketed and operated by JetBlue with the exception of its European destinations (until January 31, 2024)
You can’t use a One-Day Pass to ‘guest’ any adults into the lounge with you, but you can bring up to three children under 18 so long as they are accompanied by an adult.
One important thing to note about One-Day passes is that access to an Admirals Club could be restricted if the location is already at capacity with annual membership holders and other eligible passengers.
You can purchase a One-Day pass at any Admirals Club or online ahead of travel. Once purchased, you have 12 months to use the pass. You can also buy a One-Day Pass as a gift.
Access an AA Admirals Club with a membership
For more frequent flyers, an annual Admirals Club membership might make a lot more sense, especially if you want to regularly guest up to two other people into the lounge with you.
For flyers without elite status in the AAdvantage program, annual membership costs $850, so in very basic terms, you would need to travel with AA on at least ten different days within 12 months to get value for money from a membership.
American Airlines offers a tiered discount of up $100 on Admirals Club membership depending on AAdvantage elite status and if you renew your membership for a second or subsequent year you also benefit from a $50 discount on the base rate.
| AAdvantage membership level | Cost | Number of travelers |
|---|---|---|
| Member | $850 or 85,000 miles | Up to two guests or immediate family members such as a spouse or domestic partner and children under eighteen years old. |
| Gold | $825 or 82,500 miles | |
| Platinum | $800 or 80,000 miles | |
| Platinum Pro | $775 or 77,500 miles | |
| Executive Platinum | $750 or 75,000 miles |
💡 You can renew your membership up to 30 days after expiration and still take advantage of the reduced renewal rate.
You can also pay for an annual membership with AAdvantage miles, starting at 85,000 miles in the first year. There is a 5,000-mile discount on membership renewals.
Get an annual membership for your household
One way to get a modest discount on an annual Admirals Club membership is with a household membership – which is also referred to as a ‘Self & Spouse Membership’. In fact, a household membership is slightly misleading as it only applies to the member and their spouse or domestic partner, plus the usual guesting rules.
Household membership costs $1,650, which offers a $50 discount on the price of buying two individual memberships.
| AAdvantage membership level | Cost | Number of travelers |
|---|---|---|
| Member | $1,650 or 165,000 miles | Up to two guests or immediate family members such as a spouse or domestic partner and children under eighteen years old. |
| Gold | $1,625 or 162,500 miles | |
| Platinum | $1,600 or 160,000 miles | |
| Platinum Pro | $1,575 or 157,500 miles | |
| Executive Platinum | $1,550 or 155,000 miles |
Just like an individual membership, you also get a discount of up to $50 when you renew your household membership – at this point, you aren’t actually getting a discount compared to an individual membership.
Get access to OneWorld lounges on international flights as an AAdvantage frequent flyer
Get an Admirals Club membership with the AAdvantage Executive Credit Card
American Airlines offers just one personal cobranded credit card with Admirals Club membership included. This is the Citi / AAdvantage Executive
World Elite Mastercard, which has an annual fee of $595.
As you can see, the annual fee is significantly cheaper than a single annual membership, with cost savings ranging from $155 for an Executive Platinum member to $255 for a general AAdvantage member.
In addition to Admirals Club membership, the card also includes the following benefits:
- Free first-checked bag on domestic flights for cardholders and up to eight companions on the same reservation.
- Up to $100 credit for TSA PreCheck application fee
- Priority check-in and boarding on AA flights
- Save 25% on inflight food and beverage purchases when flying with AA
You’ll also earn AAdvantage miles at the following rates:
| Spend | Mileage earning rate |
|---|---|
| Car rentals booked through aa.com/cars | x10 |
| Eligible hotels booked through aa.com/hotels | x10 |
| Eligible American Airlines purchases | x4 |
| x5 After you spend $150,000 in a calendar year (for the remainder of the year) | |
| All other purchases | x1 |
| Reach 50,000 Loyalty Points | Earn 10,000 Loyalty Point Bonus |
| Reach 90,000 Loyalty Points | Earn 10,000 Loyalty Point Bonus |
Fly in a premium cabin on an international flight or with a OneWorld partner airline
If you’re traveling in either First or Business Class on most long-haul international flights, as well as select transcontinental flights and a few domestic flights, you can also gain access to an AA Admirals Club.
This rule applies to passengers traveling with American Airlines or any OneWorld alliance carrier.
| Fight type | Destination or route |
|---|---|
| International | Asia |
| Australia | |
| Canada | |
| Caribbean | |
| Central America | |
| Europe | |
| Middle East | |
| New Zealand | |
| South America | |
| Transcontinental flights | New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX) |
| JFK and San Francisco (SFO) | |
| JFK and Orange County (SNA) | |
| LAX and Miami (MIA) | |
| LAX and Boston (BOS) | |
| Domestic flights | Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) and Honolulu (HNL) |
| DFW and Kona (KOA) | |
| DFW and Maui (OGG) | |
| Chicago (ORD) and HNL |
💡 Unfortunately, Admirals Club lounge access isn’t extended to international Alaska Airlines passengers travelling in First between the United States and Canada, the Caribbean or Mexico.
American Airlines is particularly stingy with how many people you can guest into the lounge with you:
| Cabin | Number of guests permitted |
|---|---|
| International First | 1 (children over two count as a guest) |
| International Business | 0 |
| Domestic First or Business | 0 |
| Transcontinental First or Business | 0 |
| There is no provision to guest your immediate family into the lounge with you. | |
How to gain access to a Flagship Lounge
Given the fact that AA’s small network of Flagship Lounges is the carrier’s most exclusive airport lounge, there are surprisingly quite a few ways to gain entry, including:
- Travelling in a premium cabin on eligible flights
- AA and Alaska Airlines elite frequent flyers on an international flight
- ConciergeKey members traveling on any AA or Oneworld flight
- Oneworld elite frequent flyers
- … and finally, there’s even the option to buy a single visit pass!
Traveling in a premium cabin on eligible flights
Generally speaking, Flagship Lounge access is designed for AA Flagship Business and First Class passengers travelling on long-haul flights to Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, New Zealand and South America.
Flagship Business and First Class passengers also get access to the Flagship Lounge if they are traveling on a small number of premium transcontinental and domestic flights (currently only flights to Hawaii). The current list includes:
| Transcontinental | Domestic |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles (LAX) and New York (JFK) | Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) and Honolulu (HNL) |
| Los Angeles (LAX) and Miami (MIA) | Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) and Kona (KOA) |
| Los Angeles (LAX) and Boston (BOS) | Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) and Maui (OGG) |
| New York (JFK) and San Francisco (SFO) | Chicago (ORD) and Honolulu (HNL) |
| New York (JFK) and Orange County (SNA) | Charlotte (CLT) and Honolulu (HNL) |
💡 Remember, Flagship Lounge access is only applicable on these routes if Business Class or First Class is marketed as Flagship.
Access to the Flagship Lounge is also extended to First and Business Class passengers traveling with any Oneworld alliance partner airline on any of the above eligible flights.
You can guest only one person into the lounge, and this includes any children aged two and above.
AA and Alaska Airlines elite frequent flyers on an international flight
Certain elite AAdvantage and Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan frequent flyers can also get access to the Flagship Lounge under very specific circumstances.
First off, access is open to the following elite members:
| AAdvantage | Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan |
|---|---|
| Executive Platinum | MVP Gold 75K |
| Platinum Pro | MVP Gold |
| Platinum |
And these specific criteria have to be met:
- Passengers are departing, arriving or connecting on a flight marketed and operated by American or an Oneworld alliance partner airline.
- The flight is ticketed as Flagship.
- The flight is between the United States and Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, New Zealand and South America.
- Excluded countries in South America are Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela.
ConciergeKey members traveling on any AA or Oneworld flight
ConciergeKey is AA’s invite-only top-tier elite status, and if you’re lucky enough to hold ConciergeKey status, then you can access a Flagship Lounge when travelling on any American Airlines or Oneworld alliance partner airline regardless of route or cabin.
ConciergeKey members also have the ability to guest their immediate family and up to two guests into the Flagship Lounge with them.
Oneworld elite frequent flyers
As part of its reciprocal lounge access agreement with the Oneworld alliance, American Airlines also lets Oneworld frequent flyers into its Admirals Club and Flagship Lounges when they are departing, arriving or connecting to any same-day flight which is marketed and operated by American or any other Oneworld airline.
Just like the access rights for ConciergeKey members, access is granted regardless of route or cabin.
This benefit is extended to Oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members. Examples include:
| Oneworld status | Equvilant airline status |
|---|---|
| Emerald | Cathay Pacific Diamond |
| British Airways Executive Club Gold | |
| Iberia Plus Infinita Prime, Infinita, Singular and Platinum | |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum One and Platinum | |
| Qatar Airways Privilege Club Platinum | |
| Sapphire | Cathay Pacific Gold |
| British Airways Executive Club Silver | |
| Iberia Plus Gold | |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer Gold | |
| Qatar Airways Privilege Club Gold |
💡 This benefit does not include American Airlines AAdvantage members or Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members who have separate access requirements.
Buy a single visit pass
Finally, if none of the eligibility criteria above apply to you, you can still buy your way into a Flagship Lounge for $150 or 15,000 AAdvantage miles per person.
Unlike the Admirals Club One-Day Pass, this is a single-visit pass that can only be used at the Flagship Lounge where it was purchased. Sales might be restricted based on how busy the lounge is, and you have to be flying on a same-day ticket with either American Airlines or an Oneworld partner airline.
The single-visit pass doesn’t have any guesting privileges, so this could prove to be a particularly expensive way to get into a Flagship Lounge.
Special access for U.S. military personnel
American Airlines doesn’t have as generous lounge access policy for U.S. military personnel as some of its competitors, but the carrier does still allow those in uniform who are also travelling on a same-day American Airlines flight access to its Admirals Club network.
In order to gain access, military personnel simply need to present their military ID and an eligible boarding pass. Military personnel can also guest their immediate family or up to two guests into the lounge with them.
Special access for military personnel isn’t, unfortunately, extended to two lounges which aren’t actually operated by American Airlines. These are the Airspace Lounge in San Diego and the JAL Sakura Lounge in Honolulu.
Also note, that access might be restricted if the lounge is at capacity and other passengers might be prioritized.
To be clear – if I’m flying Flagship Business from Europe to DFW, with an onward AA flight to my final domestic location, I CAN enter the Flagship Lounge at DFW upon arrival from Europe, correct?
Yes to Flagship lounge / ANY 1st Class OW Lounge at departure point ( BA, CX, QF,QR etc if there’s no AA lounge)
NO to Flagship dining as that would require Flagship Business Plus or Flagship 1st
That said on arrival at DFW you’d only have access to an Arrivals Lounge if operated UNLESS you then have a connecting onward flight after DFW at which point even if flying economy your same day ticket would entitle you to use the Flagship Lounge ( depending on staff experience and knowledge then you may have to push on that one as AA staff often reject if your onward is lower cabin class and/or not a qualifying flight.)
I can enter a couple lounges in FRA before I go; no issue/discussion with that.
Thanks for the info; if I understand correctly – and I ONLY want to enter the American Flagship Lounge Dallas, not the Flagship Dining – I can fly AA Business from FRA to DFW, visit the Flagship Lounge, and continue my journey (domestic first class) to my SLC destination.
Correct?