How to access American Airlines Admirals Club airport lounges
Regardless of whether you’re a frequent business traveler or a once-a-year vacationer, an airport lounge can greatly enhance your experience on the ground. It’s a chance to get away from the rush of the terminal and recharge.
Although there are many different types of lounges, such as American Express Centurion Lounges and Capital One Lounges, the most convenient option is generally the lounge network of the airline you’re flying with, especially for domestic flights with Delta, United Airlines and American Airlines.
Below, CNBC Select details of the ways you can access American Airlines’ network of Admirals Club lounges.
American Airlines lounge locations
American Airlines offers a network of nearly 50 Admirals Club lounges across 32 airports worldwide. Many hubs, such as Chicago, Charlotte, Dallas and Philadelphia, offer multiple Admirals Club locations.
In late 2022, it began rolling out a new, cozy design for its Admirals Clubs, with the first refreshed lounge now open at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Admirals Club amenities may include complimentary snacks, house drinks, business centers and shower suites.
The airline also offers five premium Flagship Lounges for certain premium cabin and elite passengers, with one more in the works:
- Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- Miami International Airport (MIA)
- John F. Kennedy International Airport New York (JFK)
- Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) — Coming Soon
In Dallas Fort Worth and Miami, there’s also Flagship First Dining, which is a sit-down dining experience for Flagship First and Flagship Business Plus passengers on qualifying international or transcontinental flights (this option is temporality closed in Los Angeles).
How to access American Airlines lounges
To access any American Airlines lounge you’ll need to be flying either with American Airlines, a Oneworld alliance partner or JetBlue.
American’s higher-end Flagship Lounges have stricter entry requirements than the standard Admirals Club locations. You’ll need to meet one of the following requirements:
Traveling in business or first class on a qualifying route (long-haul international, premium transcontinental and select Hawaii flights).
Traveling on a qualifying international route (regardless of cabin) and you have one of the following elite statuses: AAdvantage Platinum status or higher; Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold or higher; Oneworld Emerald or Sapphire status
Have Oneworld Emerald or Sapphire status earned through a program other than American AAdvantage or Alaska Mileage Plan
Have American Airlines’ invite-only ConciergeKey status
Traveling in any cabin and purchase a single-visit pass for $150 or 15,000 AAdvantage miles (capacity limits apply)
Cards that offer American Airlines lounge access
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® comes with a full Admirals Club membership for the primary cardmember, as well as ten authorized users, which you can add for no additional fee. The card’s $450 annual fee may seem hefty, but that’s less than paying for an individual Admirals Club membership which costs up to $650. The card also provides other perks like a first checked bag free, priority check-in, early boarding and 25% savings on inflight food and beverage purchases.
Note: Select’s editorial team works independently to review financial products and write articles we think our readers will find useful. We may receive a commission when you click on links for products from our affiliate partners.