Lounge Access at LAX, AA Marketed, FJ NAN-SFO, AA onward

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flyinpod

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Hi, I’m booked from Nadi Business through to SFO -Lax - IAd with American Airlines. The domestic/ transfer component of the journey states First Class. I assumed this meant I would have lounge access but from reading online this may not be true? Can someone enlighten me please. I have some long waits at these connections. This is all on one PNR, one ticket number. No stopovers. Thanks
 
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Tough question. All booked with AA I assume and no AA status.

In general, in the US (unlike Australia) you don't get class of service lounge access.

However if connecting to another oneworld airline you would get same day access (though this may preclude some long layovers depending on timing) on the way back but seemingly not the way in where you are arriving on an international flight

But Fiji Airlines is not a oneworld airline, rather the first oneworld connect member so not sure if that even applies.
 
Hi, I’m booked from Nadi Business through to SFO -Lax - IAd with American Airlines. The domestic/ transfer component of the journey states First Class. I assumed this meant I would have lounge access but from reading online this may not be true? Can someone enlighten me please. I have some long waits at these connections. This is all on one PNR, one ticket number. No stopovers. Thanks

Unfortunately only transcontinental 3-class flights come with lounge access for First class in the USA. Otherwise there's no access unless you have AAdmirals Club membership, eligible oneworld status, or are connecting to/from a long haul flight in business or higher (on a oneworld airline).

If you aren't on an eligible 3-class transcon you could buy an AAdmiral's club day pass - I think they are USD59. Alternatively if you have priority pass (sometimes issued with your credit card) you may find a lounge in the terminal you are departing from. You'd need to check locations.
 
So Mel my first flight from Fiji with Fiji airways on a American Airlines code business class Nan - SFO but a Fiji airplane.... does that mean no access or yes lol... im so confused.
 
So Mel my first flight from Fiji with Fiji airways on a American Airlines code business class Nan - SFO but a Fiji airplane.... does that mean no access or yes lol... im so confused.

It won't hurt to ask! The oneworld rules for connecting passengers (international long haul to domestic short haul) state it must be a oneworld marketed and operated flight, connecting to a oneworld marketed and operated flight. I'm not sure how Fiji Airways, as a oneworld connect parter fits in to this.

If Fiji Airways is outside the rules (ie it is definately oneworld (AA) marketed in your case, but possibly not oneworld operated being oneworld connect) then unfortunately you probably don't have lounge access by virtue of the oneworld rules. Unless you are (a) on a three class transcontinental flight (you'll need to check if your flight LAX-IAD is a three class transcon) or (b) maybe AA has an exception for their own passengers AA->AA (ie, outside oneworld rules).

My advice - arrive at the lounge, show your inbound boarding pass. Show your onward boarding pass, and ask if you have access.

If not, you can buy access for USD59 as a one-day pass. Or, if you have priority pass, use one of those lounges.

Oh, and please report back :) There aren't many data points on oneworld connect as yet.
 
Will do, its a while off yet, oneworld connect | oneworld .. i got a bargain price to Washington so i'm not going to quibble if i have to pay the $59 but id rather not :)
I may contact AA and ask

I'd be surpirsed if you get through to the right people to answer your question. It's usually the airport staff that are across the rules, for obvious reasons. Maybe they will direct your query to the airport (I'd email, not call: reservations are unlikely to know the answer).

In any event, I'd still try your luck on arrival if you get a previous 'no' Nothing to lose. You don't need to buy your lounge pass until you arrive at the lounge. So nothing lost.

I think you are out of luck with your flight being a 3-class transcon. That's only available on select flights from LAX to BOS, JFK or MIA.
 
@Rebecca Griffiths , so you are travelling on AA flight numbers NAN-SFO-LAX-IAD in business class with NAN-SFO operated by FJ?

As suggested I would try at the SFO Admirals Club and LAX Flagship Lounge.

You may get entry to these AA lounges based on your AA international itinerary.

If you do end up buying a pass at SFO you would also be able to use it at any or all of the three Admirals Clubs at LAX (assuming same day).
 
The AA marketed bit means nothing if not on an OW airline.Flying HA J out of HNL on the AA code did not get AA lounge access for this AA LTP.Had to use the HA lounge.Better than nothing but only just.
 
I rang AA frequent flyers and they said access would be granted. I will believe it though when i see it :) . I don't have as long as i thought in LAX so probably wont have time but i have about 3.5 hrs in SFO so will want it there
 
I've been told AA (via twitter DM) that I would definitely get access on a flight (it was SFO-SEA, AS with an AA code). I even showed the message to the AC desk but no dice. So their advice is really not worth anything.
 
I'm a QFF Gold (OW Sapphire) and will be transitting LAX next year. We come in on QF from SYD early, and leave 12 hours later for elsewhere in the US.

Will I be able to check my bags through to my same day destination, and get access to the Flagship lounge, if I arrive 12 hours before my flight?
 
I'm a QFF Gold (OW Sapphire) and will be transitting LAX next year. We come in on QF from SYD early, and leave 12 hours later for elsewhere in the US.

Will I be able to check my bags through to my same day destination, and get access to the Flagship lounge, if I arrive 12 hours before my flight?

From the AA website:

You can't check bags more than 4 hours before departure when flying from:
  • Denver, Colorado (DEN)
  • Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
  • Las Vegas (LAS)
  • Orlando (MCO)
  • Portland, Oregon (PDX)
  • Salt Lake City (SLC)
  • Seattle (SEA)

LAX isn't on the list, so I think it would be fine.
 
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From the AA website:



LAX isn't on the list, so I think it would be fine.
They're all non-hub airports for AA, so the number of flights is quite low and check-in staff are probably rostered around flight times.

LAX is one of AA's 8 (or so) hubs around the US.

Thanks muchly
 
Is the connecting flight on the same ticket? In that case it should be tagged right through to the final destination... you collect on arrival at LAX and then drop it off immediately after customs on the special bag drop for connecting flights. Someone scans the bag tag and off it goes.
 
They're all non-hub airports for AA, so the number of flights is quite low and check-in staff are probably rostered around flight times.

LAX is one of AA's 8 (or so) hubs around the US.

Thanks muchly

I think it's quite the opposite, I think it's the non-hub airports with lots of flights that don't have the capacity to store the bags. They have lots of flights to most of those airports, especially LAS and MCO. There's plenty of airports served once a day that's not on that list.
 
Well our last arrival at LAX we had a 9 hour transit to phoenix on AA and our bags were tagged through so no problems.
But as advised you must pick up bags at LAX and then drop them off after Customs.
 
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