AA doesn't class Dominican Republic as international destination from US

[thewinchester]

An interesting one. It defies logic, but at the same time who pays to fly F just because it gives them access to a lounge...

Is The Dominican Republic An International Destination? Airlines Disagree
By Carey Alexander, The Consumerist on June 19, 2010 2:00 PM

American Airlines told Bill that he couldn't acces their international lounge because his flight from the Dominican Republic to Houston, which required a passport and a customs form, didn't count as an international flight. Bill's wife had paid $300 to upgrade Bill's ticket to first class expressly so he could access the lounge, and Bill wasn't sure what part of "international" American didn't seem to understand. Yet it turns out American might be right.

It's stuffed in the fine print, but for lounge access, American Airlines defines international as "Europe, Asia, Central and South America, and Mexico City." They expressly warn that "[d]estinations in Canada and other destinations in Mexico, Bermuda, the Bahamas and the Caribbean are not considered International for the purposes of lounge access." Delta imposes similar restriction, as does United and US Airways. Only Continental lets their International Business Class customers access the international lounge access for flights to Canada and the Caribbean.

 

[serfty]

Well known by those who are AA elites and fly regularly in the USA as it also pertains to status based access for travel on the same routes.

Interestingly, MEX is excluded.

 

[moa999]

Bill's wife had paid $300 to upgrade Bill's ticket to first class expressly so he could access the lounge

too funny, for any lounge, let alone an AA lounge

 

[ejb]

too funny, for any lounge, let alone an AA lounge

It also gave him a F seat and F service so not so bad.

It does highlight some funny rules when flying.

ejb

 

[simongr]

NZ isnt international for my company....

 

[MrHyde]

NZ isnt international for my company....

Even some govt departments consider NZ domestic. We tried to apply for an export grant and our work in NZ in ineligible, because it is not considered exporting internationally by the Vic Govt.