AA lounge access on Domestic (U) Business Class Ticket

[tomasp]

Hi All,

I'm hoping someone could please help me clarify something. We've just booked some Multi-City classic rewards flights in Business through Qantas for April-May 2023. As part of our trip, we have booked 2 AA flights, details as follows:

(1) AA2430 - SFO to ORD - Business Class (U) Fare
(2) AA2059 - ORD to LGA - Business Class (U) Fare

I don't THINK these are Flagship flights (but I'm not 100% sure or certain how to check). But I'm trying to figure out if we will have access to some type of lounge when departing SFO (and possibly when transitting through ORD). The ORD lounge access isn't really an issue either way, but the SFO access is the one I'm most curious about. Given they are business class fares, surely we would get complimentary access to some lounge?

Oh and we don't have any OneWorld or AA elite status either.

Thanks in advance

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Unfortunately there is no lounge access with these flights by themselves.

Flagship services are three-class aircraft flying select transcontinental services, for example JKF to LAX or SFO.

If you were inbound on a long haul business class flight to SFO, same day, and operated by a oneworld airline… you would have lounge access.

You may be able to purchase a lounge pass, but they aren’t cheap, around USD60 IIRC. Alternatively a purchased fare on Alaska Airlines in their first class would come with lounge access… but they are the only US airline to include lounge access with standard (non flagship or similar) first class fares.

 

[tomasp]

Unfortunately there is no lounge access with these flights by themselves.

Flagship services are three-class aircraft flying select transcontinental services, for example JKF to LAX or SFO.

If you were inbound on a long haul business class flight to SFO, same day, and operated by a oneworld airline… you would have lounge access.

Oh damn! That's a shame.

Yeah I noticed you don't even get food on the plane either - seems a rather lower Business Class offering then what you would normally expect of business...

Doesn't matter... at least we have priority check-in / security etc.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Oh damn! That's a shame.

Yeah I noticed you don't even get food on the plane either - seems a rather lower Business Class offering then what you would normally expect of business...

Doesn't matter... at least we have priority check-in / security etc.

I have edited the post to include some additional information, may or may not be of use (the lounge access passes are quite expensive).

The ORD-SFO flight should almost certainly give you a meal, depending on the flight time… the red-eyes may not: Premium dining − Travel information − American Airlines

Not entirely sure about the ORD-LGA flight… it will have a snack basket offering, but may be designated a ‘meal’ flight due to the intense competition on that route. I believe pre-covid it was an exception, but unfortunately I don’t think it’s been reinstated as yet.

 

[tomasp]

I have edited the post to include some additional information, may or may not be of use (the lounge access passes are quite expensive).

The ORD-SFO flight should almost certainly give you a meal, depending on the flight time… the red-eyes may not: Premium dining − Travel information − American Airlines

Not entirely sure about the ORD-LGA flight… it will have a snack basket offering, but may be designated a ‘meal’ flight due to the intense competition on that route. I believe pre-covid it was an exception, but unfortunately I don’t think it’s been reinstated as yet.

Ah ok thanks for the additional info. Given flights are in very late Apr 2023, things might change by then...

In any case I'm not that outraged by it, as its only domestic travel which isn't too bad, at least our international flights and Long-haul flights are all business, so its all good

Thanks for the info

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Ah ok thanks for the additional info. Given flights are in very late Apr 2023, things might change by then...

In any case I'm not that outraged by it, as its only domestic travel which isn't too bad, at least our international flights and Long-haul flights are all business, so its all good

Thanks for the info

Whatever flights you are booked on now will almost certainly change at least once, maybe twice, between now and April next year. This is common when they do their winter and summer schedules.

If you are on any flight but a red-eye you will get a hot meal for the distance SFO-ORD. You can select your meal on line close to departure (recommended as otherwise they may run out of the best ones).

 

[DC3]

Yeah I noticed you don't even get food on the plane either …

You could always join/watch FT. It’s US-centric and can provide some interesting information about all sorts of things, including meals:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-airlines-aadvantage/2063907-2022-aa-domestic-meal-meals-menu-photos-etc-master-thread-26.html

 

[Danger]

Lounge Access Help Desk

Background to this thread We have noticed an increase in the posting of questions regarding what Airport Lounges are available at specific airports when travelling on specific airlines. While one can be assured of access at the airline lounge when travelling on that airline (provided you have...

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