Flagship Lounge Update

[serfty]

Late last month, AA opened a Flagship Lounge in JFK bringing the total to four. These are at LAX, ORD, LHR & JFK.

More pertinent information about why only four:

They used to have Flagship lounges at BOS and MIA as well, but they have all closed in the last few years, with only ORD, LAX and LHR remaining. [edit: and now JFK]

There also used to be a F/L in terminal A at DFW but this was closed.

Here are some reasons for closing the DFW F/L this edited from a post on FT:

The FL is designed to be a lounge for full-fare First Class passengers traveling to Europe, Asia, and South America. AA grudging lets in EXPs (flying to/from/through these locations and MEX) because it has to do so thanks to OW agreements.

Many of those international services ...[ex DFW] above are operated with a 763, and therefore no First Class section. Thus, DFW has nowhere near the number of paying full-fare F international passengers as ORD, and definitely nowhere near JFK!

I agree that given all of the EXPs and other AA elites who are based out of DFW, the FL would be flooded all the time with mileage redeemers and EXPs traveling internationally. It would be too much revenue exposure, given that the FL is exclusively a PERK, not a membership club like the AC. AA doesn't make any additional money when an AA passenger or elite walks in.

Finally, ... there's nobody else to help pay for the FL at DFW. At LAX, QF pays a very significant portion of the FL's operational costs (the other OW airlines help out, every time a non-AA OW Emerald walks in). JFK is the highest-yield station in the AA network (the most number of full-fare premium international pax), so it deserves a FL. LHR gets one because of significant premium yields as well. ORD needs a FL for competitive reasonss.

 

[MelUser]

(1) Can a Qantas Club Member (plus Guest) use this lounge when flying in Y through LAX (either on QF or AA)?

(2) Is it located in TBIT?

(3) Does answer to Q(1) differ if passengers are in QF J (whether upgraded or paid)?

 

[simongr]

I will be there in a little under two weeks so will update what the lounge is like. No promises on photos though - currently looking at my camera and thinking of taking a hammer to the POS.

 

[simongr]

(1) Can a Qantas Club Member (plus Guest) use this lounge when flying in Y through LAX (either on QF or AA)?

(2) Is it located in TBIT?

(3) Does answer to Q(1) differ if passengers are in QF J (whether upgraded or paid)?

Hi MelUser - serfty is referring to the JFK Flagship lounge initially. The LAX lounge is in T4 and is only accessible to F passengers and OWE. QP members can use the Admirals CLub in T4 (which is a case of trun right rather than left when entering the admirals club).

 

[serfty]

(1) Can a Qantas Club Member (plus Guest) use this lounge when flying in Y through LAX (either on QF or AA)?

NO, as simongr posted, only the A/C. As the Admirals Clubs have paid bars, being a QP member they should give you chits (valid for a free drink).

(2) Is it located in TBIT?

The F/L is located in T4, in TBIT a QP member would use the available oneworld business lounge facility when travelling on Qantas.

(3) Does answer to Q(1) differ if passengers are in QF J (whether upgraded or paid)?

No.

 

[MelUser]

Thanks.

(1) So by way of example: if you purchase a J fare from Mel/Syd to DFW (eg) this can put you into F on AA for the LAX-DFW leg. In this case you could presumably use the F/L in T4?

(2) Also, does anyone know why if you purchase a J fare from QF (ie on QF website) Mel/Syd to DFW, Mel/Syd to LAX is in J and LAX to DFW is in Y. If you buy the same fare from a travel agent (which is slightly cheaper) LAX to DFW is in F. Does anyone know why this is the case?

 

[Dave Noble]

Thanks.

(1) So by way of example: if you purchase a J fare from Mel/Syd to DFW (eg) this can put you into F on AA for the LAX-DFW leg. In this case you could presumably use the F/L in T4?

You presume wrongly. domestic US F does not allow for lounge access

Dave

 

[NM]

Thanks.

(1) So by way of example: if you purchase a J fare from Mel/Syd to DFW (eg) this can put you into F on AA for the LAX-DFW leg. In this case you could presumably use the F/L in T4?

Nope. FL access is based on one of the following conditions:
For QF Flights (not codeshares operated by AA), F boarding pass holders and OneWorld Emerald stats passengers.
For AA flights, must have same-day international connection in F or be OneWorld Emerald with same-day international connection. Note that flights to/from Canada, Mexico or some other nearby non-US territories do not qualify.

(2) Also, does anyone know why if you purchase a J fare from QF (ie on QF website) Mel/Syd to DFW, Mel/Syd to LAX is in J and LAX to DFW is in Y. If you buy the same fare from a travel agent (which is slightly cheaper) LAX to DFW is in F. Does anyone know why this is the case?

QF award tickets in business class will end up in Y for AA domestic flights. For paid tickets, you need to check the fare rules which should state what the booking class will be. If you book on a the QF Codeshare LAX-DFW, then they do offer some J and in the case of J being sold out (not necessarily meaning the F cabin is full) then you will be booked into Y according to the fare rules.

So perhaps QF is trying to book the QF codeshare and J is sold out, while the TA is booking the AA flight number and can use F (if the particular fare rules permit).

 

[Keith009]

.
For AA flights, must have same-day international connection in F or be OneWorld Emerald with same-day international connection. Note that flights to/from Canada, Mexico or some other nearby non-US territories do not qualify.

With the exception of Mexico City, the only destination in Mexico which falls within the definition of 'international' for the purpose of lounge access.

AA's lounge access policieshttp://www.aa.com/content/travelInf...ties/admiralsClubArticles/admitPolicies.jhtml

 

[Hawkeye]

For AA flights, must have same-day international connection in F or be OneWorld Emerald with same-day international connection. Note that flights to/from Canada, Mexico or some other nearby non-US territories do not qualify.

Can I clarify this please? If you are a non-AA OneWorld Emerald (e.g. QF WP), you get access to the F/L even when flying domestic, don't you?

I though the restriction applied only to AA members.

 

[Dave Noble]

Can I clarify this please? If you are a non-AA OneWorld Emerald (e.g. QF WP), you get access to the F/L even when flying domestic, don't you?

I though the restriction applied only to AA members.

Access to FL

Travel in F or Z class on a transcontinental AA flight ( note for those on OW ATW tickets, A Class does not get access )
Travel "International" in 1st class on a OW airline ( based on AAs definition of International rather than Political )
OW Emerald status ( Non AA ) departing on a OW Airline

Dave

 

[NM]

Can I clarify this please? If you are a non-AA OneWorld Emerald (e.g. QF WP), you get access to the F/L even when flying domestic, don't you?

I though the restriction applied only to AA members.

Yes, you are correct, and I have used this benefit many times.

 

[Shano]

From Dave's post I am also assuming that a P class transcon flight would not give access to FL, even though a first class seat.

 

[NM]

From Dave's post I am also assuming that a P class transcon flight would not give access to FL, even though a first class seat.

I didn't think P was offered on the 3-class trans-con services.

 

[Dave Noble]

I didn't think P was offered on the 3-class trans-con services.

There are 2 class transcontinental flights though and P will not get access

Dave

 

[Keith009]

I've always wondered why they allow access for people on award tickets (Z) when they deny access to discount F (A, P). Is it because A and P are usually what people on K/YUP tickets book into?

 

[Dave Noble]

I've always wondered why they allow access for people on award tickets (Z) when they deny access to discount F (A, P). Is it because A and P are usually what people on K/YUP tickets book into?

An award seat is treated as having paid for 1st class. A is the upgrade class for eVIP/Mileage upgrades/xUP and P is the upgrade class for xUP fares. AA does not sell A or P class as a paid F , the exception being OW ATW tickets

Dave

 

[Danger]

Does anyone have any recent experience with accessing the FL lounges as a QFWP (non-AA OWE) (i) on a US OW domestic flight in Y or (ii) on a US OW domestic flight in A?

I'm of the understanding that access should be granted in both instances but want to double-check.

 

[Mal]

Does anyone have any recent experience with accessing the FL lounges as a QFWP (non-AA OWE) (i) on a US OW domestic flight in Y or (ii) on a US OW domestic flight in A?

Should be no probs in either scenario. I've access LAX and ORD while in Y, and JFK and LAX in P.

 

[serfty]

Not a problem; until this year, I had accessed them all, but now MIA has opened. I have a routing to fix that in June ...

From a QF WP perspective: If you raveling in the USA on a QF or an AA flight number from a terminal where an AA F/L is open, access is granted to said F/L and one guest.