Qantas Club / Admirals Club Access

[opusman]

Your quoting Qantas Club rules not American Airlines Admirals Club rules

You asked about QC members and the OW TBIT lounge, "American Airlines Admirals Club rules" have no bearing on either of these things.

 

[Sdtravel]

You asked about QC members and the OW TBIT lounge, "American Airlines Admirals Club rules" have no bearing on either of these things.

My mistake sorry. I got confused with the question about JQ

 

[Guvner]

Thanks for the info, appreciate it.

 

[JayJ]

Advice please...

I have travelled in the US several times before, and have always been able to use my Qantas Club membership to access Admirals Club lounges when flying AA. However, I have just been speaking with AA and was told I would have no lounge access, and I can't find a clear statement on the website. So, I'm hoping people here might know:

1. Do Qantas Club members still have automatic access to Admirals clubs?

2. I transit LAX and fly out on an AA flight number but a US Airways aircraft from Terminal 6... would I have access to a lounge there?

3. If the rules have changed and I can't use Admirals Clubs, would a 30 day AA membership get me into the terminal 6 lounge, which seems to be Alaskan Air?

I am really keen to have a lounge access in LA as I will be off a 14 h flight from Melbourne and want to shower before travelling on.

Thanks

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Advice please...

I have travelled in the US several times before, and have always been able to use my Qantas Club membership to access Admirals Club lounges when flying AA. However, I have just been speaking with AA and was told I would have no lounge access, and I can't find a clear statement on the website. So, I'm hoping people here might know:

1. Do Qantas Club members still have automatic access to Admirals clubs?

2. I transit LAX and fly out on an AA flight number but a US Airways aircraft from Terminal 6... would I have access to a lounge there?

3. If the rules have changed and I can't use Admirals Clubs, would a 30 day AA membership get me into the terminal 6 lounge, which seems to be Alaskan Air?

I am really keen to have a lounge access in LA as I will be off a 14 h flight from Melbourne and want to shower before travelling on.

Thanks

Depends what you mean by 'speaking' to AA

Are you at an AAdmirals Club speaking to them, or is this by phone?

If by phone - as with many things... an airline (any airline) and its employees are probably the last people I'd rely on for accurate advice regarding anything to do with their operations

Qantas Club and AAdmirals club memberships still get access to each others clubs when flying QF/AA (even on US metal).

 

[JayJ]

Depends what you mean by 'speaking' to AA

Are you at an AAdmirals Club speaking to them, or is this by phone?

If by phone - as with many things... an airline (any airline) and its employees are probably the last people I'd rely on for accurate advice regarding anything to do with their operations

Qantas Club and AAdmirals club memberships still get access to each others clubs when flying QF/AA (even on US metal).

Yes, it was a person on the phone, hence my checking.

Any idea about the terminal 6 lounge at LAX?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yes, it was a person on the phone, hence my checking.

Any idea about the terminal 6 lounge at LAX?

All the details are on this page: https://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/airportAmenities/lax-club.jsp

Seems a 30 day membership will get you access to the alaska airlines club prior to an AA or AS operated/marketed flight.

 

[JayJ]

All the details are on this page: https://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/airportAmenities/lax-club.jsp

Seems a 30 day membership will get you access to the alaska airlines club prior to an AA or AS operated/marketed flight.

Thanks... on reflection, as I have almost 3 hours, I could go from the TBIT to the Admirals Club in terminal 4, shower and freshen up, and then move on to terminal 6 about an hour before the flight. My luggage would be checked through so it is only walking from one terminal to another and going through security.

 

[Katie]

Thanks... on reflection, as I have almost 3 hours, I could go from the TBIT to the Admirals Club in terminal 4, shower and freshen up, and then move on to terminal 6 about an hour before the flight. My luggage would be checked through so it is only walking from one terminal to another and going through security.

There is an airside bus between T4 and T6 at LAX, so depending on how frequently that bus runs, you could use that rather than have to re-do security.

 

[opusman]

T4, T5 and T6 are also linked by an airside tunnel you can walk through.

 

[JayJ]

Thanks, Katie and opusman, those are both very useful pieces of information.

 

[timster]

Advice please...

I have travelled in the US several times before, and have always been able to use my Qantas Club membership to access Admirals Club lounges when flying AA. However, I have just been speaking with AA and was told I would have no lounge access, and I can't find a clear statement on the website. So, I'm hoping people here might know:

1. Do Qantas Club members still have automatic access to Admirals clubs?

The reciprocal rules for AC access for QP members, and QP access for AC members, have seemingly been in flux recently.

According to Qantas QP members have to be on a QF/JQ flight number to access AC:
Eligibility and Access to The Qantas Club Lounges | Qantas
"Each time you travel on a Qantas or Jetstar flight number you will have access to:

• All Qantas Club lounges when travelling within Australia
  
• All Qantas International Business Lounges when travelling overseas
  
• Emirates Business Lounge in Dubai
  
• American Airlines® Admirals Club lounges in London and other locations - visit www.aa.com for lounge locations"
  

This is also confirmed for particular lounges, eg LAX T4 AC ... QP access only if QF/JQ flight number.
Lounge Locations | North America | Los Angeles International Airport Terminal 4 | Iternational Business

AC access as you say used to be universal in US AA clubs for QP, for as long as I can remember (20 years plus ?). The restricted access conditions to AC that have operated for several years at LHR for QP members now seem to have been extended to all ACs.

So ... supposedly enhanced partnership between QF and AA recently ... but restricted QP privileges ... hmmm.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The reciprocal rules for AC access for QP members, and QP access for AC members, have seemingly been in flux recently.

According to Qantas QP members have to be on a QF/JQ flight number to access AC:
Eligibility and Access to The Qantas Club Lounges | Qantas
"Each time you travel on a Qantas or Jetstar flight number you will have access to:

• All Qantas Club lounges when travelling within Australia
  
• All Qantas International Business Lounges when travelling overseas
  
• Emirates Business Lounge in Dubai
  
• American Airlines® Admirals Club lounges in London and other locations - visit www.aa.com for lounge locations"
  

This is also confirmed for particular lounges, eg LAX T4 AC ... QP access only if QF/JQ flight number.
Lounge Locations | North America | Los Angeles International Airport Terminal 4 | Iternational Business

AC access as you say used to be universal in US AA clubs for QP, for as long as I can remember (20 years plus ?). The restricted access conditions to AC that have operated for several years at LHR for QP members now seem to have been extended to all ACs.

So ... supposedly enhanced partnership between QF and AA recently ... but restricted QP privileges ... hmmm.

This page you reference only relates to flights on Qantas or Jetstar.

Other rules apply for flights with American Airlines.

The Qantas Club membership rules for American Airlines are listed on another page: The Qantas Club Benefits | Qantas

Partner Lounges
When travelling with American Airlines, as a Qantas Club member you and a guest are welcome at American Airlines Admirals Club lounges. Simply present your Qantas Club card together with your boarding pass at the lounge reception. Both you and your guest need to be travelling together further that day on a flight marketed^ and operated by the partner airline whose lounge you wish to visit.
Qantas Club Members will be welcomed at the Emirates Business Lounge in Dubai when their next onwards flight that day is with Qantas.
When travelling from London, Qantas Club Members will have access to the American Airlines Admirals Lounge at London Heathrow when their next onwards flight that day is with Qantas between Australia, Dubai and London.

 

[timster]

Well that's confusing then.

 

[waynemerry]

This confusion and discussion about it must pop up every three months or so. I have visited ACs as a QP member many times, although for the last few years I've been SG. Never had any trouble. Even on recent visits I've seen others flying AA flights with AA boarding passes (don't know about AA flight numbers rather than QF flight numbers, but more likely than not) and using QP membership cards and they gain access (plus the drink chits).

Btw, drink chits are not always given without prompting, but never had a problem obtaining them when asking.

In fact, I don't think I've ever been in a AC on a QF flight number, it's always been AA. (Edit: yes I have, in LAX T4 waiting for the bus to TBIT )

 

[coriander]

In fact, I don't think I've ever been in a AC on a QF flight number, it's always been AA.

In LAX AC T4 every year over past few years, previously on Mrs C's SG card, last year or two both of us as SGs - usually flying on to SFO LAS DFW on both QF and AA flight numbers. Can't remember ever having an issue and always get our drink chits. And they let our three ferals in as well (but no chits for them!).

 

[serfty]

SG (or oneworld based) access to A/C's is different from using Qantas Club membership.

Up until this year there were no problems with a QP member accessing an AC before any AA/QF flight. Early this year the rules changed online to indicate they would be more restrictive; however those online changed again.

More importantly, anecdotes I have come across indicate that in practice nothing has changed from previous years.

 

[JayJ]

Btw, drink chits are not always given without prompting, but never had a problem obtaining them when asking.

Today, I was successful in accessing the AC lounge at LAX in T4, got my drink vouchers automatically. Showered and ultimately walked through the tunnel to T6 for my flight to PHX on US.

Am now sitting in the AC lounge in PHX waiting for my next US flight (to PDX). I booked these with AA flight numbers. The PHX AC staff are absolutely definitive in declaring Qantas Club members do not get drink vouchers unless emerald or sapphire. I pointed out I was given them at LAX and was told LA are lax and probably did it as a gesture of goodwill. I was grudgingly given one voucher and treated as if I were expecting something totally unreasonable. Never had this experience before in an AC lounge, but I do have a sour taste in my mouth. Does anyone have a link to the AA/QF agreement that covers Qantas club member access to AC lounges?

 

[Sdtravel]

I used the AA lounge in sfo. Was given a drink voucher as a QC member.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Does anyone have a link to the AA/QF agreement that covers Qantas club member access to AC lounges?

I had always thought drink vouchers were to compensate for the fact that Qantas Clubs had complimentary alcohol (after midday) whereas you had to buy drinks in AA clubs.

That changed a couple years ago when AA clubs started offering free drinks (the house variety being roughly equivalent to what is being offering in QCs).

AA drink vouchers - giving access to 'top shelf' liquors is probably going over and above any reciprocal benefit AA members will now get at QCs.