Qantas Club / Business Lounges vs Admirals Lounges / Flagship Lounges

[dacom]

I have been travelling thru the US in the last week and visited multiple Admirals lounges and Flagship lounges. I have to say I never appreciated Qantas lounges as much after visiting various Admirals lounges in the US. I found the offerings very poor if they were any at all. I visited also the DFW Flagship lounge / First Class Dining which was the biggest disappointment. The dining room was the smallest I ever seen with tiny tables crammed into minimal space. The food availability was worth than a Qantas Club lounge. Compare the Qantas First Lounge it is like a luxury restaurant. On top of that there are only 11 Admirals lounges in the entire US. You can find a Qantas lounge at almost every decent airport. And suddenly you appreciate the Qantas status even more. Kudos to Qantas to offer value for money to the Qantas Frequent Flyers.

 

[BAM1748]

Yes big difference, but have you been to a few lounge in South America, makes the AA lounges look superb. I've been in a first class lounge in that part of world with pre packed snacks and out of date beer.

Horsse for courses, it works for AA. I was in the UA First lounge in SFO a couple of decades back and it was great even down to the indoor plants and waterfall features and someone to assist with carrying my coffee back to my chair.

As I said, horses for courses.

Matt

 

[TonyHancock]

On top of that there are only 11 Admirals lounges in the entire US.

That can't be right?

...but yes we are very spoiled in Australia.

I am not sure it is a Flagship lounge at DFW, I fear it is a dining room attached to an Admirals club. The Flagship Lounges are a step up from the Admirals Clubs but a fair way down from The QF F Lounges and a colossal drop from The Pier F Lounge at HKG.

 

[russ]

No Flagship Lounge at SFO, either!
The front desk attendant was profuse in her apologies and offered me an additional drink voucher.

Whoop de doo.

 

[kermatu]

Agree the QF J lounges are a cut above. And of course the CL lounges (at least in CBR, MEL and SYD) take it up further.

The one and only AA lounge I've actually been impressed with is the Chicago flagship lounge. Was directed there first time after mistakenly entering the regular lounge. It is small, but seems to have very few people in there at most times (admittedly, I've only been there 5 times I think). Just top tier pax and JAL F passengers, from memory.

Food quite good (comparable with a QF J lounge), including quality seafood, sushi, curries - alongside basic finger food; fantastic range of spirits including great whiskey selection (perhaps the Japanese connection) but most of all amazing staff -- who usually insisted on me taking a seat after I'd selected what I wanted and looking after me thereafter. Also looked after a JAL pax one time who I think had a cancelled connection - found him a hotel, arranged his transfers, gave detailed instructions (had minimal English proficiency) etc. I was very impressed.

 

[marki]

how does one get an invite into a CL lounge anyway seriously? Even if I wanted to know if it's worth becoming that type of person who gets the invite?

 

[mviy]

how does one get an invite into a CL lounge anyway seriously? Even if I wanted to know if it's worth becoming that type of person who gets the invite?

I think you would likely need to:

Become a senior politician or high profile celebrity

or

Become the CEO or Chairman of a firm that spends several million with QANTAS every year.

 

[marki]

One day I will be that person however politician never. High profile celebrity never so that just leaves beging a CEO with a huge spend, waiting dear waiting......:mrgreen:

I think you would likely need to:

Become a senior politician or high profile celebrity

or

Become the CEO or Chairman of a firm that spends several million with QANTAS every year.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I think you would likely need to:

Become a senior politician or high profile celebrity

or

Become the CEO or Chairman of a firm that spends several million with QANTAS every year.

or a senior public servant - Deputy secretary level - used to be only a few of them but with public service expansion over the years, there are now heaps. As far as I know they all get CL - I certainly know a number.

 

[marki]

or a senior public servant - Deputy secretary level - used to be only a few of them but with public service expansion over the years, there are now heaps. As far as I know they all get CL - I certainly know a number.

I don't know of anyone personally with CL membership thats how far below pond scum I am!!:mrgreen:

 

[kermatu]

I've been guested in a few times. Managing partners at major firms, a couple of CEOs (not big companies). Or their spouses actually! Real mix of people, many of whom direct zero business QF's way and would not be recognised by your average punter - but that's another issue.

Like Flying Mermaid I also know several dep secs (can't help it in Canberra) and yes, they all have CL access. Quite handy actually - though you have to know they're travelling or bump into them in the terminal!

 

[Flying mermaid]

I don't know of anyone personally with CL membership thats how far below pond scum I am!!:mrgreen:

come and live in Canberra

 

[marki]

I've been guested in a few times. Managing partners at major firms, a couple of CEOs (not big companies). Or their spouses actually! Real mix of people, many of whom direct zero business QF's way and would not be recognised by your average punter - but that's another issue.

Like Flying Mermaid I also know several dep secs (can't help it in Canberra) and yes, they all have CL access. Quite handy actually - though you have to know they're travelling or bump into them in the terminal!

I will make sure to live in Canberra next time above Pond scum!

 

[JohnK]

The one and only AA lounge I've actually been impressed with is the Chicago flagship lounge. Was directed there first time after mistakenly entering the regular lounge. It is small, but seems to have very few people in there at most times (admittedly, I've only been there 5 times I think). Just top tier pax and JAL F passengers, from memory.

Nice lounge. I was the only one in there in the middle of the day many years ago now.

Oh my how time has flown.

 

[Ewing]

That can't be right?

It's not. There's more like 50, plus the four Flagship lounges.

 

[dacom]

Agree the QF J lounges are a cut above. And of course the CL lounges (at least in CBR, MEL and SYD) take it up further.

The one and only AA lounge I've actually been impressed with is the Chicago flagship lounge. Was directed there first time after mistakenly entering the regular lounge. It is small, but seems to have very few people in there at most times (admittedly, I've only been there 5 times I think). Just top tier pax and JAL F passengers, from memory.

Food quite good (comparable with a QF J lounge), including quality seafood, sushi, curries - alongside basic finger food; fantastic range of spirits including great whiskey selection (perhaps the Japanese connection) but most of all amazing staff -- who usually insisted on me taking a seat after I'd selected what I wanted and looking after me thereafter. Also looked after a JAL pax one time who I think had a cancelled connection - found him a hotel, arranged his transfers, gave detailed instructions (had minimal English proficiency) etc. I was very impressed.

i do agree the Chicago Flagship lounge certainly is the pick of all of them. We had breakfast and it was a good selection

 

[dacom]

It's not. There's more like 50, plus the four Flagship lounges.

They maybe more, however the AA website features only 11 + 1 in London. Unless they don't advertise the others.
I know there is no lounge in SLC and SEA which surprised me.

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/airportAmenities/AdmiralsLocations.jsp


edit: There are a few more I didn't see in the drop down list but still not as many as i expected

 

[TonyHancock]

They maybe more, however the AA website only list 11 + 1 in London. Unless they don't advertise the others.
I know there is no lounge in SLC and SEA which surprised me.

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/airportAmenities/AdmiralsLocations.jsp

AT SEA AA uses the two AS lounges. The list in the link consists of AA "Featured" Lounges, you need to use the drop down box to select the airport. As Mr Ewing says there are close to 50 AA lounges including partners like AS.

SLC is not really surprising as AA has less than 5% market share there. It is predominantly a DL hub, over 70% market share.

 

[Ewing]

AT SEA AA uses the two AS lounges. The list in the link consists of AA "Featured" Lounges, you need to use the drop down box to select the airport. As Mr Ewing says there are close to 50 AA lounges including partners like AS.

Including partners it's 90 lounges. There's 50 actual ACs (don't forget the US Airways acquisition "merger" added a few). Add Oneworld and the number is far higher.

The only airport I travel to regularly that doesn't have an AC is Las Vegas but there's a Centurion lounge there so I'm happy. I'm in Chicago now and the staff in the AC I went into said there's actually a lounge closer to my gate (and this one is only a few minutes walk anyway).

 

[harvyk]

That can't be right?

...but yes we are very spoiled in Australia.

I am not sure it is a Flagship lounge at DFW, I fear it is a dining room attached to an Admirals club. The Flagship Lounges are a step up from the Admirals Clubs but a fair way down from The QF F Lounges and a colossal drop from The Pier F Lounge at HKG.

It's 12 actual lounges

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/airportAmenities/AdmiralsLocations.jsp

All the others are done via an arrangement (eg the AA club at SEA is actually an Alaska Airlines lounge).
Very annoyingly I was turned away at SEA last year only holding a QP membership, despite access to AC supposedly a QP benefit.