Qantas FF [Emerald, travelling] on AA Flight

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sarahl89

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Hopefully this is in the correct place (apologies if it is not!)

My friend and I are flying from JFK to Chicago (O'Hare), then from Chicago to Washington DC (Reagan) in December. We are both Qantas Platinum - does anyone know what lounges, other perks, etc, we can access? And if the lounges are any good? I'm sure the information is in a very obvious place but I just can't find it!
 
In Chicago you will be able to get into the Flagship lounge-their F lounge.at least some free snacks.sometimes quite OK.
 
Hopefully this is in the correct place (apologies if it is not!)

My friend and I are flying from JFK to Chicago (O'Hare), then from Chicago to Washington DC (Reagan) in December. We are both Qantas Platinum - does anyone know what lounges, other perks, etc, we can access? And if the lounges are any good? I'm sure the information is in a very obvious place but I just can't find it!

Just go to the lounge section of the one world site and it will give you an idea of whats on offer by terminal:

Lounge access - oneworld
 
There are 3 AA lounges in ORD T3. The main Admirals Club between Concourse H and K, near H6 and K6, a smaller Club in Concourse G (near G8) and the Flagship Lounge near K19.
The gates around the Flagship lounge are normally used for the long haul flights. The JL flight normally leaves from K18 or K19. QF Platinum gives you access to the Flagship lounge, but it is quite a walk from T3 gates.
The Flagship lounge has free food/drinks (light meals really. They have some Asian style food out before the JL flight departs). The Admirals Clubs have free basic drinks, free basic snacks and pay for everything else. Only the H/K Club has showers.

https://www.aa.com/i18n/aboutUs/whereWeFly/terminals/terminal_ORD.jsp
AA uses the G, H and K gates and sometimes the low L gates. Eagle flights mostly use the high G gates.

Platinum will get you Priority AAccess to both TSA and boarding.
 
In Chicago you will be able to get into the Flagship lounge-their F lounge.at least some free snacks.sometimes quite OK.

I like the Flagship is ORD. Some very helpful staff there. But note that it can be a bit of a hike to some gates.
 
Platinum will get you Priority AAccess to both TSA and boarding.

When I travelled around the States in August/September this year, I found that they've changed the TSA Priority lines. It's either "Pre-check" or "Everyone else". So even if you are in First (as I was) or any Status, unless you get Pre-check on your boarding pass (and I didn't :( ), you were stuck in the "Everyone else" line. This was at LAX, BUF, BOS and DCA at least.
 
When I travelled around the States in August/September this year, I found that they've changed the TSA Priority lines. It's either "Pre-check" or "Everyone else". So even if you are in First (as I was) or any Status, unless you get Pre-check on your boarding pass (and I didn't :( ), you were stuck in the "Everyone else" line. This was at LAX, BUF, BOS and DCA at least.

Ditto. But I managed to get Pre Check as a QF Plat on 4/4 flights (YYC, ORD, MIA) - hopefully sarahl89 will experience similarly :)
 
Precheck is hit and miss but as OWE more hit.
But I as a LTP on AA(OWS) would get precheck more frequently than mrsdrron-QFF WP.
 
Ditto. But I managed to get Pre Check as a QF Plat on 4/4 flights (YYC, ORD, MIA) - hopefully sarahl89 will experience similarly :)
Precheck is hit and miss but as OWE more hit.
But I as a LTP on AA(OWS) would get precheck more frequently than mrsdrron-QFF WP.

I suspect my Status Run to SJU (LAX-DFW-ORD-MIA-SJU and return) in under 48 hours within 24 hours of my landing into the States may have had a negative impact on my eligibility for pre-check. I was also slapped with Boarding Gate Secondary Screening out of BNE, so it didn't look too hopeful right from the get-go.
 
Ditto. But I managed to get Pre Check as a QF Plat on 4/4 flights (YYC, ORD, MIA) - hopefully sarahl89 will experience similarly :)
QF isn't part of precheck. You can't get it by being a QF status holder. In order to get Precheck you need to be invited by a member airline (only US based airlines and AC), pay the fee to TSA or have NEXUS/GE. Australian's can't get NEXUS/GE and aren't able to join via the fee.

If you did get precheck, and you didn't get it from status on a US airline, then you were randomly sent to that line.
I had 17 flights departing US airports in October, most of which in F. I never got a precheck line. I did get priority every time except the last (ORD T5).

LAX T4 has escalators leading up to TSA on the left of the check in area. The signage around this checkpoint says precheck. Priority is allowed though. Upstairs there are 2 lines leading into the same side checkpoint. 1 Precheck, 1 Priority.
There is a similar checkpoint at ORD.
 
When I travelled around the States in August/September this year, I found that they've changed the TSA Priority lines. It's either "Pre-check" or "Everyone else".
16 AA/US domestic flights in October. F for most/OWE. Flights from JFK, PHL, CAE, CLT, BOS, MIA, LAX, LAS, SFO, IAH, ORD, DTW. Every checkpoint I went to had Priority lines.
The airport/airline controls line entry. All priority gets you at TSA (and all it's ever gotten you) is a quicker/shorter line to the TDC.
 
...
LAX T4 has escalators leading up to TSA on the left of the check in area. The signage around this checkpoint says precheck. Priority is allowed though. Upstairs there are 2 lines leading into the same side checkpoint. 1 Precheck, 1 Priority.
There is a similar checkpoint at ORD.
I have not gone through LAX on AA this year without getting Precheck - once on same flight as goodonya who did not get it.

I left him in TBIT waiting for his bag (he row 5, me row 12) - he did not have precheck and he was through airside into T4 first! (The pre-check line was longer, but I liked the idea of not having to take shoes and belt off not take laptop and LAG bag out ...)
 
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QF isn't part of precheck. You can't get it by being a QF status holder. In order to get Precheck you need to be invited by a member airline (only US based airlines and AC), pay the fee to TSA or have NEXUS/GE. Australian's can't get NEXUS/GE and aren't able to join via the fee.

If you did get precheck, and you didn't get it from status on a US airline, then you were randomly sent to that line.
I had 17 flights departing US airports in October, most of which in F. I never got a precheck line. I did get priority every time except the last (ORD T5).

LAX T4 has escalators leading up to TSA on the left of the check in area. The signage around this checkpoint says precheck. Priority is allowed though. Upstairs there are 2 lines leading into the same side checkpoint. 1 Precheck, 1 Priority.
There is a similar checkpoint at ORD.

Well, thanks for that lecture. I'm pretty well acquainted with the setup at LAX, too :) AA, AS, AC, UA etc. I don't think anyone's saying you get Pre-check just from QFF (I was merely stating my status when it happened to me) - but I do think it goes into the mix of risk and other factors that boosts your chances of getting it.

If you think non 'invited' pax who get pre-check are only 'randomly selected' - that's fine. Hold that thought. I (and it appears others here) are pretty happy in the warm embrace of QF Plat and our apparent profiles in TSA and get Pre check the majority of the time, irrespective of cabin class. If you didn't get it once on 17 flights ... you may have a ponder if there might be something in your profile - somewhere - which is blocking it? I know 2 regular USA travellers (businessmen) who used to always get bailed up by TSA security. Eventually they got sick of it and took the trouble to chase it down. It was all in their names ... YMMV
 
Chicago and JFK Flagship lounges are pretty good!
When we were heading through Chicago last time (QF Plats) we went to the normal Admirals Lounge and the lady at the entrance was like 'don't come in here the Flagship lounge is much more comfortable!!'
:)
 
When I travelled around the States in August/September this year, I found that they've changed the TSA Priority lines. It's either "Pre-check" or "Everyone else". So even if you are in First (as I was) or any Status, unless you get Pre-check on your boarding pass (and I didn't :( ), you were stuck in the "Everyone else" line. This was at LAX, BUF, BOS and DCA at least.
You need to look very carefully. Typically the Pre-Check lane is next to the F lane, and sometimes not signed at all well (if at all). A quick ask of the person directing pax generally results in you getting into the right queue.

As of this week, I can confirm it's fine at LAX T4, BOS and ORD T3. No problems for any of them.
 
Precheck is hit and miss but as OWE more hit.
But I as a LTP on AA(OWS) would get precheck more frequently than mrsdrron-QFF WP.
I am 0/36 on Pre-Check as a OWE. I guess it's not meant to be for me.
 
LAX T4 has escalators leading up to TSA on the left of the check in area. The signage around this checkpoint says precheck. Priority is allowed though. Upstairs there are 2 lines leading into the same side checkpoint. 1 Precheck, 1 Priority.
There is a similar checkpoint at ORD.
They are two different lines. The left is pre-check, the right is F. The far far right (as in turn right and head back towards TBIT) is the regular queue).

As you go through, you'll notice a glass divider between the two. Pre-check and F are on the left, and the MW machine is on the right. I've never been through the MW at LAX, nor the pre-check, just regular F.
 
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QF isn't part of precheck. You can't get it by being a QF status holder. In order to get Precheck you need to be invited by a member airline (only US based airlines and AC), pay the fee to TSA or have NEXUS/GE. Australian's can't get NEXUS/GE and aren't able to join via the fee.

If you did get precheck, and you didn't get it from status on a US airline, then you were randomly sent to that line.
I had 17 flights departing US airports in October, most of which in F. I never got a precheck line. I did get priority every time except the last (ORD T5).

LAX T4 has escalators leading up to TSA on the left of the check in area. The signage around this checkpoint says precheck. Priority is allowed though. Upstairs there are 2 lines leading into the same side checkpoint. 1 Precheck, 1 Priority.
There is a similar checkpoint at ORD.

16 AA/US domestic flights in October. F for most/OWE. Flights from JFK, PHL, CAE, CLT, BOS, MIA, LAX, LAS, SFO, IAH, ORD, DTW. Every checkpoint I went to had Priority lines.
The airport/airline controls line entry. All priority gets you at TSA (and all it's ever gotten you) is a quicker/shorter line to the TDC.

Well, thanks for that lecture. I'm pretty well acquainted with the setup at LAX, too :) AA, AS, AC, UA etc. I don't think anyone's saying you get Pre-check just from QFF (I was merely stating my status when it happened to me) - but I do think it goes into the mix of risk and other factors that boosts your chances of getting it.

If you think non 'invited' pax who get pre-check are only 'randomly selected' - that's fine. Hold that thought. I (and it appears others here) are pretty happy in the warm embrace of QF Plat and our apparent profiles in TSA and get Pre check the majority of the time, irrespective of cabin class. If you didn't get it once on 17 flights ... you may have a ponder if there might be something in your profile - somewhere - which is blocking it? I know 2 regular USA travellers (businessmen) who used to always get bailed up by TSA security. Eventually they got sick of it and took the trouble to chase it down. It was all in their names ... YMMV
My experience this week is quite different from that of Himeno.

We flew MEL-LAX-SEA-BLI then 6 days later BLI-SEA-LAX. The MEL-LAX leg in F and the domestic legs also in F/J where available.

All four domestic US flights we had TSA Pre check. LAX terminal 6 we were ushered to a separate screening to non Pre Check people and there was no other priority lines. i.e. the Pre check screening area was the priority line. At BLI (small airport) there was everyone mixed together but as a TSA Pre check approved person we just got whisked through a lot easier than those who were not given the magic 'piece of yellow paper'
 
Am in the middle of a US trip and today was my first experience as a first pax and OWE of being ushered through the pre-check area, so no shoes off and through a metal detector only. Was in Miami. Otherwise have had priority lane access so usually get to front of queue, or a separate area but then need to line up. Best day of travel so far was, surprisingly, the day before thanksgiving. No quued at all at LaGuardia. Go figure.

i also really like the ORD flagship lounge. Have had three transits through Chicago. Food is good (sushi, fresh prawns, antipasto, cold meat platters, as well as standard Asian and other finger food) anda a terrific range of single malts, blended whiskers and bourbons! Servers have always been really lovely to me too. And it was a great place to watch the Packers v Patriots game the other day...
 
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