Washington Dulles Lounges

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justinbrett

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Just wondering if anybody has been to Washington recently. Wondering which is the better lounge out of BA and AA?

Also, is the BA club available to US domestic passengers?

I'm flying from Dulles to SYD via LAX (on QF3082 and QF150). Obviously the first flight is a domestic AA codeshare.

I'm sure they'll check us into SYD from washington, but assume we won't actually go through customs until we get to LAX.
 
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The BA lounge is better and is on the same concourse as the Admirals Club lounge. But the BA lounge is only open for a few hours before the BA flights depart, while the Admirals Club is open at times to match the AA departures. The two BA departures each day are at 6:45am and 9:55am, so unless you have an early am departure, the BA lounge will be closed.

The AA lounge is a little small, but they will provide drinks vouchers for QF members to use at the bar. If you are after food, then forget the AA lounge. But if just wanting a beer before boarding a flight, it is ok.

Personally I have not tried to use the BA lounge there when flying on an AA flight out of IAD. But there is no reason you should not be permitted access of you are OneWorld Emerald or Sapphire and the lounge is open. But the BA lounge agent is likely to remind you that the AA lounge is just down the hall and you may need to say something like "yes, I know, but your lounge is so much nicer and as a OneWorld Emerald/Sapphire I would like to use this lounge before my OneWorld flight today".
 
I have successfully used the BA lounge when flying IAD-LAX on AA using my QFF status - though this was a few years back and i can't recall the time of day I was flying out.
 
NM said:
The BA lounge is better and is on the same concourse as the Admirals Club lounge. But the BA lounge is only open for a few hours before the BA flights depart, while the Admirals Club is open at times to match the AA departures. The two BA departures each day are at 6:45am and 9:55am, so unless you have an early am departure, the BA lounge will be closed.

The BA flights to London are at 18:45 and 21:55 so the loungeis open for evening departures rather than early morning

Dave
 
Well that sounds good - my flight leaves at 1755 - an hour before the BA flight. I was worried the BA lounge was in the international airside part of the airport - though couldn't see anything like this on the airport map from the website.

One of the reasons for wanting to go into the BA lounge was for free alcohol - what are these vouchers I hear you speak of? Are they only for QF members?
 
justinbrett said:
Well that sounds good - my flight leaves at 1755 - an hour before the BA flight. I was worried the BA lounge was in the international airside part of the airport - though couldn't see anything like this on the airport map from the website.

One of the reasons for wanting to go into the BA lounge was for free alcohol - what are these vouchers I hear you speak of? Are they only for QF members?

If you are a QF Club member, then you can get drinks vouchers at the Admirals Club reception desk though there is still the (unrealistic :)) expectation of a tip from the bartender. The BA lounge will , I assume, be self service

Dave
 
Dave Noble said:
The BA flights to London are at 18:45 and 21:55 so the loungeis open for evening departures rather than early morning

Dave
Hmm, why did I see am when I checked? Must be my lysdexia again :confused: . I thought it strange at the time since I know in my head that east-bound trans-Atlantic flights nearly always operate overnight. Thanks for correcting.
 
I have used the BA lounge prior to IAD-LAX-SYD. What's more they even let me in using my AA status (since I had a oneworld international flight that day I was entitled, but it wouldn't have surprised me if I had met some resistance). Alcohol is pour-your-own, and the spirits are better quality than over in the Admirals Club.

BA lounge ambience is much better than the AC - the BA lounge was refurbished a couple of years ago. Both lounges are small, but the AC seems more crowded. Seating is nicer in the BA lounge.

justinbrett, your timing is perfect because you will be gone before most BA pax arrive.

Remember that Qantas Club membership is not enough to get into the BA lounge if you are travelling on AA. You need oneworld Sapphire or Emerald status.

In addition to QC members, drinks vouchers in the AC are also provided to non-AA oneworld Sapphire and Emerald pax, and to AA Sapphires and Emeralds on an international itinerary. But yes, they still expect a US$1 tip per drink. I don't like it, but when in Rome ...

justinbrett, the US airports work differently from the way they do in Australia. Often (as in IAD's case) there is no separation of international and domestic flights. There are also no special customs/immigration formalities to go through. In fact on your itinerary you will arrive in LAX at Terminal 4 and leave from the same terminal, without even having to go through any more security checks.

NM said:
But the BA lounge agent is likely to remind you that the AA lounge is just down the hall and you may need to say something like "yes, I know, but your lounge is so much nicer and as a OneWorld Emerald/Sapphire I would like to use this lounge before my OneWorld flight today".
That's almost word for word the conversation I had with the lounge attendant! (And with the BA lounge attendant in DFW a few weeks ago.)
 
Alan in CBR said:
I have used the BA lounge prior to IAD-LAX-SYD. What's more they even let me in using my AA status (since I had a oneworld international flight that day I was entitled, but it wouldn't have surprised me if I had met some resistance).
You don't even need to b e on a same-day OneWorld International flight. That is only for entry to Admirals Club lounge for AAdvantage members. A OneWorld Sapphire (no matter which program) can use any OneWorld lounge when flying with a OneWorld airline (except AA lounges by AA members on domestic itinerary).

So in theory, an AA Plat member can use the BA lounge when flying on AA domestic. But I suspect BA may play tough on that one as they were known to do in MIA when lots of AA members used to try to use the BA lounge prior to domestic flights.
 
NM said:
So in theory, an AA Plat member can use the BA lounge when flying on AA domestic. But I suspect BA may play tough on that one as they were known to do in MIA when lots of AA members used to try to use the BA lounge prior to domestic flights.

No. An AA Sapphire/Emerald member is only entitled to lounge access when travelling that day internationally regardless of which lounge it is

As it states on the oneworld site
oneworld said:
American Airlines AAdvantage® Program members, regardless of their tier status, may not use lounges when travelling solely on North American itineraries (defined as within or between the USA, Canada, Mexico [except Mexico City], the Bahamas, Bermuda and the Caribbean). In these cases, access rules are governed by American Airlines' own rules (ie paid lounge-access membership).

Dave
 
Dave Noble said:
No. An AA Sapphire/Emerald member is only entitled to lounge access when travelling that day internationally regardless of which lounge it is

As it states on the oneworld site


Dave
Its a good job I will continue to carry my QF card with me when travelling in the LOTFAP then!
 
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