American Airlines is upgrading its lounge experiences and introduced the Flagship Lounges. Access is more restricted than to their regular lounges, the Admiral Clubs. I arrived early mornings on a red-eye flight from Seattle and had only about 1.5 hours before boarding to my international flight to London Heathrow would start. I decided to visit the lounge and get a breakfast as I was sleeping the whole incoming flight.
This review is part of a trip report:
- American Airlines Flagship Lounge Chicago O’Hare (ORD) – Terminal 3
- American Airlines Business Class – Boeing 787 Chicago (ORD) to London (LHR)
- Holiday Inn London – Heathrow Ariel
- Emirates Air Line London
- Plaza Premium Lounge London Heathrow (Terminal 2)
The lounge was located close to my upcoming gate for my international trip and that gave me some extra time to visit. Finding the lounge was no problem.
The lounge is located between the Gates H6 and K6 in Terminal 3.
- First and Business Class passengers traveling to Asia, Australia, Central America, Europe, Mexico City (MEX), New Zealand, South America (First Class Passengers are allowed one guest) marketed and operated by American Airlines or a oneworld® airline.
- AAdvantage® Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro, and Platinum elites traveling to Asia, Australia, Central America, Europe, Mexico City (MEX), New Zealand, South America (one guest permitted) marketed and operated by American Airlines or a oneworld® airline (regardless of cabin).
- ConciergeKey members departing on or connecting to any flight marketed and operated by American Airlines or a oneworld® airline (regardless of cabin). Immediate family (spouse, domestic partner and/or children under 18) or up to 2 guests.
- oneworld® Emerald and Sapphire elites departing on or connecting to any flight marketed and operated by American Airlines or a oneworld® airline (regardless of cabin). One guest permitted.
- Chef-inspired meals
- Personalized service
- Specialty cocktail bar
- Premium wine table
- Expansive seating
- Shower Suites
- Newspapers
- Departure Monitors
- Workstations and work tables to setup your laptop
daily from 5 a.m. – 10 p.m.
- Location
-
The lounge is located between the Gates H6 and K6 in Terminal 3.
- Access
-
- First and Business Class passengers traveling to Asia, Australia, Central America, Europe, Mexico City (MEX), New Zealand, South America (First Class Passengers are allowed one guest) marketed and operated by American Airlines or a oneworld® airline.
- AAdvantage® Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro, and Platinum elites traveling to Asia, Australia, Central America, Europe, Mexico City (MEX), New Zealand, South America (one guest permitted) marketed and operated by American Airlines or a oneworld® airline (regardless of cabin).
- ConciergeKey members departing on or connecting to any flight marketed and operated by American Airlines or a oneworld® airline (regardless of cabin). Immediate family (spouse, domestic partner and/or children under 18) or up to 2 guests.
- oneworld® Emerald and Sapphire elites departing on or connecting to any flight marketed and operated by American Airlines or a oneworld® airline (regardless of cabin). One guest permitted.
- Amenities
-
- Chef-inspired meals
- Personalized service
- Specialty cocktail bar
- Premium wine table
- Expansive seating
- Shower Suites
- Newspapers
- Departure Monitors
- Workstations and work tables to setup your laptop
- Hours of Operation
-
daily from 5 a.m. – 10 p.m.
After entering the lounge and handing my boarding pass to the agent, she gave me an invite card which will grant me access to the Flagship Lounge. I walked around the corner to get to the elevator and got off on the 2nd floor, one floor below the regular American Airlines Admiral Club.
Right after exiting the elevator I got greeted by another staff member which checked my invite and guided me into the lounge. As it was still early and because access is so restricted to the Flagship lounge, I was one of only a handful of people currently in the lounge. This gave me the opportunity to roam around freely and check out the lounge and take pictures without interrupting other guests. The lounge is really huge. Plenty of seating and the big floor to ceiling windows bring plenty of light into the lounge and allow a great view of the tarmac.
After entering the lounge you will find the food and bar area to your left and the “quiet area” to your right. There are numerous coffee makers and refrigerators located throughout the lounge.
The area around the dining area had higher tables which are better to enjoy one of their chef-inspired meals. During my visit to the Flagship Lounge, they served an extensive breakfast menu. You could find everything you would find at a continental breakfast like scrambled eggs, bacon, cereals, toast but also sushi and an omelet station.
Staff was quick in restocking the items, however a bit slow in cleaning off the tables. There were barely any guests in the lounge, so the excuse it was busy doesn’t count. On the bright side, there were still plenty of open tables available but doesn’t it look nicer when everything is clean and ready to go. Maybe I am expecting too much, based on other experiences in lounges.
Throughout the lounge, you can find plenty of power outlets to keep your devices charged and also sings with the password for the Wi-Fi are spread throughout the lounge. Overall it was a great experience even tho I only had enough time for a good breakfast and to explore the lounge a little bit.
I checked the departure monitors inside the lounge and my international flight was about to start boarding and I headed there early enough to be one of the first aboard to take some pictures without interfering with the boarding process.
Peter has a passion for Traveling, Photography, and Geocaching. These are the best ingredients for amazing adventures all over the globe. “Traveling is fun, no matter if you stay in a luxury hotel or travel like a backpacker.” Peter shares his experiences on his Blog www.gatetoadventures.com
Some of Peter’s photos are published on corporate websites, in-flight magazines, travel guides, and much more.