Admiral Club access on a AA FF award ticket?
Mar 4th, 2008, 08:35 AM
#1
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Admiral Club access on a AA FF award ticket?
Dear AA Frequent Flyer (I'm hoping and assuming),
I have award ticket booked, flying AA from ATL to Miami (lands at 8:05 a), and then Miami (6:30 p!) to Madrid on Iberia. I have a Citibank Platinum MasterCard. From what I can see on AA and FlyerTalk, I will have access to AC.
However, will they let me in on an award ticket (Miami to Madrid is booking class X)? I'm thinking yes from inferring it in this thread you replied to:
http://tinyurl.com/3ytx5h
I've never been in a VIP lounge and am not looking forward to >9 hours in those plastic terminal seats.
Thank you in advance.
I have award ticket booked, flying AA from ATL to Miami (lands at 8:05 a), and then Miami (6:30 p!) to Madrid on Iberia. I have a Citibank Platinum MasterCard. From what I can see on AA and FlyerTalk, I will have access to AC.
However, will they let me in on an award ticket (Miami to Madrid is booking class X)? I'm thinking yes from inferring it in this thread you replied to:
http://tinyurl.com/3ytx5h
I've never been in a VIP lounge and am not looking forward to >9 hours in those plastic terminal seats.
Thank you in advance.
Mar 4th, 2008, 09:40 AM
#2
Your Citibank card won't do anything for you; however as a business class international passenger on a Oneworld partner, you ought to get access to the AC at MIA.
You will also get access to the lounge used by Iberia at the F concourse (called I believe "Club America"
however you may need to obtain a pass to that lounge from the Iberia gate kiosk or from the ticket counter outside security - I'd stop there en route from the AA arriving gate or AC to the F concourse. (Assuming you're traveling while IB is using the F pier - a lot of scrambled gates at MIA, and you don't say when you're traveling.) From memory the Club America lounge is fairly nice; I haven't been in the newer AC at MIA so don't know how they compare. AAFF will reply to your thread in due course and I'm sure he's more familiar than I am with the layout of things at MIA.
You will also get access to the lounge used by Iberia at the F concourse (called I believe "Club America"
however you may need to obtain a pass to that lounge from the Iberia gate kiosk or from the ticket counter outside security - I'd stop there en route from the AA arriving gate or AC to the F concourse. (Assuming you're traveling while IB is using the F pier - a lot of scrambled gates at MIA, and you don't say when you're traveling.) From memory the Club America lounge is fairly nice; I haven't been in the newer AC at MIA so don't know how they compare. AAFF will reply to your thread in due course and I'm sure he's more familiar than I am with the layout of things at MIA.
Mar 4th, 2008, 10:29 AM
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Hello Gardyloo,
Thank you very much for your detailed and helpful response. I especially appreciate the advice about trying to obtain a Club America pass before security. I am ignorant of anything connected to these "secret worlds." Speaking of clueless, I meant to say that my card is an AAdvantage Platinum- that's what gives me oneworld Sapphire status when combined with my same-day oneworld flight (in Economy class
).
I'll be traveling on June 13th- been saving for this trip for 7 years and dreaming about it even longer. Thank you again for your help.
Thank you very much for your detailed and helpful response. I especially appreciate the advice about trying to obtain a Club America pass before security. I am ignorant of anything connected to these "secret worlds." Speaking of clueless, I meant to say that my card is an AAdvantage Platinum- that's what gives me oneworld Sapphire status when combined with my same-day oneworld flight (in Economy class
). I'll be traveling on June 13th- been saving for this trip for 7 years and dreaming about it even longer. Thank you again for your help.
Mar 4th, 2008, 10:47 AM
#4
<i>Speaking of clueless, I meant to say that my card is an AAdvantage Platinum- that's what gives me oneworld Sapphire status when combined with my same-day oneworld flight (in Economy class ). </i>
Oh, HUGE difference. Your Plat status will gain you admittance regardless of the class of service being flown, provided it's on a same-day international itinerary.
And I think I'm the one who goofed up. I saw "X" and somehow blanked and wrote as if you were flying business class. Of course X on Iberia is a coach award, so you'll need your Plat card to get into any lounge.
That said, because the Club America lounge is a contract lounge (not airline-operated) you may well be refused entrance to it. In your shoes I'd probably nurse my time at the Admirals Club and head over to the Iberia counter and concourse at a time when NOT getting lounge access wouldn't be that huge a loss, just in case they don't admit you on a coach ticket.
So my bad and apologies.
). </i>Oh, HUGE difference. Your Plat status will gain you admittance regardless of the class of service being flown, provided it's on a same-day international itinerary.
And I think I'm the one who goofed up. I saw "X" and somehow blanked and wrote as if you were flying business class. Of course X on Iberia is a coach award, so you'll need your Plat card to get into any lounge.
That said, because the Club America lounge is a contract lounge (not airline-operated) you may well be refused entrance to it. In your shoes I'd probably nurse my time at the Admirals Club and head over to the Iberia counter and concourse at a time when NOT getting lounge access wouldn't be that huge a loss, just in case they don't admit you on a coach ticket.
So my bad and apologies.
Mar 4th, 2008, 11:23 AM
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Awesome! Thank you for your great advice. I learn so much here, that hours of surfing never provides (I do try).
Keeping my fingers crossed for my first (and probably last, oh well) lounge visit! Thank you Gardyloo, for your excellent strategy.
Keeping my fingers crossed for my first (and probably last, oh well) lounge visit! Thank you Gardyloo, for your excellent strategy.
Mar 4th, 2008, 12:59 PM
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Yosenut,
Just some details about the Club America Access.
You will need to exit the concourse where your flight from Atlanta will arrive. If you are not on the E concourse, try to get to it through the passageway from the D concourse. The less time you spend in the unsecured area at MIA the better.
Even though you likely will have an AA issued boarding pass for the Iberia flight, go past the concourse entrance where your flight is located and to the Iberia desks.
The business class desks are closer to the pedestrian area, on your right when you get to the line of desks. They will issue you Iberia boarding passes and a pass to Club America.
When you return to the concourse, do not go to the Club America you will see to the right of the line for entrance to the concourse. There is a second club inside security. Sometimes the contract screeners (not TSA) will check the line to move business class passengers to the front. Sometimes they do not. (When we were last there, we were moved to the front of the line and then waited while the 2 screeners argued about whether it should have been done.)
After you have your boarding passes checked, you will be allowed up the escalator and will have a long walk to a screening area. It has a single line for several gates and no priority for business class passengers.
You will then have another walk to the Club America which is before the gates and on the upper level, where you have been walking, on the right.
Stay there until your plane is announced. The departure "lounge" is very uncomfortable at best. You need not be concerned about getting on your flight early because the business class seats are forward of the door. That means that pillows and blankets are not poached by passengers going to the back of the plane. When you get to the gate, you will have priority boarding in any event.
I hope you find this helpful.
Just some details about the Club America Access.
You will need to exit the concourse where your flight from Atlanta will arrive. If you are not on the E concourse, try to get to it through the passageway from the D concourse. The less time you spend in the unsecured area at MIA the better.
Even though you likely will have an AA issued boarding pass for the Iberia flight, go past the concourse entrance where your flight is located and to the Iberia desks.
The business class desks are closer to the pedestrian area, on your right when you get to the line of desks. They will issue you Iberia boarding passes and a pass to Club America.
When you return to the concourse, do not go to the Club America you will see to the right of the line for entrance to the concourse. There is a second club inside security. Sometimes the contract screeners (not TSA) will check the line to move business class passengers to the front. Sometimes they do not. (When we were last there, we were moved to the front of the line and then waited while the 2 screeners argued about whether it should have been done.)
After you have your boarding passes checked, you will be allowed up the escalator and will have a long walk to a screening area. It has a single line for several gates and no priority for business class passengers.
You will then have another walk to the Club America which is before the gates and on the upper level, where you have been walking, on the right.
Stay there until your plane is announced. The departure "lounge" is very uncomfortable at best. You need not be concerned about getting on your flight early because the business class seats are forward of the door. That means that pillows and blankets are not poached by passengers going to the back of the plane. When you get to the gate, you will have priority boarding in any event.
I hope you find this helpful.
Mar 4th, 2008, 07:40 PM
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<b>Gardyloo</b> pretty much has it covered but I just want to chime in about the status misunderstanding. I'm still not very clear about this issue. I hope you are not confusing the Citibank/AAdvantage Platinum credit card with Platinum status. One has nothing to do with the other.
If you do have AA Platinum status, meaning that you fly at least 50K miles or points or 60 segments per year then enjoy the clubs during your international trips regardless of the class of service being flown or whether it's a paid or award ticket as long as your onward flights are with OneWorld partner.
If you do have AA Platinum status, meaning that you fly at least 50K miles or points or 60 segments per year then enjoy the clubs during your international trips regardless of the class of service being flown or whether it's a paid or award ticket as long as your onward flights are with OneWorld partner.
Mar 4th, 2008, 07:49 PM
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Here is where I'm thinking you are confusing the 2 different PLATINUMs. You stated that you have been saving your miles for years for this trip and you are flying economy.
If you are AA Platinum than at the very least you would be earning 100K miles per YEAR. That would almost be good for a first class ticket but in any event you would not need to save your miles for years for an economy ticket.
Hope I'm wrong but if you are holding Citibank AAdvantage Platinum CC then it's a no go for the clubs.
In any event, have a great trip!
Reporting from London. Getting ready for a short flight to Manchester.
If you are AA Platinum than at the very least you would be earning 100K miles per YEAR. That would almost be good for a first class ticket but in any event you would not need to save your miles for years for an economy ticket.
Hope I'm wrong but if you are holding Citibank AAdvantage Platinum CC then it's a no go for the clubs.
In any event, have a great trip!
Reporting from London. Getting ready for a short flight to Manchester.
Mar 5th, 2008, 04:22 AM
#9
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Thank you Jeff, and AAFrequentFlyer. Everything makes much more sense to me now. I appreciate the time you all took to clear up my confusion.
Hope you all have great trips (and had a good Manchester flight)!
Hope you all have great trips (and had a good Manchester flight)!
Dec 26th, 2008, 11:50 AM
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AAFrequentFlyer:
Do you know anything about using an AMEX card to gain access to the Admiral's Club lounges?
My boyfriend and I are traveling together from SNA-DFW and then on to CDG (I'm the ticketed passenger with with the platinum AMEX, FYI), and my ticket is an award/FF ticket while his was purchased. It looks like two can gain admittance to the Admiral's Lounge with one platinum AMEX card and the airline tickets, of course, but I'm curious if that's true with an award ticket, or if it even matters in this case since at least one of our tickets was purchased.
Any information would be helpful. Thanks!
Do you know anything about using an AMEX card to gain access to the Admiral's Club lounges?
My boyfriend and I are traveling together from SNA-DFW and then on to CDG (I'm the ticketed passenger with with the platinum AMEX, FYI), and my ticket is an award/FF ticket while his was purchased. It looks like two can gain admittance to the Admiral's Lounge with one platinum AMEX card and the airline tickets, of course, but I'm curious if that's true with an award ticket, or if it even matters in this case since at least one of our tickets was purchased.
Any information would be helpful. Thanks!
Dec 31st, 2008, 10:24 AM
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<i>One can also purchase a day pass to the Admiral's Club. Follow the AA link to the Club and you will see the way to purchase a pass.</i>,
Not worth it unless it's a foreign based AC, IMHO.....
Not worth it unless it's a foreign based AC, IMHO.....
Jan 2nd, 2009, 12:18 PM
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AA FF,
I thought I would check to see if the rules for a one day pass has changed from any AC to only foreign based.
The answer is still any AC.
Here is the link...
http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?...OneDayPass.jsp
Cost is $50 PP, with children under 18 free.
From another AA FF member....
I thought I would check to see if the rules for a one day pass has changed from any AC to only foreign based.
The answer is still any AC.
Here is the link...
http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?...OneDayPass.jsp
Cost is $50 PP, with children under 18 free.
From another AA FF member....
Jan 2nd, 2009, 12:32 PM
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<b>Rustaguytoday</b>,
I never said that the day pass does not apply to domestic ACs, all I said was that IMHO the $50 entrance fee is not worth it for domestic ACs. All you get is a more comfy chair/sofa, water, OJ, some light snacks. For $50 a person, even at airport bar/restaurant prices one can do a lot better.
OTOH, with foreign based ACs, for the price of admission you'll have open bar and somewhat better food.
I never said that the day pass does not apply to domestic ACs, all I said was that IMHO the $50 entrance fee is not worth it for domestic ACs. All you get is a more comfy chair/sofa, water, OJ, some light snacks. For $50 a person, even at airport bar/restaurant prices one can do a lot better.
OTOH, with foreign based ACs, for the price of admission you'll have open bar and somewhat better food.
