Admirals Club Partner Lounges: What They Are, Where They Are, and How to Get In

There are nearly 50 American Airlines Admirals Club locations worldwide, spread across major U.S. hubs and a handful of international airports. An Admirals Club membership unlocks access to these lounges whenever you’re flying American Airlines or on eligible partner flights. What many travelers don’t realize, however, is that Admirals Club membership also provides access to a separate network of more than 60 Admirals Club partner lounges located around the world.

This partner lounge network is often underused by members despite significantly adding to the value of an Admirals Club membership. It fills in gaps at international destinations and secondary markets where American Airlines does not operate its own lounges, while still offering members a place to relax, eat, or work before a flight.

That said, Admirals Club partner lounges are not necessarily the same thing as “American Airlines partner lounges,” nor are they the same as the network of oneworld member lounges. In short, Admirals Club partner lounges are the lounges that are accessible to travelers with an Admirals Club membership.

In this guide, we’ll cover what Admirals Club partner lounges actually are (and what they are not) and where you will find these 60+ lounges. Here’s everything you need to know about Admirals Club partner lounges.

What Are Admirals Club Partner Lounges?

Airport lounges are expensive to build and operate. Industry estimates put the cost of constructing a mid-sized lounge at around $20–30 million. And that’s before factoring in ongoing expenses like staffing, catering, and maintenance. Because of these costs, airlines tend to focus their lounge investments on major hubs and markets with substantial premium traveler volume.

American Airlines is no exception. While the carrier operates a robust domestic lounge network, it serves dozens of international destinations where building a dedicated Admirals Club would be impractical.

This is where Admirals Club partner lounges come into play.

An Admirals Club partner lounge is a lounge that:

• Is not operated by American Airlines
• Is designated by American Airlines as being available to Admirals Club members
• Serves as a substitute for an Admirals Club where AA does not operate its own lounge

Importantly, this network is separate from lounges accessible to AAdvantage Platinum, Platinum Pro, and Executive Platinum members and those traveling in Flagship Business or Flagship First.

In other words, just because American Airlines partners with an airline does not mean Admirals Club members can access that airline’s lounges. British Airways, Iberia, and Finnair lounges are perfect examples. All three are American Airlines partners, but their lounges are not Admirals Club partner lounges.

This distinction is critical, and we’ll return to it later in the guide.

Why Admirals Club Partner Lounges Exist

To understand the logic behind partner lounges, consider Zurich Airport (ZRH).

American Airlines operates a single daily flight between Zurich and Philadelphia. During the off-season, American will even place this route on hiatus in January and February. That adds up to at most 85,000 passengers per year — far below the volume needed to justify building and operating a dedicated Admirals Club in one of Europe’s most expensive real estate markets.

Instead, American partners with the Primeclass Lounge in Zurich’s non-Schengen area in Terminal E. This allows Admirals Club members to access a lounge without American having to invest tens of millions of dollars into a facility that would see limited use.

This is common across Europe, South America, Asia, and the South Pacific. The result is a diverse but somewhat inconsistent network. Still, this network of partner lounges can be quite valuable, but only if members understand the rules and know which lounges are part of this network.

Related: How Many AAdvantage Miles Do You Need for a Flight?

Which Airports Have Admirals Club Partner Lounges?

As of December 2025, American Airlines lists approximately 60 active Admirals Club partner lounge locations worldwide. While the exact number fluctuates due to temporary closures and seasonal adjustments to the airline’s international schedule, the overall size of the network remains fairly stable.

The largest concentrations of partner lounges are found in:

• Australia and New Zealand (via Qantas)
• Europe (mostly premium leisure and corporate-heavy destinations)
• Japan and East Asia (Japan Airlines)

Over the past year or so, there have been some notable changes to American’s network of Admirals Club partner lounge locations including:

• The addition of the Alaska Lounge at San Francisco (SFO)
• The addition of the British Airways Lounge in Edinburgh (EDI) tied to AA’s seasonal service
• The rebranding of the Oryx Lounge in Doha as the Al Maha Lounge
• The temporary closure of the 51st & Green Lounge at Dublin (DUB)

Below, you will find a full, up-to-date list of Admirals Club partner lounge locations:

Full List of Admirals Club Partner Lounge Locations

Note: This list includes only lounges that American Airlines explicitly designates as accessible to Admirals Club members. It does not include lounges accessible via AAdvantage or oneworld status or by holding a ticket in a premium cabin.

Featured DEAL: Try Clear+ for 2 Months – Free of Charge

CLEAR+ Expedited Airport Security Screening Get through airport security faster with CLEAR+. Not sure if CLEAR is right for you? Sign-up now and receive 2 months of CLEAR+ at no charge. View Deal and Learn More

Admirals Club Partner Lounge Amenities

Unlike Admirals Club locations, which offer increasingly standardized amenities, partner lounges vary widely in size, quality, and available amenities. This is not unlike the Priority Pass network of lounges in which you can find some fantastic lounges, including one with a swimming pool, while others are not even worth visiting.

At a minimum, Admirals Club partner lounges typically offer:

• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Soft drinks, coffee, and tea
• Beer and house wine
• Light snacks

Beyond that baseline, amenities vary quite a bit. Some of the more upscale or luxe partner lounges may include:

• Hot buffets or cooked-to-order meals
• Full bars with complimentary spirits
• Barista-made espresso drinks
• Shower suites
• Quiet rooms or nap pods
• Outdoor terraces

Here are three standout examples that show the wide range in quality and amenities offered at partner lounges:

Qantas International Business Lounge – Brisbane (BNE)

This is one of the most impressive lounges available to Admirals Club members anywhere in the world.

Located in Brisbane’s International Terminal, the Qantas International Business Lounge features a spacious, multi-level design with natural light, and a comprehensive food and beverage menu.

Amenities include:

• A hot buffet curated by Qantas’ Neil Perry dining team
• Barista-made coffee
• A full service bar with Australian wines and cocktails
• Private shower suites

Admirals Club members can access this lounge when flying on Qantas-operated international flights or eligible American Airlines flights. Members also have access to the less exciting Qantas Club.

Eventyr Lounge – Copenhagen (CPH)

Located in Copenhagen’s non-Schengen terminal, the Eventyr Lounge is one of the better contract lounges available to travelers.

The lounge is known for its Scandinavian design, quiet atmosphere, and panoramic runway views. While not as lavish as some flagship airline lounges, it consistently earns high marks from travelers for comfort and ambiance.

Admirals Club members may access the Eventyr Lounge when departing Copenhagen on an American Airlines-operated flight.

Alaska Lounge – San Francisco (SFO)

While American Airlines operates an Admirals Club at San Francisco International Airport, the Alaska Lounge at SFO is arguably a step up from American’s own lounge. This is partly thanks to having opened its doors to travelers in mid-2024.

The Alaska Lounge SFO features a modern design, plenty of natural light, and Alaska’s signature pancake machine. You can also enjoy solid views of the airport apron.

Admirals Club members can access Alaska Lounges when flying on American Airlines or Alaska Airlines-operated flights.

Related: Review of the Admirals Club at Washington-National (DCA) Concourse E

Who Can Access Admirals Club Partner Lounges?

Access rules for Admirals Club partner lounges are not the same as access rules for Admirals Club locations. The following applies specifically to Admirals Club members, not to oneworld elites or premium cabin passengers when accessing these partner lounges.

General Access Requirements

To access most Admirals Club partner lounges, you must present: a physical or digital Admirals Club membership card or a physical Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard® (as the primary cardholder). You will also need to provide a same-day boarding pass for an eligible flight.

What constitutes an “eligible flight” depends on the lounge or type of lounge.

Alaska Airlines Alaska Lounges

Admirals Club members may access Alaska Lounges when flying on:

• American Airlines-operated flights, or
• Alaska Airlines-operated flights

Codeshare flights operated by partner airlines like British Airways or Japan Airlines are excluded.

Related: Alaska Airlines Alaska Lounge Seattle (SEA) Review

Qantas Club and Qantas International Business Lounges

Access requirements become more complex when you get to the Qantas Club network. For Qantas Club locations, access is still pretty straightforward. To access Qantas Clubs, you need to be traveling on a Qantas-operated flight or an American Airlines-marketed flight operated by Qantas. You will need to present your membership card or Citi / AAdvantage Executive credit card in addition to your boarding pass.

As for Qantas International Business Lounges, access is limited to passengers traveling on international flights. Again, to access a Qantas International Business Lounge, you need to hold a same-day boarding pass on an eligible flight in addition to your Admirals Club membership. Eligible boarding passes include those for a flight operated by American Airlines or Qantas or an American-marketed flight operated by Qantas.

All Other Partner Lounges

For all other partner lounges — including most common-use lounges — access is limited to passengers departing on flights operated by American Airlines.

This is where many travelers are caught off guard. Flying British Airways, Iberia, Finnair, or another oneworld airline does not grant access to these lounges using an Admirals Club membership alone.

An Important Limitation for Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive Card Holders

Authorized users on the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard® do not have access to partner lounges when traveling by themselves. Authorized users can access Admirals Club locations, but partner lounges are restricted to:

• Primary Admirals Club members (and their guests)
• Primary Citi Executive cardholders and eligible guests

Authorized users may only enter partner lounges as guests of the primary member.

How To Get an Admirals Club Membership

There are three ways that you can get an Admirals Club membership. We’ve covered these three methods in our detailed post on how to access Admirals Clubs and club locations. However, here’s a brief breakdown of the three ways to obtain a membership:

1. Buy an Annual Membership: American Airlines sells Admirals Club membership outright starting at a whopping $850 a year with discounts when you renew your annual membership or for AAdvantage members who hold elite status.
2. Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard®: As part of the card’s $595 annual fee, cardholders receive complimentary Admirals Club membership as well as other benefits. Authorized users can access Admirals Clubs with their physical card however, this only applies to Admirals Clubs and not partner lounges.
3. ConciergeKey Status: If you’re lucky enough to receive American’s highest elite status, you will also receive a complimentary Admirals Club membership as long as you hold this status.

Related: Everything You Need to Know About American Airlines Admirals Clubs

The Bottom Line

Admirals Club partner lounges significantly increase the value of an Admirals Club membership, offering access to premium lounges in markets where American Airlines does not operate its own facilities.

However, this network comes with rather strict access rules that differ from Admirals Club locations and oneworld or AAdvantage elite benefits. Understanding those rules — particularly flight eligibility and authorized user restrictions — is essential to avoiding disappointment at the door.

If you frequently fly American Airlines internationally, an Admirals Club membership can be a worthwhile investment, especially when obtained through the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard®, which remains the most cost-effective way to secure membership.

Have you used your Admirals Club membership to visit a partner lounge?

Featured DEAL: Up to 40% Off at Tumi

Shop top luggage, backpacks, and accessories from Tumi and get up to 40% off.

Tumi Continental Dual Access 4-Wheeled Carry-On The Continental 4-wheeled carry-on features FXT ballistic nylon and 42 liters of space. Now $839 (Was $1,050) View Product

Alpha Bravo Barksdale Backpack Part of Tumi’s Alpha Bravo line, the Barksdale Backpack features a 25 liter capacity and space for a laptop up to 15 inches. Now $355 (Was $595) View Product

Tumi Carbon Fiber Print Belt – 35mm Features an embossed carbon fiber strap paired with a brass roller buckle. Now $175 (Was $250) View Product

Disclosure: This section contains affiliate links and content. If you click and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.