Lounge Review: American Admirals Club Orange County (SNA)

Background:

The last time I came to visit the Admirals Club Orange County (SNA) was in August 2023. I walked in after a flight to freshen up and possibly have a snack but left in 10 seconds as it was so crowded. So, I’ve never fully experienced the lounge before. Fast forward to January 2024, I was flying Flagship First to New York (JFK), so I visited the lounge before my flight. 

Location + Access:

The Admirals Club at SNA is in front of gate 8. You can take the elevator to the 2nd floor, or use the stairs. The lounge looks down at the gate areas below, and you’re able to see the runway. As of my January 2023 visit, hours of operation are 5:15 a.m. – 8:45 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and 6:15 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. on Sunday.

Some ways to access the Admirals Club Orange County (SNA) include:

• Admirals Club members or One-Day Pass Customers
• Customers in First or Business on a qualifying departing or arriving international or transcontinental flight
• Qualifying AAdvantage Executive Platinum, AAdvantage Platinum Pro, and AAdvantage Platinum members flying internationally
• Non-AAdvantage oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members
• Military
• Citi/AAdvantage Executive Card Holders

My Visit:

I entered around 10:30 am, and it wasn’t too crowded thankfully. It’s definitely the smallest Admirals Club I’ve been to. You’ll first pass the small bar on the left that can seat 7. And, on the right is the food/buffet area.

Entering the main room is an assortment of sofa-style chairs, with some dining tables in the back. Most of these were taken when I arrived.

Once you hit the back of the lounge and turn left, there are three workstations and a printer. This is where I decided to camp out during my visit, and I took one of the workstations to get some work done and nibble on some snacks.

Also, there is a row of dining table chairs here that I like to call the “overflow chairs”. 

When I first arrived, the whole business center back area was quite empty, but then started to fill up around noon. People even had to start sitting in those “overflow chairs” behind me. The lounge is not large enough for SNA. Or maybe it’s just during this time before the A321T flight to New York, as that is a potential of 10 Flagship First and 20 Flagship Business passengers with access to the lounge. Essentially just those premium cabins on that one flight could fill up the lounge. Haha.

Food Options:

When I first entered at breakfast, the buffet spread was quite sparse. There were bagels, cereal, scrambled eggs, and oatmeal. Also, there’s a coffee machine that can make various drinks. And if you want soft drinks, you’ll have to head to the bar.

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After 11 am, lunch came out and the spread improved a bit. There was a BBQ Chicken Slider Bar, Tortilla Soup, Minestrone Soup, Salad, and cheeses. Additionally, there were some cookies, Rice Krispie treats, and mini brownie bites, as well as trail mix.

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There weren’t many pre-packaged snacks for the go, other than small packages of crackers that are meant as a side for soup. I do wish they had some chips or something.

I ended up making tea, grabbing some dessert, and creating my own slider. The slider was a decent snack to have before the flight.

Restrooms:

Surprisingly for such a small lounge, there were dedicated restrooms. This was nice so you didn’t have to go to the terminal areas to use the restroom. The restroom was small, and the men’s restroom had one stall, one urinal, and one sink. There was lotion and soap provided by D.S. & DURGA.

The Verdict:

Overall, I had a decent visit to the American Admirals Club Orange County (SNA). It’s a really small lounge and offers a limited selection of bites. I wish there was more space in Orange County for the lounge to expand, but it is what it is. I wouldn’t come to the airport early to visit the lounge, but it beats waiting at the gate if the airport is crowded.

Have you visited the American Admirals Club Orange County (SNA) before? How was your experience? Share below!

Cheers,

Ty

Have any questions? Comment below or email me at takeofftotravel@gmail.com. I’ve also started working with a travel agency, Fora Travel, and can assist in booking hotel stays or planning trips. You can also view all my other posts here! Thanks for stopping by!