Lounge Review: American Airlines Flagship Lounge Los Angeles (LAX)

Background:

I recently visited the American Airlines Flagship Lounge at LAX after arriving from Boston on a transcontinental Flagship Business flight. I really like how American grants access to the Flagship Lounge (which is nicer than the Admirals Club) on transcontinental business class flights. When I flew United’s premium transcon flight from Los Angeles to New York, I only got access to the United Club, not the Polaris Lounges.

Location and Details:

The American Airlines Flagship Lounge at Los Angeles (LAX) is open daily from 4:30AM until 1:00AM. It is located next to Gate 40 in Terminal 4. It is on the second floor, and shares an entrance with the Admirals Club.

Flagship Lounges are American Airlines’ premium lounges and there are currently 5 locations: Chicago (ORD), Dallas (DFW), Miami (MIA), New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX). One is currently being built in Philadelphia (PHL) as well.

The Flagship Lounge LAX:

After entering on the main floor, you check-in and get a flagship card to take upstairs. Once you arrive upstairs, the Admirals Club is to the right, and the Flagship Lounge is to the left. Upon entering the Flagship Lounge, a champagne cart and attendant were waiting at the entrance. I entered the lounge a bit after 11pm, so I passed on champagne.

The lounge was very empty, with only a few guests scattered around. I’ve previously visited the lounge back in 2018 and really enjoyed it back then. Thankfully, the lounge is still great and I had a great visit this time as well.

Shower rooms are available in the lounge, and towards the end of that hallway is normally the entrance to Flagship First Dining. If you are flying in First, you could have a sit-down dining experience, but as of my visit in July 2022, Flagship First dining is still closed at LAX.

Food Options:

After getting off the plane, I was a bit hungry for a quick snack and the Flagship Lounge was the perfect place to satisfy my craving.

The buffet at 11pm still contained a solid spread, and I opted for some garlic noodles and macaroons for dessert. Other warm options included Pork Belly and Halibut. There were plenty of cold options as well, ranging from cured ham, coleslaw and poke.

For drinks, there was a Coca-Cola Freestyle Fountain, coffee maker, as well as bottled soft drinks. And of course, self-serve alcohol.

The Verdict:

Overall, for a domestic lounge, the American Airlines Flagship Lounge LAX is a solid choice with an amazing food selection and airy atmosphere. The fact that you can gain access on a premium transcontinental flight is quite nice and, it is definitely is a step up over the competition in comparison to the United Club at LAX.

Have you visited the American Airlines Flagship Lounge LAX? How was your experience? Share below!

Safe travels,

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!