Background:
Earlier this week I visited the American Airlines Flagship Lounge at LAX before my Flagship First flight to New York (JFK). The flagship lounges are one of my favorites as far as domestic lounges go, and my most recent visit to this particular location was over the summer, so I was excited to be back.
Location and Details:
The American Airlines Flagship Lounge at Los Angeles (LAX) is open daily from 4:30AM until 12:30AM. 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 4 locations: Chicago (ORD), Dallas (DFW), Miami (MIA) and Los Angeles (LAX). One is currently being built in Philadelphia (PHL) as well.
Access to the American Airlines Flagship Lounge at LAX is available to:
- Passengers traveling on qualifying oneworld longhaul international first and business class flights
- Passengers traveling in first class and business class on American’s premium transcontinental routes
- American Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro, and Platinum members traveling on qualifying oneworld international flights, regardless of cabin
- Concierge Key members traveling on any American or oneworld flight, regardless of cabin
- All oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members traveling on any oneworld flight, even if it’s domestic. (But non-American AAdvantage).
- Single Day Pass when flying American or oneworld airline for $150 or 15,000 AAdvantage miles.
The American Airlines Flagship Lounge LAX:
Upon entering on the main floor, you check-in with an agent 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.
Once you enter the Flagship Lounge, there are additional desks to assist with ticketing questions, which a friendly agent assisted me in taking a standby for an earlier flight, and a champagne cart was waiting at the entrance.
Next, I passed by the media room are on my way to the main part of the lounge with the buffet.
I entered the lounge a bit after 11am on a Tuesday, and the lounge was lively, but there was still ample seating. I sat in the dining area next to the buffet. One of the best selling points of this lounge is the nice window design, as a lot of natural light comes in, and it’s amazing to be able to watch the planes. Too often there are lounges that have no views, or feel like dungeons.
Food Selection:
The buffet selection for lunch was quite extensive, with hot dishes such as Lamb Sliders, Kale Pesto Rigatoni, Ratatouille, Caribbean Chicken, Zucchini Pancakes and Roasted Broccoli Spears. There are also cold dishes and sweets available. My favorite dishes were the Caribbean Chicken and this Tofu dish I got from the cold section.
They have a Coca Cola freestyle machine, liquor area, and well as a fully stocked fridge with canned/bottled drinks which is nice.
Additionally, the bathrooms are large and nice and shower rooms are also available in the lounge, and towards the end of that hallway is normally the entrance to Flagship First Dining. Currently, Flagship First dining is still closed at LAX and there isn’t any news on whether it will reopen or not.
The Verdict:
Overall, the American Airlines Flagship Lounge LAX continues to be one of my favorite domestic lounges, with the solid food selection and bright, airy atmosphere. I’m always happy to visit this lounge on my travels through LAX.
Have you visited the American Airlines Flagship Lounge at LAX? 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!
