Background:
With my premium transcontinental flight in American Airlines’ Flagship Business Class product, I was able to visit the new “Greenwich Lounge” in New York (JFK). The Greenwich Lounge has taken over the old Flagship Lounge and added the former Admirals Club space so it is quite roomy. It’s primarily geared towards business class passengers. I’ve visited the former Flagship Lounge on a few occasions before and really enjoyed my visits. I’m happy to report that I also had a great visit to the newly revamped Greenwich Lounge.
The Greenwich Lounge is just 1 of 3 new lounge experiences that American Airlines and British Airways have collaborated with each other on. Opened at the end of 2022, I’ve also had the chance to visit the Soho Lounge which was built for top-tier oneworld Emerald members, and the Chelsea Lounge which is the first-class lounge offering.
Location and Access:
The Greenwich Lounge is located just past the security checkpoint above gate 12. It is open daily from 4:30 AM to 1:15 AM Signs will guide you on where to go, and you can take the stairs or an elevator up to the lounge entrance.
Access to the Greenwich Lounge New York (JFK) is available for those who are:
- Traveling in Flagship Business on a qualifying same-day international, transcontinental, or qualifying Hawaii flight marketed and operated by American or a oneworld airline (no guests)
- Oneworld Sapphire members with foreign frequent flyer programs on any same-day oneworld flight (+ 1 guest)
- AAdvantage Platinum members and Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold members on long-haul flights (+ 1 guest)
My Visit to the Greenwich Lounge New York (JFK):
I entered the lounge around 8 AM, and it was quite empty due to most international flights leaving in the evening. The Greenwich Lounge looks exactly the same as the old Flagship Lounge, and I entered by turning left at the reception after scanning my boarding pass.
Once you’re in the main area of the lounge, it is essentially one big room. To the right is the main buffet area and dining tables, and to the left is an enclosed quiet room as well as some seating areas with TV’s.
The breakfast buffet selection was decent, with some fresh fruit options, scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes, sausages, smoked salmon, cold cuts, and a bread selection. The Coca-Cola soda fountain wasn’t working during my visit, but at least the tea and coffee machine was. There is also a selection of beers and bottled water available in a fridge.
Towards the center of the lounge, there are a bunch of dining and high-top tables. This is also where the self-serve wine bar is.
Towards the back of the lounge, there are a variety of seating types. The windows have plenty of chairs with ottomans to admire the views of the planes and the airport. There are a lot of standard armchairs, but also some booths that make good workstations due to their added privacy.
The back of the lounge also has the bathrooms and showers. The bathrooms are spacious and quite clean and the Greenwich Lounge also has six shower suites with toiletries from D.S. & DURGA. I didn’t visit the shower suites on this visit, but they looked nice the last time I visited.
New Additions (Former Flagship First and Admirals Club Space):
So, these new additions are my personal favorites of the lounge. Right next to the main buffet area is an entrance to where the former Flagship First Dining used to be located. Now it is called the Tasting Room.
Tasting Room:
The Tasting Room (aka The Brooklyn Brewery Pub) opens at 10:30 AM and serves beers on tap plus bar snacks from a menu that includes pretzels, bratwurst to grilled cheese.
Unfortunately, I visited the lounge at 8 AM so I didn’t get to give it a try. But, at least you can sit there at any hour, and so that is where I had my breakfast. It looked very similar to the space of the former Flagship First Dining facility and was quite peaceful.
I love this space of the lounge, and hope I can try it out during normal operating hours sometime in the future!
Former Admirals Club:
If you go to the back of the Tasting Room, there is an entrance to the former Admirals Club area that provides extra seating, a bar, another set of restrooms, and a smaller food display.
During my visit, this area was quite empty, with maybe only 1 or 2 people lounging around. I like the serenity of the area, as well as the added seating overlooking the planes parked at the gate.
Bridge Bar:
Once you walk to the end of this area, you’ll arrive at the new Bridge Bar space. The menu features Aviation American Gin and Betty Buzz mixers, by Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively. You can order cocktails as well as light bites (with the menu being similar to the Tasting Room). As it was a morning visit, the Bridge Bar was closed, unfortunately.
When open I assume you can access the Bridge Bar by turning right at the Greenwich Lounge reception instead of walking through most of the lounge like I did. But, that entrance is kept closed in the morning.
The bar looked cute, and I definitely want to visit this space on my next visit.
The Verdict:
Overall, I think the Greenwich Lounge in New York (JFK) is a solid business-class lounge option. The spaciousness and solid food/drink offerings are major pluses. I do like the addition of the Tasting Room and Bridge Bar and hope that I can try them next time if I am visiting in the afternoon or evening.
Have you visited the updated Greenwich Lounge in New York (JFK) recently? How was your experience? Share below!
Cheers,
Ty
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