American Airlines' Flagship Lounge at JFK is (perhaps) the best of the lounges for an American carrier
We have already talked about the many, and mostly beautiful, lounges in New York's JFK Terminal 4, today is the [...]
American Airlines
Oneworld
JFK
We have already talked about the many, and mostly beautiful, lounges of the terminal 4 of the JFK New York, today is the turn of Terminal 8, the home of American Airlines. Other OneWorld companies also depart from here, and this is where British Airways will move, abandoning T7, when the terminal expansion is completed.
In this article:
The best bonuses
American Airlines provides its passengers with two levels of lounges, something similar to what British Airways and Lufthansa offer. At major airports there are few Flagship Lounges and many Admirals Clubs.
In this terminal there are three Admirals and precisely this Flagship.
Where are the Flagship Lounges
There are five of them and they are located at major airports where American Airlines operates. All but one of them also have Flaghsip Dining rooms inside.
- Chicago (ORD) the only one without Dining
- Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)
- Los Angeles (LAX)
- Miami (MIA)
- New York-JFK
Access
What is different from BA or LH are the access rules: while for the two European carriers to access "higher" level lounges the discriminator is status, in AA's loyalty program the class of ticket also applies.
For AA, the rules are promiscuous. First of all, if you have at least the Sapphire OneWorld level you will have access to this lounge.
But flight, class and destination also matter. If traveling in business on intercontinental or transcontinental routes, from one side of the U.S. to the other, can be accessed. While on short/medium range it depends on the fare and route.
It is good to be prepared, There are no independent or accessible lounges with PP or similar cards in this terminal. If you have a lot of hours you can go to the Centurion of T4, otherwise sandwich and drink and wait at the gate.
Forgot, since they were reopened post-pandemic, AA decided to sell access for the day, something never done before. The cost, however, is exorbitant: 150$ per person. Obviously I do not feel I can recommend this expense to anyone, rather it is worth asking how much it costs to upgrade to business which, in addition to the lounge, also gives a more comfortable trip.
Location
Impossible to miss: it is located just after the security checkpoint, remains on the left, and on the wall are the company's various logos from the 1960s to the present.
There are two lounges on the same level: the Flagship and one of the three admirals, and the other two are scattered around the terminal. From the reception desk if you go through the left door you enter this Flagship, if you go right into the Admirals.
The lounge
The lounge is nice and big; I had the opportunity to visit it early in the morning. I had a flight at 6 a.m. and the lounge opens at 4 a.m. It was obviously immaculate, there were not even 10 guests inside.
It overlooks the terminal, but it was still tremendously dark so I couldn't take my usual photos. Above is a sunset shot following my morning visit.
It is a large open space with various types of seating.
There is the lounge area, the dining area, the area where to work, the classic beehive-type boxes, and the relaxation area.
There is also a quiet area. Of course, if the lounge isn't crowded it's not needed, but I'm sure at peak hours it's definitely an interesting retreat.
There is an area with couches and TVs that broadcast sports channels 24 hours a day. Lots of power outlets and of course free wi-fi.
Having spent a night out and about in the Big Apple, I took advantage of the showers so I could freshen up for my morning flight. Access is free, you don't have to make reservations as you do in other lounges, just go and look for a free, clean room.
Inside is everything you need, even the very expensive Dyson hair dryer.
Food & Beverage
The offering is very good. Of course, breakfast is not the best time to evaluate the proposal, but I have had the opportunity to visit other lounges at other times of the day and I must say that the food proposal is good. Also nice is the idea of having a menu where all the offerings are listed.
The breakfast buffet was immaculate, orderly and rich. Appropriate for a level lounge. The hot offerings ranged from eggs to vegetable omelets, the ever-present bacon and sausages.
Cheese and cold cuts, fresh fruit, and a decent selection for those who like to have a sweet Italian breakfast.
The bartender is missing; in a lounge of this caliber I would have expected more polished service than the usual express machines.
There were beers, but obviously at breakfast they had not brought out the heavy artillery. Fridges full of every drink were on hand, as well as a Coke fountain capable of gushing out every flavor and beverage.
Flagship Dining
Then there is a door that hides a vip room, inside a vip lounge. Behind it is a restaurant offering gourmet cuisine and the most sought-after bottles of wine, champagne and bourbon as they call it on this side of the Atlantic.
Access is not for everyone; it is reserved for those traveling in Flagship First. That is, first class, the real thing. AA is the only U.S. carrier to offer this cabin type and offers it both on some transcontinental flights, those between the two coasts of the U.S., and on its long-haul fleet.
Important. In the U.S. many airlines call "first" what we in Europe call business class. So on domestic flights it is usual to have two types of tickets: economy and first. But in most cases, it is business.
In conclusion
At Terminal 8, there is no alternative to AA, not as spoiled for choice as at T4.
In general, this lounge is much better maintained than Delta's SkyLounge also at T4. Let's say that Delta wins for the bartender, who is present even at 9 a.m. and even though some of the offerings are pay-as-you-go. AA, on the other hand, wins for the quality of the food offerings, which are lesser but definitely more curated and tasty, and above all for the cleanliness and modernity of this Flagship.
This is just one of many reviews you can read on our site, covid and restrictions permitting. Every Wednesday we publish a review of a lounge airport, while every Friday you can read the review of one of our flights or a hotel where we stayed.
Pro
- Quality of the room
- Location and view
- Gastronomic offerings
Against
- The bartender is missing
- Automatic coffee and cappuccinos only