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American Airlines has been paying a bit more attention to its lounges in recent years and its the Flagship lounges which have probably seen the biggest changes.
Not all that long ago the American Airlines Flagship Lounge at LAX was open only to First Class passengers (international and transcon only) and top-tier oneworld elites but not any more.
Who Can Access The American Airlines LAX Flagship Lounge?
- ConciergeKey status holders traveling on any flight marketed and operated by American or a oneworld airline (regardless of cabin) + 2 guests
- First Class passengers booked on qualifying international flights* + 1 guest
- First & Business Class passengers booked on American Airlines transcon flights to New York JFK (no guests allowed)
- Business Class passengers booked on qualifying international flights* (no guests allowed)
- AAdvantage Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro and Platinum status holders departing on or connecting to a qualifying international flight* marketed and operated by American or a oneworld airline (regardless of cabin) + 1 guest.
- Non-American Airlines oneworld Emerald and Sapphire status holders departing on or connecting to any flight marketed and operated by American or a oneworld airline (regardless of cabin) + 1 guest
*Qualifying international flights include flights to the following locations: Asia, Australia, Central America, Europe, Mexico City, New Zealand & South America.
American Airlines LAX Flagship Lounge – General
In order to accommodate the extra passengers who now have access the LAX Flagship lounge was completely remodelled a little over 18 months ago and it swapped places with the Admirals Club.
The entrance to the Flagship Lounge is still opposite Gate 40 in LAX Terminal 4, you still check-in on the ground floor and the lounge is still one level up from the gate areas….but everything else has changed.
The entrance to the Flagship lounge is on the left as you exit the elevators or as you walk up the stairs to the level above the gate area (where an entrance to the old Admirals club used to be):
Your invitation to the lounge will be checked at the door and, once inside, you’ll find staffed customer service desks on the left and the beginning of the lounge directly ahead of you.
Next to the first area you walk into is a seating area with TV screens up on the walls….
…and a few tables and chairs up against the windows overlooking the apron between T4 and the Tom Bradley International Terminal:
American says that the LAX Flagship lounge is around 12,000 square feet in area and the main bulk of the lounge is taken up by one large space which encompasses the main seating area, the food service are and the dining area.
As you walk in to the main part of the lounge you’ll see a non-alcoholic beverage station on your left….
…and the seating area to the right:
This area was pretty busy when I visited so it was tricky to get any good pictures but these should give you a reasonable idea of what kind of seating you can expect:
There are power outlets between most of the seats but, as they’re not of the universal variety, international visitors will probably need an adapter to charge their larger devices.
The USB ports between the seats….
…and the ones found on the base of some of the table lamps….
…are useful for charging smaller devices.
Past this first main seating area the lounge opens up to more armchair seating, a food & drink service area, another drinks station (with bench seating) and dining-style seating:
American Airlines LAX Flagship Lounge – Food
The biggest change I noticed with the LAX Flagship lounge (when comparing it to its older version) was the quantity and quality of the food.
Here’s what was on offer during my evening visit.
Cold Dishes & Salads
- Sweet Chili Turkey & Green Papaya Salad
- Israeli Cous Cous Salad (cous cous with roasted vegetables & harissa dressing)
- Soba Noodle Salad
- Honey Ginger Pok Tenderloin Salad
- Shrimp & Crab Salad
- Assorted Rolls/Mini-Sandwiches
- Locally Sourced Meats & Cheeses
Hot Dishes
- Tomato Basil Bisque
- Vegetable Minestrone
- Citrus Herb Roasted Chicken
- Miso Salmon
- Beef Tenderloin
- Tofu Tikka Masala
- Cha Siu Bao (Cantonese BBQ Pork Bun)
- Stir Fried Vegetables
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Roasted Asparagus
- Roasted Potatoes
Desserts
The desserts weren’t individually labelled and I forgot to take pictures of most so you’ll just have to take my word for the fact that they were ok.
American Airlines LAX Flagship Lounge – Beverages
Non-Alcoholic Beverages
The lounge offers a number of coffee machines….
…soda machines….
…water, flavored water and juices….
…and other non-alcoholic beverages in chiller cabinets:
If you enjoy tea there’s an ample selection of that too:
Alcoholic Beverages
Up until earlier in the year the LAX Flagship Lounge actually served Bollinger Champagne but that excess has been spotted and the offering now is “Delamotte”
If Champagne isn’t your thing then the lounge also offers a selection of red and white wines….
….an impressive array of spirits (although none of them are high-end)….
….and a chiller cabinet with various beers and ales:
There’s also a “pour your own craft cocktail” area:
Last but not least, if you don’t want to eat a meal but like snacks with your drinks the lounge has you covered too:
American Airlines LAX Flagship Lounge – Showers
No good lounge is complete without a set of showers and the ones at the LAX Flagship lounge are pretty good….
….and, although they don’t offer individual toiletries (which I wish they did), the toiletries on offer are a step up from what was once offered:
Disables guests are also catered for with a fully accessible shower room.
Thoughts
Wow. The refurbished American Airlines Flagship Lounge at LAX is an incredible step up from what American used to offer here – it’s actually quite impressive.
Considering the range passengers who are allowed to use it the LAX Flagship lounge should be compared to Business Class and not First Class lounges elsewhere…and on that basis it’s a winner.
As far as Business Class lounges go this is definitely one of the best ones in the US and it easily beats out a lot of the Business Class lounges you’ll find elsewhere in the world too.
The staff have been incredibly friendly on all my visits over the past few months and the food options have generally been pretty good too.
Given the choice of the LAX Flagship lounge or the oneworld Business Class lounge over at the Tom Bradley International Terminal (a choice a lot of flyers will have) I’d definitely choose the Flagship lounge – it’s a lot brighter, its staffed better and the overall food and drink offering is probably better too.
I don’t often get to type this but here goes….
Well done American Airlines, you’ve done a very good job with the LAX Flagship Lounge.
