In August 2025, we saw American Airlines launch its Provisions by Admirals Club concept in Charlotte (CLT), which is essentially a grab & go lounge concept for those with Admirals Club access, intended primarily for short connections. American has now introduced the same concept at New York Kennedy (JFK), and this one seems much more…
Continue reading: American Airlines Opens First Lounge With Barista Coffee… I’m Happy!
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Ok, nice move but how about airports like PHX, MCO or TPA that have clubs that are overcapacity? Provisions Clubs help cut down capacity at already constrained clubs. Assuming there is the room and ability to open a mini type grab and go.
Not always the most efficient process when people are making coffee. Hope they have some faster options than waiting in a line.
Is it a real barista like Qantas has, or is it just someone pressing buttons on an automated machine like Starbucks?
Its weird. People will stand quietly for 15 mins to get a coffee, every day. If a bar made you wait 15 mins for a drink, you’d never go back.
Do we know what access looks like? Obviously, Admirals members, but do they take one time passes like from the Strata card?
@George I don't imagine a Provisions (or anything else) coming to PHX T4 anytime soon, unless the airport can get real creative. Maybe after 2033 when the West Terminal is constructed and (hopefully) AA moves there.
It’s nice but for those like myself who are platinum or above on an AFS international itinerary or premium transcon, I would rather spend time in the Greenwich or SoHo lounge. It will come in handy for a domestic or non-AFS international trip that’s leaving out of the low gates when often times it’s not worth the hike to the AC and back.
Sure but if Provisions has better coffee than Greenwich, can get your coffee at Provisions from a Barista and then head into Greenwich. Not inconvenient given that this is just below the JPLs.
And if you are flying economy, can grab a bottle of water and a cheese plate / small meal / etc. which may be better than whatever you get served on the plane (or supplement on a longer flight).
Ben, this may not be the place to write about it, but you may want to write about Canada's recent decision to carve a sterile zone at Montreal and Toronto (terminal 1), allowing for the first time passengers from Outside Canada to Outside Canada to skip any contact with Canadian Immigration and Customs, the bags being transfered as is the case in most countries except the US (and Canada up to now). Apparently, other Canadian airports ar encouraged to join.
Re bags from Outside Canada to the US via YYZ or YUL, the bags are apparently transfered but still inspectable by US customs as is now the case for transborder flights CA to US
One important caveat, though. For the bags to be transfered seamlessly, the delivering and the connecting airlines have to sign-up to the system (i.e. agree to transfer the bags), otherwise they will remain on the delivery belt in YUL or YYZ, as was the case so far.
I understand that AC has signed-up, but for any other transfer (e.g. AA from the US to Dublin on EI (2 Oneworld members), I would still allow time to check the baggage carousel at the intermediary point
"elevated beverages" ? What do they add to the coffee to make them "elevated" ?
What kind of coffee do they serve? I've had plenty of "barista prepared" coffee that tastes like absolute rubbish.
Basically replaces the old Term C Admirals Club which went away when the 3 tier lounges were built. I suspect AA had complaints from AA Club members. Plus the Term B AA Club is overcrowded at times.
Delta needs to up their coffee game, both onboard and (at least) in their D1 lounges. I’m super jealous from both AA and UA when it comes to coffee!!
Just because they are called a Barista dosen't mean they are a Barista proof will be in the coffee ☕
Just genuinely curious: How are barista coffees different from self serving machine ones?
This is weird though. You'd think that they would open up a Provisions lounge for LGA rather than JFK. LGA is the perfect use case for this lounge, flights aren't long, high frequency, short layovers.
AA doesn't have nearly as many shorthaul domestic flights from JFK as LGA.
It's really not that different. I've noticed this blog somehow thinks it's different when you have to press some buttons on a machine vs when another human presses some buttons on a machine for your coffee.
It's the machine and the beans that make the difference, not a barista. Many baristas use the exact same machines as you do when it's self-serve.
You want a cup of coffee ? Grab one at the airport or make one before you leave home. Who wants to spend more time in an airport than necessary ?
There are 18 coffee places within 5 miles of me, and all have barristas who know what they're doing, not the burnt-coffee takes-five-minutes-for-a-double just-got-hired Starbcks geniuses.
I can get great coffee from my Breville at home or those 18 places of which I really like 3-4. I meet friends there, have consults there, and even HOA business at times.
None of that is possible in the "creme de la creme" of a lounge stuck in the middle of one of the biggest pile of shit airports in the world. Nobody extolls the virtues of JFK and with good reason. Crappy location. Crappy runways. Crappy weather. Attitude of staff. Avoid in any ITN if you can.
Oh. Now American will serve you coffee. Sure, the FA that wants to throw Swiss families off the flight will pull a perfect shot for my latte. Right. And none of my friends, colleagues, business associates, or clients will be there.
No thanks. It's softer than the soft product, and they haven't got that right ever [yet?]
I'd rather have a Hooka Lounge by Qatar air, and I don't smoke. Or a back massage place by Signapore Airlines, and the back is fine, thanks.
American??? Espresso???? Barrista (look it up; it's not a GA or FA on break pulling shots).
Slow new days at OMAAT are lovely. For slow people.
This would be a great concept for PHX where I generally avoid the AAdmirals Clubs due to crowding.
that would be too useful for this space. Lucky is here to. talk about "aspirational" travel!
I guess Ben means it is a portafilter machine, which definitely makes a difference compared to automated coffee machines. Though I agree with the beans, and Lavazza is not famous for having good ones, so I wouldn't be too stoked about this.
It's for when they put the 'FINAL CALL' marker before boarding has even started.
Am I the only one to notice that the ‘oracle’ on all things AA, has failed to offer Ben, the benefit of his click?
Who’s the oracle? I’m pleased by this. JFK T8 has nothing for domestic AA, non-CK, before the tunnel (where the AC is). Something is better than nothing.
Oh, the Chief Customer Officer and her comments..... Who's really connecting at JFK on AA?
I would be curious if AA was more profitable at JFK back when they still used the ancient 762 (all the way to 2014) before downsizing to the airbus narrowbody with smaller coach section. https://simpleflying.com/american-airlines-boeing-767-200/
That attitude is probably a core part of why US airports have been atrocious for so long. You can't have nice things if you don't value them. That's why most of America looks like variations of a walmart parking lot.
I'm going to guess you're a "milk with a spritz of fake coffee" sort of person. Or a "I don't really like coffee"? One of those two, amirite?
There's a big difference with barista coffee, provided they're not just shepherding the same machine (which wouldn't be barista coffee, it would be a counter attendant) ...
To be fair, US airports are almost uniformly mismanaged with US-style priorities. It's why even random airports abroad, even budget hubs, are usually on par with the best we have in the states. America doesn't believe in public infrastructure.