Review: American Airlines Flagship Lounge Chicago O’Hare Airport

Is something going on with AA today? 2+ hr hold time with Exec Plat line.

All lounges in ORD sucks. Even the SWISS lounge in Terminal 5. Gosh, why can't every major US hubs have a bunch of good lounges like what LAX have.
LAX may not be the best airport in US, but definitely have best lounges in US, especially in Tom terminal.
The Oneworld lounge, Emirates lounge, Virgin lounge and new Star Alliance lounges in LAX are way way way way way way way much better than rest of lounges in US. Even include Delta lounge in JFK.
Another reason makes me love LAX. (Also, remember LAX is the most competitve market in US given no single airline dominate that market, and LAX soon will have more population than NYC)

Reading this makes me so outraged. I can not belive AA is offering this to First Class Int'l passengers. I can not wait to for the ME3 to clean their clock!

Can we enter this lounge with the Citi Prestige card??

@Fred - No you can not enter this lounge with the Citi Prestige Card. You do get access to the Admiral's Clubs.

What about entry with a Citi Platinum card?

Hi Lucky,

IMHO that ever since the announced merger with US Air, the quality of food has degraded so much to a point of being inedible in all facets of the airline. It's not just the on the plane that we have seen this drastic negative change. All the lounges, Flagship and Admirals Club have felt this change. I'm glad I was lucky enough to experience the "good old days" of the 1st class lounge experience.
For those seeking a meal instead of a quiet work location, one would be better served to fly into DFW and go to the AMEX Centurion lounge instead.

-Keith

Ben, thanks for the great review.

As a concierge key can I use this lounge when traveling domestically?

The United Club at Chicago has much improved catering, @Lucky I like your blog but I think you should ditch AA, I do admire their fleet plan and hard product but, merging with US might be as bad (or worse) as when United merged with Continental. Jeff Smisek may not be the most experienced CEO, but he is neither a douche (Richard Anderson) or a cold realist (Doug Parker). I have a suspicion you are biased against United, where is the news report about their 777-300er orders to replace their junky 744s?? You love LH first so why not be
more loyal towards UA.

What a perfectly pleasant business class lounge.

Lucky,

A little confused on one of the lines up there. If you're an ExecPlat, can you enter the lounge even if traveling domestically because all oneworld Emeralds have the same service. If not, can't I go out of the lounge, turn around, and come in and say, "Hello. I'm Joe Schmoe, a oneworld Emerald. No, I have no idea who the man who looked just like me from before was." Thanks!

Parker, AA says that it's own elites are not allowed to the AC/Flagship lounges on purely domestic itineraries including Canada.

However, if you have OWE from another airline - say, BA or CX or JL etc. you are perfectly able to use the AA lounges using your OWE status.

http://www.oneworld.com/ffp/lounge-access

See here: American Airlines AAdvantage® members and US Airways Dividend Miles members, regardless of their tier status or class of travel, are not eligible for lounge access when travelling solely on North American flights within or between the U.S., Canada, Mexico (except Mexico City), the Bahamas, Bermuda and the Caribbean. For more information, visit, http://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/airportAmenities/AdmiralsClub.jsp and http://www.usairways.com/en-US/traveltools/club/default.html

I use this lounge frequently and think it's fine. I think you are so jaded from experiencing so many nice lounges around the world, you can't accept anything that isn't up to those standards.
Next time- skip it! Or stop complaining!

Does anyone know why DFW does not have a Flagship lounge? I know there was one in the past.

@Parker - AA Executive Platinum don't get lounge access when traveling on domestic US itinreraries, unless connecting to an international flight. That restriction does not apply to oneworld Emerald members with other programmes.

@Brian - Ben isn't the only person who finds this lounge a let down. We noted that the Admirals Club here was more spacious and less crowded, and we think that's important for travelers to know: www.milesdownunder.com/2015/02/review-american-flagship-lounge-chicago/

If we have admirals club access with the AA citi exec and are on an international itinerary do we get access to this lounge?

@Brian, what's wrong with pointing out how inferior this "first class lounge" is in comparison to those of most other carriers throughout the world? How is it "jaded" to point out the obvious deficiencies in this lounge? Or as Americans, are we just supposed to accept substandard offerings with a "love it or leave it" attitude?

@DAve - no access with Citi Platinum card

@Jamie - no, unless you are AA Executive Platinum, or One World Emerald, or flying in international First Class

This looks pretty good! I am wondering, having the prestige card and no status with aa whatsoever, in what circumstance am i allowed access to this lounge, and how about my companion?

Its funny. I am like you and often skip this lounge and use the admirals club. I would have a hard time saying that this lounge is better then the admirals club. There are no showers, and usually on international connections I like to clean up. Also I find the area cramped even when it's empty.

My usual plan is spend most of my layover in the admirals club, and only use the Flagship lounge to grab a snack.

@Ken. Well said. For many who post with juvenile tomes like Brian's miss the point of Lucky's postings, viz. to give his experiences as he sees them. And his personal views should not be dismissed with loser attitude of 'stop complaining'. Lucky has traveled enough to ferret out the nuances between quantity and quality of standards. Keep complaining, Lucky!

@Brian As a regular reader (and infrequent commenter) on this blog I beg to differ. The point of a review is to experience and evaluate the lounge, so that readers can make informed decisions, be it which lounge to use or which hub to fly out from. If there's anyone who has to "stop complaining", I'm afraid it's you.

AA has so few paid international F pax, in their eyes it would be economic suicide to offer vintage champagnes, cooked to order meals and waiter service. Their OW contract forces AA to offer a separate space to F and OWEmerald members. They just do the bare minimum to comply.

@JoeMart. U.S. carriers probably haul few paid international F fares and that's reflected in their service. Why pay loads of cash for an inferior product when there's other choices in the form of Asian and, increasingly, Gulf carriers who actually have 'First, not meaning second service'.. Maybe that's one of the reasons that U.S. carriers have their danders up lately.

I just came across that AA will be remodeling their Admiral Clubs within the next few years. Hopefully O'Hare Admiral Flagship lounge will be brought up to higher standards? It looks like NY Lax and MIami will be getting the first updates.

I believe you can also use the flagship lounges if flying transcon first class on a plane with three classes.

@ sbord -- I haven't heard them announce that they'll be updating the Flagship Lounges, but we could certainly hope.

I'll have a long overlay in ORD getting off Air Berlin Business and before flying AA domestic in First. What is the best lounge that I can use in ORD for 5 hours?

@ Viet -- In that case only when traveling in international first class on a oneworld carrier.

@ Jamie -- Nope, just access to the Admirals Club. This lounge is for oneworld Emerald and international first class passengers.

@ Brian G. -- Simply put because American knows everyone there is a hub captive and there are too many Executive Platinum members to practically have one.

@ Brian -- I agree it's "fine." So is the Admirals Club. So is the gate area. But that doesn't mean I can't provide an objective review and compare it to other lounges, no?

@ Parker -- All oneworld Emerald members EXCEPT those through AAdvantage get flagship lounge access whenever they travel, even if it's domestic. Meanwhile AAdvantage members only get access when traveling on longhaul international flights.

@ Tocqueville -- Nope, unfortunately not. Concierge Key doesn't come with any special lounge privileges, as far as I know.

@ Dave -- Nope, you don't get any lounge access with the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select Card.

@ Fred -- Nope, Admirals Club only.

@ 02nz -- Yep, horrible weather in Dallas.

@ JW -- The Admirals Club is as good as it gets.

Can I use the flagship lounge after arriving on an international first class from Shanghai? I have 3 hours to burn before my domestic connection to Austin and wondering if I can use this lounge ?