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After my flight in from LAX in the new Flagship Suite cabin (although it was just regular domestic first class service), I had plenty of time to experience the American Airlines Flagship Lounge in Chicago.
Quick Take: American Flagship Lounge ORD Review
| Category | Rating (Out of 10) |
|---|---|
| Atmosphere & Design | ✅ 8/10 |
| Food & Beverage | ✅ 7/10 |
| Seating & Layout | ✅ 7/10 |
| Wi-Fi & Connectivity | ✅ 10/10 |
| Cleanliness & Comfort | ✅ 7/10 |
The American Flagship Lounge ORD is a step below the LAX location, and is quite crowded for a premium lounge.
Lounge Info
- Lounge Name: American Airlines Flagship Lounge ORD
- Location: Terminal 3, Between Concourse H and K, 2nd Level
- Operating Hours: Daily; 5:00AM-12:30AM
Access Policy
- Entry process: You must present an eligible boarding pass and access method to enter.
- Who can enter: American Airlines Flagship First and Business Class passengers, oneworld First and Business Class passengers, Aer Lingus Business Class passengers, AAdvantage Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro, and Platinum members on a qualifying international flight, Alaska Airlines Atmos Titanium, Platinum, and Gold members on a qualifying international flight, oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members on a qualifying international flight, ConciergeKey members on any American, oneworld, or Aer Lingus flight, Single Visit Pass.
- Guest policy: Guest access varies according to your status, ticketed cabin, and access method.
- Credit cards or memberships accepted: None.
I accessed the American Airlines Flagship Lounge ORD with my Flagship Business Class boarding pass from Chicago to London, which provides entry to any Flagship Lounge along the journey. When you arrive, you’ll notice that this location doubles as a Flagship Lounge and an Admirals Club. When you present your boarding pass to the front desk, they’ll provide you with an entry pass to the Flagship Lounge, which is collected upon entry to the Flagship Lounge space.
Atmosphere & Seating
Upon arriving to the Flagship lounge level, you’ll have your card collected and be welcomed into the lounge. One of the first things I noticed was how packed it was.
The lounge is approximately 17,000 square feet, and is built out length-wise. This means that there is plenty of space to the left or to the right after entering.
However, that doesn’t take away the fact that it can still become a packed house. I later realized that it was hosting several oneworld premium passengers, including British Airways and other American Airlines Flagship passengers.
One consistent thing that I noticed at this lounge and the Flagship Lounge LAX is that the seating is basically identical to what you’d find at the Admirals Club. That isn’t bad, but this takes away some of that premium feel.
One thing I also realized was that I wasn’t offered a glass of champagne like I was in Los Angeles. Sad!
What was pleasant to see was plenty of electric outlets to stay powered. There were even wireless charging pads, but I didn’t test them out.
There was table and high top seating.
And a TV lounge area with more comfortable seating for watching.
Food & Beverage
I arrived during dinner service, where you could find a variety of cold and hot food options.
They had sushi available, cheese, and other cold foods, such as vegetables.
They also had cold cuts and salads.
For hot food, they had seared tofu, Roma tomato spinach pasta.
They also had chicken andouille creole jambalaya, lemon pesto roasted salmon, and tangier vegetables.
They also had a soup bar, where you could get Chicken Avgolemono soup and a Tonkatsu broth to build a soup.
You also can’t forget the dessert bar, where they had decadent chocolate cake, mousse, and carrot cake.
There was also a complete drink station near the buffet area where you could grab a beer, wine, liquor, and Coca-Cola soft drinks.
Toward the opposite end of the lounge, you could also grab a coffee or tea from another drink station that was available.
On the other side of the coffee and tea station, you could grab snacks to nibble on.
Wi-Fi & Connectivity
Complimentary wifi was available and was pretty fast.
Cleanliness & Facilities
The lounge overall was kept tidy and clean, despite the hectic chaos inside the lounge during what seemed to be a peak time.
Shower Amenity
The American Airlines Flagship Lounge ORD has shower suites available for its guests.
Today I had the pleasure of using shower suite four.
To reserve a shower suite, you can go to the help desk inside the lounge, and they will collect your boarding pass and hand you a key for the shower suite.
Each suite offers a toilet, sink, and D.S. & Durga soaps and creams.
The scent offered was the D.S. & Durga Radio Bombay.
There is also a bench that can double as a luggage rack for your suitcase. Towels are also provided.
And last but not least, a Dyson hairdryer is available. I can see why these have a great reputation!
Final Thoughts & Verdict: American Flagship Lounge ORD Review
The American Airlines Flagship Lounge ORD is a decent premium lounge offering oneworld premium cabin passengers more comfort, but it doesn’t quite wow me in any particular way and in fact, I’d say it is a notch below the Flagship Lounge in LAX. The crowded aspect of the lounge really made it feel like any other lounge, and besides the food offerings, everything else in the lounge is the same as an Admirals Club (except the shower suites). That being said:
- Is it worth arriving early to visit this lounge? Probably not. Don’t rush to get there, but if you have access, it’s a great spot to grab a bite and shower before your flight. I’d like to say it’s a nice spot to relax, but during my entire stay it was crowded.
- What sets it apart? Nothing. The food is definitely better than you’d expect at any Admirals Club, but it doesn’t come close to beating what you can expect at the United Polaris Lounge in Chicago. The shower suites are very nice, but not nice enough to set this lounge apart.
Overall Rating: 7.8/10
What are your thoughts? Have you been to the American Airlines Flagship Lounge ORD? Let me know on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, or BlueSky!
As always, Live Life One Trip at a Time!
