Review: the (temporary) AA Admirals Club lounge, New York JFK Airport Terminal 8

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• Simon Schus says:

  17 Aug17 August 05:18

  Thank you for the review 🙂

  From the photographs, the food offering is almost *exactly* the same as is usually available in the permanent Admirals Club lounge in Terminal 8 (I’m unsure about the Flagship Lounge though as I’ve never been into it). They do offer a paid-for option for more substantial meals (i.e. sandwiches). Instead, I’ve tended to head over to Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds to pick up some food which I take back to the lounge.

  It should also be noted that there is another Admirals Club in Terminal 8 (I forget which concourse) which I have tended to find a much better experience. I don’t know if that is being refurbished right now either as I’ve been avoiding JFK a bit recently (if it is open then it offers a good set of shower rooms which the Concourse B lounge also used to have).

  It should also be noted that the bars has tended to divide between ‘complimentary drinks’ and ‘premium drinks’. As a BA Sapphire or Emerald, I’ve tended to be given vouchers for a couple of premium drinks in Admirals Clubs – this is typical across PHL, BOS, JFK, PIT, ORD and every Admirals Lounge I’ve been to in the US. These ‘drinks chits’ are good for a glass of champagne, a more brand-name type of beer or spirits, sometimes Baileys if they have them. Otherwise, the complimentary alcohol options are decent enough though offer a more limited option… but yes, a tip is customary even for the complimentary drinks (I tend a dollar a drink but it took me several trips to realise that this was the case after realising everybody else leaving them).

  • plastikman says:

    17 Aug17 August 07:00

    I was given three chits and traded them in for a gin and tonic, a pint of directors bitter and one small Baileys.

    • Gavin says:

      17 Aug17 August 10:39

      Aha, that’s a good idea

    • Alex W says:

      17 Aug17 August 11:55

      Ahhh, ladyboys!

      • harry says:

        17 Aug17 August 15:27

        Indeed – should have been a large Baileys

  • Ed says:

    17 Aug17 August 07:45

    You do get “proper” food at T8 Flagship and all drinks are complimentary (self service). Not a big space though so I wouldn’t be surprised if it tends to get really crowded.

    Not sure whether it’s being refurbished as well though – was last there in February.

  • Benj says:

    17 Aug17 August 10:58

    Indeed the food is standard for Admiral Clubs, not a temporary situation scenario

    The soup also sounds typical. It can be nice if you’re in he mood for salt, otherwise you’re out of luck! Having moved to the US last year, I’ve found this to be pretty typical everywhere, it’s not just a fault with AA

  • John says:

    17 Aug17 August 15:20

    I believe bottled water requires a chit also, or it did at DFW a couple of years ago. We stocked up on a couple for in flight use before heading back to LHR in Y.

• Simon Schus says:

  17 Aug17 August 05:19

  Also, from the looks of the photograph… the ‘temporary’ lounge is directly outside the permanent lounge that is being refurbished.

• Alan Wan says:

  17 Aug17 August 05:48

  Wow it looks pretty grim. I departed from the same terminal in late July but was lucky enough to have access to the AA Flagship lounge, due to my BA Gold status. It was very nice, decent views, shower facilities and surprisingly good food and drink. It had a help yourself bar including Taittinger champagne. It was better in every aspect to the BA 1st lounge at T7.

  • dps says:

    17 Aug17 August 09:51

    …and the AA Flagship Lounges at ORD and LAX also offer excellent food, drink and – if necessary – efficient re-booking by AA agents, while the BA GF “experience” becomes shabbier by the day.

  • flyforfun says:

    17 Aug17 August 11:13

    Still way better than the Serviceair lounge at LHR T3!

    • Rob says:

      17 Aug17 August 12:07

      Closes in 2 weeks for good!

• Simon says:

  17 Aug17 August 06:49

  This lounge looks slightly better than the one I was in yesterday: the Al Maha lounge in Doha. Awful. Just awful.

  • Rob says:

    17 Aug17 August 07:06

    Been there, grief, yes, it is grim. I didn’t write about it at the time because it was a brief visit and it was so crowded I couldn’t take pictures. I ended up sitting in the business centre behind a PC, even though I hadn’t been planning to work, just to get a seat.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    17 Aug17 August 11:27

    Crazy how the flagship lounges are so nice but the others are awful, worst I’ve personally used, also situated under these huge advert screens with a clear glass roof its terrible planning.

    I just don’t understand the thought process in an otherwise nice airport

  • Guesswho2000 says:

    17 Aug17 August 20:16

    I agree with this entirely – sat in there for about half an hour and decided the main airport was more appealing. The previous time I’d been through DOH, OWS cardholders were allowed in the Al Mourjan, oh how things have changed!

• Danksy says:

  17 Aug17 August 07:08

  Apart from the BA lounges in JFK I haven’t found a decent one in the US yet (I fly oneworld)

  • Brian says:

    17 Aug17 August 07:26

    Try Virgin – theirs are excellent.

    • dps says:

      17 Aug17 August 09:55

      or – if you only fly OW – any CX lounge (not least for the noodle bar at CDG)

      • Brian says:

        17 Aug17 August 13:49

        But CDG is not in the US…

  • Simmo says:

    17 Aug17 August 09:47

    And the AMEX centurion lounges ! Also very good!

  • Cam says:

    17 Aug17 August 12:28

    The AA Flagship lounge in ORD is quite nice, and on a recent visit had reasonable food and drink options. Standard lounges in the US (across all airlines) are best seen as a place for water, coffee and more quiet than one finds elsewhere, not somewhere for a meal or extended stay.

• Ian says:

  17 Aug17 August 07:45

  This is standard for food and drink, so not sure why you were surprised lol

  Also no need to tip. They really do not expect it if using the voucher. Sure they will take it if offered!

• Alan says:

  17 Aug17 August 07:58

  Not great, thankfully if you gave BA Gold (OW Emerald) the nearby Flagship Lounge is pretty decent and not normally too crowded!

• Paul says:

  17 Aug17 August 08:01

  Have passed through both T8 domestic and LAX AA lounge in last week. Saw nothing new at the JFK lounge but LAX a building site. I was with my family and could not access the flagship side with them and didn’t have time to visit solo. Hopefully as well as new environments they will do something about the crap food and miserable drinks offer

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