I'm not sure if this topic has been discussed before (I didn't find it when I searched), and hope it's not too dumb a question to seek your advice on here. The Missus & I are going to be traveling on BA in April from LAX to CDG (via LHR) in World Traveler Plus & Club World (essentially "premium economy",as I understand it). If I have Admiral's Club privileges (thru the new CitiBank Exec Credit Card), would we be entitled to access the Admiral's Club Lounges while waiting to board our various flights at LAX/LHR/CDG? Any experience/advice any of you would be willing to share on this would be very much appreciated as always)! Thanks!
Flying economy and no status but only the Executive credit card, I believe you will only have access to the LAX AC. If I'm wrong, someone will correct me.
BA departs from TBIT, the AC in LAX is in T4. So there won't be any AC access in LAX sadly. Honestly, this question might be a better fit in the BA forum. They know the ins and outs of BA policy better than most of us on the AA forum, though someone may have some insights. Here's the LINK to BA's lounge access guide. If I'm reading this correctly (btw, you're in Club Europe when flying LHR-CDG, not Club World), you will have some access based on your class of service. You used the term Club World in your post but it's actually Club Europe for LHR-CDG. Based on your class of service it seems like you get no access in LAX, but then you can access the BA lounge (not the AC) in LHR when connecting to CDG. On the return flight, you will have access to the AC in CDG since BA does not have a lounge there (they use AA's Admiral's Club) based both on your class of service or your credit card. Seems in LHR on the return you will not have access, but perhaps BA will look at your Club Europe ticket from CDG and allow you in. So... LAX-LHR no access LHR-CDG BA lounge access, but not AC CDG-LHR AC lounge access LHR-LAX no access/maybe access But again, I'm no BA expert, I'm just reading the chart.
On the LHR-CDG you'll depart from T5 where BA has the majority of their flights. You would not have access to the AC in T3 unless you're departing from T3. At LAX the AC is in T4. BA flies from the international terminal, so you'll have the same issue there.
As stated earlier, you'll be flying out of TBIT at LAX, not AA's T4. There is a OneWorld lounge within TBIT. Being a WT+ pax won't get you access. However, it sounds like you have a connection in the Club Europe cabin. Without question, you get lounge access at LHR. Simply show your CDG boarding pass at the Galleries Club lounge in LHR, and you'll be in. An interesting question is if having a business class segment in your one-way journey is enough to get you lounge access the entire one-way journey. It is definitely worth asking at the OW TBIT Business Lounge. I think you'd have a decent chance of getting access. Being a multi-carrier lounge, they are fairly strict - but it wouldn't surprise me if having any J segments in your one-way journey is enough to get you access. Certainly, if it were the other way around - you'd be fine. Let's say you flew club world (BA J) on LHR-LAX, then had a Y connection LAX-SAN. In that case, you'd definitely get LAX AC access in T4. Please report back and let us know how you go at TBIT. This is an interesting question.
Thank you all so much for your helpful feedback! I was hoping there might be some reciprocity element to Admiral's Club membership I wasn't aware of that'd get us that extra bit of calm before take-off (a bit of a nervous flyer me, who loves collecting miles - how's that for ironic). But aside from the shared AA/BA Lounge at CDG, it's not looking likely. P.S. DDavid, I did consider also posting the question over on the BA Forum as you suggested (thanks!), but I get a sense from the tenor of some of the posts over there that this topic might not be considered with enthusiasm. Nonetheless, I do learn a great deal from reading the posts on that Forum, just as I do from reading the posts here. Again, thank you all! Post-trip, I'll let you know what (if anything) happened access-wise.
There is but it's with Qantas and to a very limited extent with Alaska. There's also some access in China, Frankfurt and Helsinki. Check THIS PAGE on the AA website.
Yeah, I think that pretty much puts the last nail in this one. That said, it's been an education. Thanks for the extra info, Tom!
