Benji Stawski is a former reporter for the site, covering all things points, miles, credit cards, travel and aviation.
September 14, 2021 • 14 min read
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By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
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Quick summary
Many airport lounges in North America have reopened, though services and amenities remain limited or modified due to health and safety protocols.
Major U.S. airlines have resumed operations at select lounge locations, but some international and premium lounges are still closed or offer reduced services.
Food and beverage offerings are often prepackaged or grab-and-go, with some lounges offering limited hot food or bar service; mask requirements and social distancing measures are in place.
Access rules and available amenities may differ by airline, lounge type and location, with some lounges requiring membership, elite status or premium-cabin tickets.
What to consider
Some lounge offers mentioned in the article are no longer available; readers should check current access policies before traveling.
Shower facilities and certain premium amenities may remain unavailable, and capacity limits or reduced hours could affect access.
Face coverings are generally required except when eating or drinking, and service flow has been redesigned to minimize contact.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed, airline-by-airline breakdown of current lounge openings, specific locations, and updated service offerings across North America.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
People are returning to the skies as lockdowns ease and vaccination rates tick upward. Still, the actual flying experience looks quite different, with airlines reducing and redesigning service flow to minimize passenger and crew interactions and reduce touch points.
Even on the ground, air travel may seem unfamiliar, as some airline lounges remain closed due to a combination of low demand and social distancing requirements. Meanwhile, for the lounges that are open, things may not be business as usual. For instance, many lounges are still offering just prepackaged food and drink instead of their usual buffets and self-serve bars. That said, things are slowly returning to normalcy, at least domestically.
If you’re flying soon, here’s what you need to know about which lounges are currently open.
A seating area in American Airlines’ Flagship Lounge at New York-JFK. (Photo by Benji Stawski/The Points Guy)
Let’s start by taking a look at the North American airlines that account for most of the travel to, from and within the U.S. You’ll notice a few airlines missing from this list, such as Southwest and JetBlue, because they don’t operate lounges.
Entrance to Flagship First dining room at JFK Terminal 8 in March 2020. (Photo by Benji Stawski/The Points Guy)
American Airlines offers three tiers of lounge experiences for its premium and elite passengers, including the more basic and prevalent Admirals Club, Flagship lounges in major international gateways and Flagship First dining facilities at a smaller number of key hubs.
Generally speaking, Flagship lounges are intended for international premium-cabin passengers (with those flying in three- and four-cabin first-class aircraft being invited to Flagship First dining) and upper-level elites. Meanwhile, Admirals Clubs are for domestic road warriors and require a membership, one-day pass, upper-level elite status or the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees) to access.
After being closed for nearly 18 months, American just reopened its New York-JFK Flagship Lounge and Flagship First dining facility in mid-September. It will reopen its Miami (MIA) Flagship Lounge on Sept. 28, followed by the airline’s three other outposts — Chicago (ORD), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and Los Angeles (LAX) — later throughout fall 2021.
Meanwhile, American has reopened all of its domestic Admirals Club, as well as some international ones:
Atlanta (ATL) – North Terminal, Concourse T.
Austin, Texas (AUS) – Gate 22.
Boston (BOS) – Terminal B.
Charlotte (CLT) – Concourses B and C.
Chicago O'Hare (ORD) – Concourses G, H/K and L.
Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) – Terminals A, B, C, D and E.
Denver (DEN) – Concourse A.
Honolulu (HNL).
Houston Intercontinental (IAH) – Terminal A.
Los Angeles (LAX) – Terminals 4 and 5 and Eagle Regional Terminal.
Mexico City (MEX).
Miami (MIA) – Gates D15 and D30.
Nashville (BNA) – Concourse C.
New York Kennedy (JFK) – Terminal 8, concourses B and C.
New York LaGuardia (LGA) – Concourse D.
Newark (EWR) – Terminal A.
Orange County, California (SNA) – Gate 8.
Orlando (MCO) – Gate 55.
Philadelphia (PHL) – Terminals B/C and F.
Pittsburgh (PIT) – Main lobby.
Phoenix (PHX) – Gates A7 and B5.
Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina (RDU) – Terminal 2.
San Francisco (SFO) – Terminal 1.
Sao Paulo (GRU).
St. Louis (STL) – Concourse C.
Tampa (TPA) – Gate 85.
Washington Reagan (DCA) – Terminals B and C.
There’s no word yet when the remaining international Admirals Club locations will open.
Related: American Airlines extends lounge access to more passengers and streamlines rules American Airlines Admirals Club, Boston. (Photo by Benji Stawski/The Points Guy)
Once inside a club, you can expect complimentary hot food; signature dishes for sale; self-serve snacks; disposable, single-use glassware; a full-service bar; touchless menus with signage and QR codes; foot-operated door openers; hand sanitizer stations; and glass shields at service desks. Additionally, Admirals Clubs are once again serving avocado toast in the mornings and guacamole and chips in the afternoons. A face covering is required while you’re in the club, but you can remove it to eat or drink.
American recently began selling premium wines and Champagne by the bottle in select cities. Alternatively, customers are now able to sample wine flights, ranging from $11 to $13.
As of the end of June, all Sky Club locations have reopened, including the following:
Atlanta (ATL – ACPT).
Atlanta (ATL – C37).
Atlanta (ATL – A17).
Atlanta (ATL – B18).
Atlanta (ATL – D12).
Atlanta (ATL – D27).
Atlanta (ATL – E).
Atlanta (ATL – F).
Atlanta (ATL – T).
Austin (AUS – 4).
Boston (BOS – A7).
Chicago (ORD-T2).
Cincinnati (CVG – B).
Dallas (DFW-E).
Denver (DEN – A).
Detroit (DTW – A38).
Detroit (DTW – A68).
Detroit (DTW – C).
Fort Lauderdale (FLL – C1).
Honolulu (HNL – F1).
Indianapolis (IND – A).
Jacksonville, Florida (JAX – A).
LaGuardia (LGA – C).
LaGuardia (LGA – D).
Los Angeles (LAX – T2).
Memphis (MEM – B/C).
Miami (MIA – H/J).
Milwaukee (MKE – D).
Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP – C).
Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP – F/G).
Nashville (BNA – B3).
Newark (EWR – B).
New Orleans (MSY – C).
New York (JFK – T2).
New York (JFK – T4).
Orlando (MCO – 4).
Portland (PDX – D).
Philadelphia (PHL – D/E).
Phoenix (PHX – T3).
Raleigh (RDU – T2).
Seattle (SEA – A).
San Diego (SAN – T2).
San Francisco (SFO – C3).
Salt Lake City (SLC).
Tampa (TPA – E68).
Washington D.C. (DCA – B15).,
West Palm Beach, Florida (PBI – 4).
Just note that shower facilities remain closed and you must wear a mask during your visit, except while eating or drinking. Food options at the Sky Club LAX. (Photo by Chris Dong/The Points Guy)
Delta requires all travelers entering a Sky Club to wear a face mask, or appropriate face covering, over their nose and mouth. Food is grab-and-go style and full bar service is available.
United Club bar. (Photo by Summer Hull/The Points Guy)
United offers Polaris lounges for its premium long-haul international passengers and United Clubs for domestic travelers with a membership, upper-level elite status or an eligible cobranded card. United has temporarily closed all its Polaris lounges, but has reopened the following United Club locations:
Atlanta (North Terminal, Concourse T, between Gates 11 and 12).
Austin (near Gate 22).
Boston (near Gate B24).
Chicago O’Hare (near Gate B6, near Gate B18, near Gate C16 and across from Gate F9).
Cleveland (between Gates C14 and C16).
Dallas-Fort Worth (between Gates E6 and E7).
Denver (near Gate B32).
Fort Lauderdale (near Gate C1).
Honolulu (above Gates G2 and G3).
Houston Intercontinental (near Gate E11, Gate C1, Gate C33 and Terminal B, South Mezzanine).
Las Vegas (between Gates D33 and D35).
Los Angeles (near Gate 71A).
New York LaGuardia (near entrance of Gates 40-59).
New York Newark (near Gate C74 and near Gate C93).
Orange County (near Gate 9).
Orlando (near Gate B43).
Raleigh-Durham (across from Gates D1 and D3).
San Antonio (between Gates B3 and B5).
San Diego (between Gates 47 and 48).
San Francisco (near Gate E4 and near Gate F11).
Washington Dulles (near Gate C7, near Gate D8 and near Gate 17).
(Photo by Summer Hull/The Points Guy)
All customers are required to wear a face covering except when eating and drinking. Clubs are serving prepackaged snacks, including some fresh food options, and are offering full bar service.
The Alaska Airlines lounge at LAX. (Photo by Benji Stawski/The Points Guy)
Alaska Airlines offers a rather extensive lounge network for a primarily domestic and short-haul airline.
All locations have reopened:
Anchorage (ANC) — Concourse C, near Gate C-1.
Los Angeles (LAX) — Terminal 6 on the mezzanine level, near Gate 64.
New York-JFK — Terminal 7 on the mezzanine level, just above security.
Portland, Oregon (PDX) — Concourse C, across from Gate C5.
Maple Leaf Lounge. (Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
Air Canada initially took a more extreme step than its counterparts south of the border, closing all lounges worldwide. This includes all Maple Leaf lounges, as well as its relatively new Signature Suite lounges in Toronto and Vancouver.
As travel continues to pick up again, Air Canada started reopening its lounges with a revamped service flow. There are lounges currently open at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (international and domestic gates), Toronto-Pearson (D and E gates), Vancouver (C gates) and the Calgary lounge (Concourse C).
Meals can be ordered and delivered straight to your table through the new “Maple Leaf Lounge @ la table” service simply by scanning an NFC or QR code found at the table. Visitors can also select from two cold meal options, prepackaged and sealed in a snack bag. There’s also an assisted bar service with a full bar offering.
The American Express Centurion Lounge at New York-JFK. (Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
Back in March, American Express closed all Centurion lounges worldwide. However, all U.S. locations, including multiple brand-new ones, have reopened since then.
The following U.S. lounges are currently welcoming eligible cardmembers with The Platinum Card® from American Express or Centurion-branded cards:
All lounges are operating under Amex’s new “Centurion Lounge Commitment” to ensure the health and safety of flyers and staff. It includes socially distant seating, reduced capacity, increased frequency of cleanings, hand sanitizer stations and more. The bar will be open with a full wine list, but the cocktail menus are abridged. Masks will be required to enter the lounge and can only be removed when eating or drinking.
The Club SEA in January 2021. (Photo by Benji Stawski/The Points Guy)
The Club operates 24 lounges across the U.S. and U.K. with complimentary access to most locations for travelers with a Priority Pass membership. The following U.S. locations are open:
The Club ATL (Concourse F).
The Club BOS (Terminal C).
The Club BWI (Concourse D, near Gate 10).
The Club BUF (Main Terminal).
The Club CHS (Main Terminal, on the second level toward Concourse B).
The Club CVG (Main Terminal, Concourse A).
The Club DFW (Terminal D, near Gate 27).
The Club JAX (Concourse A, past the food court).
The Club LAS (Terminal 1).
The Club MCO (Airside 1).
The Club MCO (Airside 4).
The Club MSY (third floor of the Main Terminal, adjacent to the entrance to Concourse C).
The Club PIT (Concourse C).
The Club SEA (Concourse A).
The Club SEA (S gates).
The Club SJC (Terminal A15).
Minute Suites DFW. (Photo by Benji Stawski/The Points Guy)
There are several other Priority Pass lounges that have reopened as well, including the Wingtips lounges at JFK and STL and Minute Suites locations.
Enrollment required for select benefits.
Escape Lounge – The Centurion Studio Partner
The MSP Escape Lounge. (Photo by Katie Genter/The Points Guy)
Of the 11 U.S. locations, here are the Escape Lounges currently open:
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX).
Palm Beach International Airport (PBI).
Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO).
Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP).
Oakland International Airport (OAK).
Bradley International Airport (BDL).
Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport (PVD).
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP).
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG).
You can gain complimentary access to these lounges with the Amex Platinum Card or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. Enrollment required.
International airlines
The Air France lounge at JFK’s Terminal 1. (Photo by Alberto Riva/The Points Guy)
While many airlines are taking the blanket approach of closing all lounges, some have chosen to keep one or two open, primarily in their home airports or key international hubs. Nearly every foreign airline lounge in the U.S. is closed, including all locations operated by Cathay Pacific, Virgin Atlantic, Korean Air, Emirates, Qantas and more. There are, however, a handful of international lounges operating in the U.S. again, albeit with reduced hours or reduced service offerings, including:
British Airways' Galleries and Concorde lounges at New York (JFK)
Lufthansa’s Newark (EWR), New York (JFK), Boston (BOS), Detroit (DTW) and Washington, D.C. (IAD) lounges
Air France-KLM’s New York (JFK), Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD) and San Francisco (SFO) lounges
Turkish Airlines' Washington, D.C. (IAD) and Miami (MIA) lounges
Korean Airlines’ lounge at New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX)
Note that some of these lounges are part of the Priority Pass network, but access may be restricted to members due to capacity limits.
Bottom line
Premium-cabin passengers with a Priority Pass membership used to have multiple lounges to choose from, especially at major airports such as New York-JFK and Los Angeles International. Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus pandemic, a number of airport lounges around the world remain closed, and those that remain open offer a different experience from what customers might be used to. That said, as travel picks up again, many lounges are reopening.
Additional reporting by Benét J. Wilson and Ethan Steinberg.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
