American Airlines to Close DFW Admirals Club to Speed Up Renovation
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Update: I got to check out the brand new Guest Services center in DFW's Terminal A during a layover. While tucked away a bit from the gates, there were plenty of grab-and-go snacks (yogurts, hummus snacks, salads and wraps), drinks (hot coffee, variety of teas, sodas, sparkling and still water and La Colombe canned coffee) and friendly agents who were eager to assist travelers.
American Airlines is in the midst of a $200 million lounge renovation project. At some locations, the airline has been trying to balance continuing to service airline passengers while renovating, which has led to some pretty bad experiences.
AA is learning the hard way that this balancing act isn't working out, so it's beginning to close lounges that are being renovated at airports with multiple Admirals Clubs. First, the LAX Terminal 4 was closed on September 5. The LAX lounge is expected to reopen as a fully-redesigned Flagship Lounge by the end of 2017.
Now, the DFW Terminal A lounge is being closed to speed along renovations. This Admirals Club lounge will be closed on Monday, October 30. American Airlines hopes to reopen portions of the lounge as it completes major work, but the full lounge isn't expected to be complete until mid-2018.
An American Airlines spokesperson provided the following statement regarding the closure:
After hearing from our team members and customers, we realize that the construction in our DFW A Admirals Club has compromised the comfort and enjoyment of our customers and has put stress on our team members.
We will temporarily close our DFW A Admirals Club on Oct. 30. Closing the Admirals Club will allow us to speed up the construction and open the new lounge for customers sooner.
The airline directs Admirals Club members, qualifying elites and Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard cardholders (and authorized users) to the Admirals Clubs in Terminals B, C and D.
For those wanting to stay in Terminal A, American Airlines will be operating a "Guest Services Center" outside gate A25. While there will not be any dedicated seating areas, the center will be open from 4:45am to 10:15pm to provide "grab and go" sandwiches, salads, snacks and beverages including "brewed coffee and Nescafe." There will also be two staffed podiums to assist customers. These items will be open to Admirals Club members and qualifying passengers who would otherwise be able to access the lounge.
Still, this closure is a bummer for those that were in the know about DFW Terminal A lounge. Due to the antiquated state of the lounge and the ongoing construction, AA opened the staffed bar to all guests at no cost. At the other Admirals Club bars, you'll need a premium drink ticket to get anything other than beer and house wines for free.
This article was updated on November 10 to reflect American Airlines' decision to open a "Guest Service Center" at the location of the closed DFW Terminal A lounge.