UPDATE: American Airlines confirms test allowing elites to purchase access to Flagship Dining
Editor's note: This post has been updated to reflect a new test price for Flagship lounge access.
American Airlines has apparently lowered the price in a test it's conducting that allows some elites to purchase access to the Flagship lounge in Dallas. It's now going for $100 instead of $150.
The news was first reported on Flyertalk and Andy's Travel Blog.
American Airlines previously confirmed to The Points Guy it is testing a plan that would allow Executive Platinum and Concierge Key members of its AAdvantage loyalty program to purchase access to the Flagship First Dining area of its Admirals Club at DFW.
American spokeswoman Gianna Urgo said:
"..we are testing an option to expand access to a broader audience of customers who are eligible for Flagship Lounge access but not Flagship First Dining. ConciergeKey and Executive Platinum customers traveling on American on long-haul international and eligible transcontinental flights will have the option to purchase access to the DFW Flagship First Dining facility ... We will determine future plans upon completion of the test, which will last approximately three months."
Related: Consistently delicious: A review of AA’s Flagship First Dining at LAX
Traditionally, Flagship First dining rooms were only open to passengers flying first class on one of America's few routes that offer both first- and business-class cabins. Those flights include 15 long-haul international and transcontinental flights with Flagship First cabins, including flights from New York (JFK) to London and São Paulo (GRU); JFK to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO); Dallas Fort-Worth (DFW) to Hong Kong (HKG); and LAX to Tokyo Haneda (HND) among others. See our complete guide to Flagship First here.
At $100 bucks it's a big splurge, but it might make sense if you have a long layover or feel like living like a prince for a day. Inside, you'll get table service with several courses and a menu that offers something for everyone. American describes it as "elevated sit-down service, chef-inspired dishes, locally sourced ingredients and signature wines."
Related: What is American Airlines elite status worth?
TPG loves the restaurant-style Flagship First Dining experience in special reserved areas of several recently remodeled lounges — which at one point included Krug Grande Cuvée at all locations.
Take a look at what it was like for The Points Guy when he tried it in early 2019:
News of the test program appears to have been first reported on Twitter by @JonNYC.
Related: Choosing the best credit card for AA flyers
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| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets |
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The Citi Premier’s 3 points per dollar spent across a wide range of popular categories is one of the more lucrative offerings in the world of points and miles. The Citi Premier comes with a $95 annual fee and is currently offering a solid sign up bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months. It also has some valuable transfer partners to make the most of your rewards. Add in access to Citi Entertainment plus a $100 hotel credit for any single-stay hotel booking that exceeds $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through the Citi travel website, there are few reasons why the Citi Premier should not be in every traveler’s wallet.Pros
- Earns 3x points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels.
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- Points transfer to 16 airline programs, from JetBlue to Virgin Atlantic.
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Cons
- $95 annual fee
- Lacks travel protections that other travel rewards cards come with
- For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
- 80,000 Points are redeemable for $800 in gift cards when redeemed at thankyou.com
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Rewards Rate
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets |
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels |
| 1X | Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
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For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account openingEarn 80,000 ThankYou® points60,000 pointsAnnual Fee
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Why We Chose It
The Citi Premier’s 3 points per dollar spent across a wide range of popular categories is one of the more lucrative offerings in the world of points and miles. The Citi Premier comes with a $95 annual fee and is currently offering a solid sign up bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months. It also has some valuable transfer partners to make the most of your rewards. Add in access to Citi Entertainment plus a $100 hotel credit for any single-stay hotel booking that exceeds $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through the Citi travel website, there are few reasons why the Citi Premier should not be in every traveler’s wallet.Pros
- Earns 3x points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels.
- $100 annual hotel savings benefit (on single hotel stay bookings of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through thankyou.com)
- Points transfer to 16 airline programs, from JetBlue to Virgin Atlantic.
- World Elite Mastercard benefits, extended warranty, damage and theft protection.
Cons
- $95 annual fee
- Lacks travel protections that other travel rewards cards come with
- For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
- 80,000 Points are redeemable for $800 in gift cards when redeemed at thankyou.com
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases