First look: American's new Flagship Lounge and Admirals Club in Philly shine in big debut
At long last, it's finally here.
American Airlines' long-awaited Flagship Lounge at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) will be open for business May 22. The lounge — which was originally supposed to debut before the pandemic — was indefinitely delayed for years, both due to the travel slowdown associated with COVID-19 and due to the airline's expansion in New York (that came largely at the expense of Philly).
But as the New York growth slowed with the end of the Northeast Alliance, American recommitted to the Flagship Lounge project in Philadelphia, its primary transatlantic hub, which it inherited from US Airways during the merger.
American's Flagship Lounges are business-class-only spaces reserved primarily for premium-cabin flyers on long-haul flights. They're far nicer than the membership-based Admirals Club, and they have upgraded dining and amenity experiences.
American currently operates five business-class-only lounges at hubs nationwide, but the sixth, in Philly, is now arguably the nicest in the network. Better yet, American will also debut an all-new Admirals Club as part of this lounge redevelopment project, and that space is quite stunning, too.
Read on for everything you need to know.
American Airlines Flagship Lounge Philadelphia location
The Flagship Lounge is near Gate A15 in the connector between the A-West and A-East concourses at PHL. This puts the lounge right near American's wide-body gates, making it just a short walk for flyers heading to places like London and Paris.
You'll find the lounge one floor above the terminal in a space that used to be reserved for US Airways' Envoy Club. American gut-renovated the space and also built a new Admirals Club next door to the Flagship Lounge.
All terminals at PHL are connected airside, meaning that you won't need to reclear security to access this lounge. That said, be sure to leave enough time to walk to your gate if you're leaving from the B or C gates.
The lounge is open daily from 4:30 a.m. until 10:30 p.m.
American Airlines Flagship Lounge Philadelphia access
American's Flagship Lounges are intended to be a cut above the standard membership-based Admirals Club, and with that comes a separate set of access rules.
Generally speaking, you'll need a Flagship-marketed seat in first or business class on a long-haul international route or on a select number of premium domestic routes to enter. Plus, select AAdvantage elite members (as well as Alaska Mileage Plan elite members) can use the lounge before departure when flying on an eligible same-day, long-haul international trip.
Several other categories of premium travelers are invited to use the Flagship Lounge, such as those with Oneworld Sapphire or Emerald status from a non-U.S.-based airline and American's invite-only Concierge Key customers.
American also sells day passes for the Flagship Lounge at either $150 or 15,000 AAdvantage miles per person. (I'd go with the former and save your miles for a more valuable redemption down the line.)
American Airlines Flagship Lounge Philadelphia design
Once inside, you'll quickly notice that you've entered an elevated space. The wood-lined entrance area gives way to two entryways: the Flagship Lounge and the Admirals Club.
Turning left will bring you into the 13,750-square-foot Flagship Lounge. The space is partitioned into multiple different lounge areas for the 200 flyers it can comfortably seat.
The first area you'll enter is the fireplace and lounging space, which is designed to promote relaxation. These faux fireplaces have become a staple of American's new lounge design concept, and they do a good job of helping me unwind.
There is a mix of seating options in this space, but my personal favorite is the high-top seats lining the floor-to-ceiling windows, which offer prime views of the apron and primary runways in the distance.
The windows help flood the space with natural light, which is always a nice touch in an airport lounge.
Beyond the living area is another small relaxation space accented by a self-serve wine bar and a small guest service center for last-minute travel help.
The central focal area of the space is the dining room, which is split into two main seating spaces. The first is designed to be a bit more of an on-the-go experience, with a variety of tables and seating areas for diners. The lounge's buffet and beverage station lines this space — but more on that below.
Finally, there's a proper dining area accented by beautiful Philadelphia-inspired artwork on one wall.
The artwork comprises the words of the Declaration of Independence, but it uses different shades of text to create murals of iconic Philadelphia points of interest, such as the Love Statue and the Liberty Bell.
All in all, the lounge is a stunning upgrade for travelers used to the existing Flagship Lounge spaces — out with harsh whites and bright reds, and in with the more pleasing tones. This helps the lounge exude a more luxurious touch than the five other existing business-class-only lounges.
American Airlines Flagship Lounge Philadelphia dining
The new Flagship Lounge in Philly debuts an all-new dining experience for the airline.
That starts with a signature full-service bar, something that's missing from the rest of the airline's Flagship Lounges. The carrier will offer wines, six beers, bartender-crafted cocktails and mocktails at the bar. (Other Flagship Lounges only have self-service bars.)
And in a bit of a fun twist, the airline will whip up two secret cocktails by request only. Those are the Betsy Ross Boulevardier (inspired by all the trailblazing women across the U.S.) and the Seventy Philly, a Pennsylvania-inspired twist on the classic French 75 with hints of maple and a touch of cognac.
Furthermore, American will offer both a buffet — or "action stations," as the airline calls them — and a la carte food options. The full-service dining room has QR code placards at each table which you can use to order from an a la carte menu that includes cheesesteaks, Philly pretzels, Caesar salads and more.
As it does at all its Flagship Lounges, American has partnered with a popular local chef. In Philly's case, that's with chef Randy Rucker, famed for his River Twice and Little Water restaurants in the city.
American says the menu will rotate seasonally, and it currently includes items such as roast pork sandwiches, whipped ricotta and blistered tomato toasts.
Aside from the alcoholic drinks, there is a beverage station with a variety of soft beverages on tap — a first for American. (Goodbye, fountain machines.)
You'll also find aluminum water bottles, a coffee machine and a water bottle refill station here.
Those with a sweet tooth will certainly enjoy the new Flagship Lounge.
Not only is there an artisanal water ice bar complete with a selection of toppings, but there's also a small self-serve candy buffet by the exit; it's designed to resemble sampling the treats of Philly's Reading Terminal Market.
American Airlines Flagship Lounge Philadelphia amenities
In terms of amenities, Flagship Lounges might not be up to the level of Delta One Lounges or United Polaris Lounges, but the space still offers all the basics.
The space has two phone booths, one of which is oversized for travelers with disabilities. There's also a small business center with an (outdated) iMac and a wireless printer.
Furthermore, the lounge's restrooms are far nicer than basically any other in the airport. The wood-lined stalls with soft mood lighting really help give the toilets a luxe vibe.
There are also six shower suites near the restrooms, available on a first-come, first-served basis. They're stocked with Klur amenities, as well as Dyson hair dryers and plush towels.
Furthermore, there's fast and free Wi-Fi available across the lounge, and most seats should be within an arm's reach of a power outlet, USB-A and USB-C ports.
American Airlines Admirals Club Philadelphia overview
In addition to the new Flagship Lounge, American is opening a new Admirals Club as part of the broader A-West lounge redevelopment project.
And while the Flagship Lounge is a serious upgrade, the Admirals Club might just be the show-stopper. That's because the existing Admirals Clubs in Philly leave a lot to be desired, and this one is so much nicer. In fact, if you accidentally ended up in the Admirals Club instead of the Flagship Lounge, you might not be too disappointed since the design of the two spaces is similar (in a good way).
It's outfitted with the new design motifs that've popped up in Denver and Newark, complete with a faux fireplace and more luxurious seating options.
The space measures 11,000 square feet and can seat 181 guests. Inside, there are two shower suites and gender-specific restrooms.
There's also a full-service bar and buffet with a more limited food menu than the Flagship Lounge.
Some other highlights include a kids' play area, two phone booths and a small business center.
There's even a custom art piece outlining the city's topography that's designed to give travelers a view of the city from 30,000 feet.
Perhaps the best part of the new space is that American has built a flexible relaxation area behind the lounge's entryway. This design aims to help with overflow capacity during peak departure banks, and the space will rotate between serving the Admirals Club and Flagship Lounge visitors depending on demand.
Nice work on American's part to do whatever it can to reduce overcrowding.
Bottom line
American's new Flagship Lounge in Philadelphia is a major upgrade for the airport.
Until now, the airline has offered lackluster lounge options for travelers passing through Philly. The airline's lounges haven't changed much from when they were inherited from US Airways during the merger in 2013, and many flyers bemoan the state of disrepair that you'll find at some of the American lounges at PHL. (That's why you'll find the savviest travelers using the newly opened Chase Sapphire Lounge at PHL, which remains the nicest in the airport.)
The good news is that American now offers two stunning new spaces for travelers. The membership-based Admirals Club is the latest to feature the airline's new modernized design motifs, while the Flagship Lounge is arguably the airline's nicest one yet.
From a beautiful design to a stunning bar to top-notch food and drinks, it is impressive. And it comes just at the start of the busy summer travel season, meaning that all those business-class flyers jetting off from Philly to Europe will enjoy a far upgraded ground experience, at long last.
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