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American Airlines to restore hot-food service at lounges

Aug. 06, 2020
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4 min read
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American Airlines to restore hot-food service at lounges
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American Airlines is bringing back hot food to Admirals Club lounges starting next week.

The Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier has reopened up to 15 of its lounges since closing them all during the spring. Since the lounges first reopened, only prepackaged snacks and full-service bars (where allowed) have been customers' only options at the lounge.

But hot food is set to return to the lounges beginning Wednesday (Aug. 12), part of what American calls a "phased reopening strategy" for the clubs. Additional food-for-sale items will be added to the line-up on Aug. 19.

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With the move, American would be the first of the so-called "Big 3" U.S. airlines to return hot-food service to its lounges. Both Delta and United are both still offering only individually packaged food selections at the lounges they've reopened.

While American's menu options will be limited, offerings planned by the airline include:

  • Complimentary breakfast beginning on Aug. 12, with options of customizable scrambled eggs or oatmeal
  • Complimentary lunch beginning on Aug. 12, with options of customizable mac and cheese and soups of four different flavors (garden vegetable; southwest corn; tomato portobello; butternut squash)
  • Food-for-sale beginning on Aug. 19; sample items such as deep dish pizza at Chicago (ORD) and sliced brisket sandwich at Dallas (DFW), with other vegetarian and gluten-free options

To adhere to CDC guidelines and to reduce touchpoints, the airline has said that gloved and masked team members will prepare the food "behind protective acrylic screens at a safe social distance." Customers can "access" food-for-sale items using QR codes.

Related: What you have to know about Alaska reopening its lounges on Aug. 1

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"Our guests tell us they've been eager for their menu favorites to return, and we are excited to bring those items back [...]," said Janelle Anderson, VP of Global Marketing & Digital at American.

The airline is not yet planning to bring back self-serve areas or shower facilities for guests. It also said that it will limit capacity at its lounge areas to 50%.

The announcement comes as some airport lounges in the U.S. – whether they are operated by a domestic or an international carrier – are beginning to reopen with drastically scaled-back service. As part of the industry's confidence-building measures, many operators are emphasizing hygiene in these lounges. Measures include the installation of plexiglass shields at service desks, increasing cleaning and disinfecting frequency and posting signs for social distancing. Still, some lounges — such as American Express's popular Centurion Lounges — remain closed indefinitely.

More: 7 ways the pandemic is changing airport lounges

For American, though, its lounge reopenings have focused on its hub airports. The return of some services — such as hot food choices — come as American and other airlines try to get a sense of what customers service might look like in the pandemic era. While closing down its Flagship Lounge and other exclusive offerings does come at a disappointment to some of the higher-fare customers, resumption of some of these services does seem promising.

Unfortunately, the carrier has not yet announced when other lounge locations will reopen. As of Thursday (Aug. 6), the list of reopened Clubs in the U.S. include:

  • Charlotte (CLT) – Concourses B and C
  • Chicago O'Hare (ORD) – Concourse H/K
  • Dallas / Fort Worth (DFW) – Terminals A, B, C and D
  • Los Angeles (LAX) – Terminal 4
  • Miami (MIA) – Gate D30
  • New York Kennedy (JFK) – Terminal 8 (in the Flagship Lounge)**
  • New York LaGuardia (LGA) – Concourse D**
  • Philadelphia (PHL) – Terminals B/C and F
  • Phoenix (PHX) – Gate A7
  • Washington Reagan (DCA) – Terminal B

**Only pre-packaged food and bottled water will be available, per local restrictions.

Guide: Best credit cards for airport lounge access

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  • Annual Fee is $325.
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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

American Express® Gold Card

TPG Editor‘s Rating
4 / 5
Go to review

Rewards Rate

4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.