The American Airlines Admiral Club Airport Lounge is a place to relax and charge before American Airlines or its partners fly.
Inside the lounge, you can expect free refreshments, Wi-Fi and a hustle and bustle of the airport terminal. You will find Admiral Club in nearly 50 airports around the world, including major U.S. hubs.
Before your next flight, there are several ways to visit the Admiral Club – this is your choice.
Related: First look: Philly Shine’s new flagship lounge and Admiral Club
Visit Admiral Club on the day flight
Regardless of how you enter the Admiral Club through membership, service, or American Airlines Aadvantage Elite status, you know that you must provide the same-day boarding pass on an American, Aer Lingus or Oneworld partner airline.
Flights operated by Aer Lingus are a special case:
- Status or Advanced Carbines access: Only allowed on flights sold on Aer Lingus and operated in the United States
- One-day pass: invalid on Aer Lingus; must be sold and operated by American Airlines or OneWorld Airlines
Lifetime Admiral Club members are not subject to the day flight requirements and any airlines entering the club.
Access to Admiral Club with a credit card
Arguably, the best way to get the Admiral Club is to open it citi® /aadvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (See interest rates and fees), which cost you $7,000 in your purchase in the first three months after opening, comes with a welcome bonus of 70,000 American Airlines Aadvantage miles. Cardholders will also receive free Admiral Club membership, which largely offsets the $595 annual fee. With this membership, you will get access to travel with up to two guests or immediate family members (with same-day boarding pass for qualified flights).
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The card’s true hidden gem comes from its generous authorized user policy. You can add up to three authorized users to your account for $175 and then $175 per authorized user. Authorized users gain access to the Admiral Club on the same day ticket in the United States or their partners.
Therefore, some may even consider allocating annual fees with several authorized users to reduce each person’s rest expenses.
Please note that authorized users do not receive full membership, but only access. They must showcase their own Citi/Aadvantage to perform World Elite Mastercard and may bring immediate family members or up to two guests. Authorized users cannot access the Partner Lounge.
You can also access the new Admiral Club Lounge Citigroup Elite Card (See rates and fees). This premium card provides four single-visit Admiral Club Passes to major card members each year. To use them, you must provide the same-day boarding pass for qualified American Airlines or OneWorld flights. These passes cannot be shared or gifted and are not allowed to use them unless guests travel under their own pass. Any passes that have not been redeemed at the end of the calendar year will be confiscated.
this Citi Layer Premier® Card (See rates and fees) Access to the Admiral Club is not included, so if lounge access is preferred, consider the formation elite.
Related: Best Credit Cards for American Airlines Flyer
Admiral Club with paid membership
If opening a credit card is not attractive, you can purchase a membership at any time. Here is how much you expect to spend:
| Member Type | Annual price (individual membership) |
Yearly Price (Family Membership – Membership of you and your spouse or family partner) |
|---|---|---|
| Aadvantage Members | $850 (renewed $800) | $1,650 (renewed $1,600) |
| Gold | $825 ($775 renewal) | $1,625 (renewed $1,575) |
| platinum | $800 ($750 renewal) | $1,600 (renewed $1,550) |
| Platinum professionals | $775 ($725 renewal) | $1,575 (renewed $1,525) |
| Executive Platinum | $750 ($700 renewal) | $1,550 (renewed $1,500) |
| Concierge Key | Free |
You can also purchase Admiral Club membership at 1% per person using mileage. According to TPG’s August 2025 valuation, the U.S. mileage is worth 1.55 cents, so we generally do not recommend redeeming U.S. mileage in this way.
| Member Type | Yearly Price (Individual Membership, Miles) |
Annual Price (Family Membership – Membership of you and your spouse or family partner in miles) |
|---|---|---|
| Aadvantage Members | 85,000 (80,000 renewal) | 165,000 (160,000 renewal) |
| Gold | 82,500 (renewed 77,500) | 162,500 (renewed 157,500) |
| platinum | 80,000 (75,000 renewal) | 160,000 (155,000 renewal) |
| Platinum professionals | 77,500 (renewed 72,500) | 157,500 (renewed 152,500) |
| Executive Platinum | 75,000 (70,000 renewal) | 155,000 (150,000 renewal) |
| Concierge Key | Free |
Related: Best Credit Cards for Airport Lounge Access
Admiral Club 1-day pass
You can use a one-day pass at certain Admiral Club locations. These are available for purchase, priced at $79 or 7,900 Aadvantage Miles. However, during peak hours, prepare your day pass.
A one-day pass holder may not charge three children under the age of 18, but bear the capacity of the lounge.
Visit the club of Admirals with elite identities
Elite status access rules are nearly the same for Admiral Club and flagship lounges, so head to Superior Flagship Lounge if you have a choice.
American Aadvantage and Alaska Atmos reward elite members
If you hold Oneworld sapphire or emerald status through an elite identity of the U.S. Aadvantage (via Platinum, Platinum Pro or Execute Platinum Identity) or Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards (formerly known as the Mileage Program), you and your guests can visit Admirals Clubs or American Interaries’ flagship clubs or American Ineraries’ flagship lounges.
If you rely on your identity to enter and are flying Alaska Airlines, the United States will not gain access to flights between the United States and Canada, the Caribbean, or Mexico.
Other Oneworld elite members
If you are a Oneworld Sapphire or Emerald member of a program other than Andvantage or Atmos Rewards, you and your guests can visit the Admiral Club or flagship lounge while traveling in the United States or other Oneworld Carrier. Flagship Lounge Visit is a generous benefit of sapphire-class members of the foreign program.
Related: The Feeling of Flying American Airlines as British Airways Elite
Loyalty reward
The following loyalty points rewards can help you get into the Admiral Club. You can select a reward when you reach the following point threshold:
- 250,000 loyalties: Admiral Club Membership (remember, when you reach this level, you can choose from two loyalty points rewards, but Admiral Club Membership requires both of your choices)
- 400,000 loyalties: Admiral Club Membership (requires two options)
- 550,000 loyalty points: Admiral Club Membership (requires two options)
One-day passes are no longer offered as a loyalty reward.
Visit Admiral Club with a certain fare
Although standard domestic first-class tickets won’t get you into the Admiral Club, the following types of tickets will:
- Business and first class tickets on international US or OneWorld-operated flights.
- Flights with domestic flagship tickets. These include flagship uninterrupted flights between John Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), John Wayne Airport (SNA) or San Francisco International Airport (SFO); Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and Los Angeles International Airport; and Miami International Airport (MIA) and Los Angeles International Airport.
Similarly, if you are flying over Kennedy International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Mia, Fort Dallas Worth International Airport (DFW), Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), or O’Hare International Airport (ORD), you should look for a flagship lounge. Still, visits to the Admiral Club may be a benefit of senior transcontinental passengers originating from Boston or San Francisco.
If you are flying in International First Class, you will not be able to use the lounge unless you are flying in International First Class.
Military entry into Admiral Club
With a valid military ID card and today’s American Airlines boarding pass, U.S. military personnel traveling in uniforms can access the locations of Admiral Club and most partner clubs. You can introduce immediate family members or up to two guests.
However, U.S. military personnel in uniforms are not able to access these two partner lounges:
- Aspire Lounge at San Diego International Airport (SAN)
- Jal Sakura lounge at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu
Related: Best Travel Perks and Discounts for Military Members
Bottom line
There are many ways to get into the Admiral Club of American Airlines. While the comfort of the Admiral Club varies greatly, these lounges are still more than spending over $5 on a bottle of water than sitting on a crowded dock.
Make sure you are carefully designed in the ins and outs of accessing the flagship lounge. After all, if you have access to the flagship lounge, you don’t want to misunderstand the Admiral Club.
If you are like many TPG employees who value Admirals Club membership, American Airlines’ shared branded credit cards provide you with membership and provide guests with access.
