The Flagship Lounges are American Airlines’ most premium lounges. These are a step up from the primarily membership-based Admirals Clubs scattered throughout the nation. In particular, the Flagship Lounges are only found at American Airlines’ largest and most important hubs, including Chicago, Miami, Dallas, and Los Angeles. Although a Flagship Lounge had been available in New York, that has since been repurposed into the Greenwich Lounge, which the airline operates jointly with British Airways.

Lounge Access Rules

First and Business Class passengers departing on international and premium transcontinental American Airlines flights are eligible for access. Notably, international flights within North America do not quality for access. Likewise, access is extended to First and Business Class passengers flying internationally on oneworld carriers. Passengers connecting to a oneworld flight from an international long-haul oneworld flight in First Class and Business Class are also eligible for entry. When accessing by status, passengers holding at least oneworld Sapphire status are eligible for access before any flight. This does not apply to AAdvantage or Alaska Mileage Plan members. Admirals Club and Alaska Lounge members are similarly not eligible. Refer to the American website for specific details.

Location

The American Airlines Flagship Lounge is located on the Departures Level of Terminal 4. As the Flagship Lounge shares a location with the Admirals Club, simply look for the location of the latter and follow the signs. You’ll find yourself near Gate 43 and next to the Entertainment Weekly Newsstand. Head inside to find the reception desks for both lounges.

Flagship Lounge Los Angeles

Once I found my way inside, I approached an agent at the reception desk to enter. My boarding pass was quickly scanned by the blunt yet polite lounge agent, who confirmed that I had access to the Flagship Lounge.

I was given a black placard noting my access eligibility, which I then handed to the agents on the second floor by the actual entrance to the lounge.

Seating

As you enter the lounge, you’ll be met with a small seating area with a full chord window with several leather chairs along the perimeter and at its centre. Curiously, the window views the interior of the terminal, meaning that you wouldn’t get much of a view. 

To the left of that area, you’ll find a small area with rows and rows of sofa chairs viewing the television mounted on the wall. There is also a row of leather sofa chairs by the window that stretches to a seemingly empty corridor. 

Across from the entertainment area, is what appears to be the main lounge area, where there are sofa chairs in rows, alongside lounging chairs facing the window. Each seat features a console that features multiple power outlets. There is also a beverage station next to this area, which complements the food spread behind it (which I’ll talk about later). 

What I like most about this seating area is perhaps the incredible views of the apron, viewing the heavy American Airlines jets flying all over the world. I think the views are a special feature of the lounge as you won’t find these at the Qantas First Lounge or the oneworld Lounge. 

However, despite being renovated in 2018, I did think that the lounge is starting to look outdated. In particular, the sterile colour scheme reminds me a lot of a corporate cafeteria. It would definitely look a lot nicer if it got American’s new lounge look as you’d find at the Admirals Club at Washington National Airport. 

Dining

Just behind the main seating area, you’ll find the large dining area, which features a bunch of dining tables arranged closely around each other. Most of these tables only feature two seats, with the exception of the few tables and bench seats at the far end.

In addition, there are also more seats on the communal table that also doubles as a self-pour bar counter. 

Food

By the dining area, you’ll find two large buffet spreads with a very varied selection of hot and cold dishes, in addition to an array of pastries and breads, with accompaniments. There is also a freshly-made hashbrown station for breakfast, which I liked, along with fruits and cereal. I found the food to taste pleasantly fresh, which I think is one of the advantages of the Flagship Lounge. However, I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves. 

Drinks

The lounge feature a large selection of drinks, although there sadly aren’t any barista-brewed coffee or tended bars, here. Instead you’ll find a range of self-poured items, including a few Colombe-branded coffee dispensers, Tealeaves tea, and a coffee machine. There were also dispensers with infused water and orange juice, in addition to bottles water in the chillers. 

In addition to the selection of coffee, tea, water, and orange juice, there is also a Coca-Cola-branded soft drinks dispenser with a range of Coca-Cola-produced drinks. There are also bar snacks and popcorn to complement the drinks selection.

Despite being self-poured, I was impressed with how varied the alcoholic drinks were. There were over 30,choices of liquor, which is excellent for a Business Class lounge. You’ll also find a drinks shaker and a variety of ingredients to make many cocktails. In addition there is also a selection of wines as well as Piper-Heidsick Brut Reserve Champagne. Better than a tended bar, say me!

Amenities

Flagship First Dining

A bit like a lounge within a lounge, Flagship First Dining works as a premium facility to international and premium transcontinental First Class passengers on American Airlines. This facility features premium pre-flight dining, wines, and even Krug Champagne. Sadly, the facility in LAX has not reopened since the pandemic and is the last of the three Flagship First Dining facilities still closed. Even if it did, I wouldn’t have access to this facility as I was not flying international or trans on First Class on American Airlines. 

Relaxation Area

Finally, the Flagship Lounge also features a small quiet relaxation area with daybeds and lounge chairs. This area is located next to the Flagship First Facility, but remains closed for the time being. As such I was unable to check it out. 

Showers

The showers are located before the toilets on the same hallway. There are a total of 8 shower suites in the Flagship Lounge. Unfortunately I was unable to check them out during this short visit.

Toilets

The toilets at the Flagship Lounge is located to the right of the first seating area with the full chord window. They are gender segregated. During my visit I found to be slightly messy but still clean. DS & Durga amenities are available by the lavatories, which I liked. 

WiFi

The lounge features its own WiFi network which it shares with the Admirals Club. The network is reasonably quick and easy to join. 

Overall

To be frank, the American Airlines Flagship Lounge in LAX seems a bit small compared to the airlines’ premium facilities at other airports. Compounded by the fact that it shares a space with the Admirals Club, I found the lounge to be slightly stuffy as a result. As I hinted earlier in the review, I also found the space to look a bit tired and sterile (although it isn’t the only LAX oneworld Lounge to be like that).

Despite that I found the food selection to be fresh and plentiful, which is complemented by the great views from the windows. In any case, I wouldn’t arrive early to use this lounge and I wouldn’t think twice about heading to the Qantas First Lounge instead (assuming access eligibility). 

Read more from this trip here!