How To Guides

American Airlines unveiled the new Admirals Club lounges in August 2022. American Airlines “reimagined” these lounges to give the feeling of “coming back,” with features like natural woods, open spaces, and other elements.

In Washington, D.C., Reagan National Airport, the first of these lounges opened in October 2022. We were able to check it out right away to see if the hype was true. The new American Airlines Admirals Club DCA is here.

The Admirals Club, a reimagined Admirals Club, is one of three Admirals Clubs at Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National Airport. Head towards the E gates to see American Airlines’ latest lounge experience. The lounge entrance is located on the left side, just before you reach the first E gate.

The lounge is one floor higher than the terminal. You can either use the stairs or the elevator to get to the check in desk. To enter the lounge, you will need to use one of six access methods to Admirals Clubs: by being a Citi(r), AAdvantage (r) Executive World Elite Mastercard(r), or buying a day pass.

The lounge divides the area into two areas from the check-in desk. The bar, snack and warm food options, along with a few seating areas, standing desks, and bathrooms are located to the right of check-in.

Turn left to find seating areas that overlook the Washington, D.C. skyline. There are also American Airlines assistance agents, plenty more seating, and a small snack and drink bar.

This lounge has a wide range of seating options, including lounge chairs by the windows and work desks with stools.

You can always look around the lounge if you can’t find a suitable seat. There are many places in the lounge that will have something for you.

The DCA lounge is slightly more expensive than other American Admirals Club locations. A sign is posted above the food counter that lists all of the menu items, as well as any allergies or dietary restrictions.

Warm food options included a make-yourself taco bar, and warm soups. There were many options for meatless tacos. If you prefer, you can fill your taco with diced cauliflower in place of minced meat.

The dessert tower featured brownie bites, marshmallow bites, and chocolate chip cookies.

A selection of complimentary bar snacks consisted of a nut-and-fruit mix, peanuts, pretzel-based mixture and crackers.

The Admirals Club bar has a good selection of bottled and draft beers, as well as wines and a variety of liquors. For most lounge guests, domestic beer, house wines, and well spirits are free.

Admirals Clubs often offer made-to-order avocado toast and guacamole. Although there was no avocado station visible in this lounge, it could be added in the future.

An airline lounge offers many benefits, including the ability to rest, recharge, and enjoy a snack or a drink. The lounge has been redesigned to provide all this and more.

A fireplace is the focal point of this lounge. This beautiful feature is not meant to be a showpiece. It was not warmer than the fireplace, but I didn’t notice it.

The power outlets were seamlessly distributed throughout the lounge. They almost blended in with each other. You might not notice the black outlets and all the black accents in the lounge.

There’s probably a power outlet nearby, no matter where your location. It might be worth looking around a little closer.

Lounge guests can also find the latest news and games at a few locations. On the left side of lounge is a living room with multiple TVs. Three TVs can be found above the bar.

Three dedicated, wood-paneled telephone booths are available at the Admirals Club. They have closing doors and can be used to make or receive calls. These booths are not soundproof, however, as a lounge guest pointed out.

As an additional place to make a call, the lounge has a row standup desks at the back.

Bathrooms look elegant, modern, and are well-designed. They include bag/coat hooks and accessibility bars.

For breastfeeding and diaper changes, young families can have a designated mother’s area.

While some American Airlines Admirals Club lounges have showers, there are no shower rooms installed in this area.

Service was professional and friendly during my two-hour visit.

The staff at the lounge helped keep it running smoothly by restocking food and cleaning up glasses. I wasn’t alone in noticing. I was able to tip him as he collected dishes.

You have many options, whether you’d like to visit this or any of the more than 50 American Airlines Admirals Club locations. Here is a quick overview of the Admirals Club locations that American Airlines passengers have access to:

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  First and Business Class Flyers are eligible for access on certain international routes.
  

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  Elite members of AAdvantage Platinum (or higher) also have access to international flights on qualified international flights.
  

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  ConciergeKey members and AirPass members, as well as Oneworld Sapphire, Emerald and elites of Oneworld Sapphire, can also access Admirals Club lounges on flights.
  

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  A new Admirals Club membership costs $650.
  

• The Citi(r), AAdvantage (r) Executive World Elite Mastercard(r), which has a $450 annual cost, is available.

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  Get a day pass starting at $59 and up to 5,900 AAdvantage points.
  

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  U.S. U.S. Military personnel in uniform can access Admirals Clubs while flying American Airlines.
  

The American Airlines Admirals Club, Washington, D.C., is a reimagined version of the original. It lives up to its name. It is warm and inviting, with plenty of places to relax or work. The food and drinks are more delicious than the standard Admirals Club food.

You will find nice touches such as phone booths and a family area in the lounge. You won’t have any trouble finding a place where you can recharge your phone, or your own device.

(Top Photo courtesy American Airlines)