How to access American Airlines Admirals Club airport lounges

Regardless of whether you're a frequent business traveler or a once-a-year vacationer, an airport lounge can greatly enhance your experience on the ground. It's a chance to get away from the rush of the terminal and recharge.

Although there are many different types of lounges, such as American Express Centurion Lounges and Capital One Lounges, the most convenient option is generally the lounge network of the airline you're flying with, especially for domestic flights with Delta, United Airlines and American Airlines.

Below, CNBC Select details of the ways you can access American Airlines' network of Admirals Club lounges.

American Airlines offers a network of nearly 50 Admirals Club lounges across 32 airports worldwide. Many hubs, such as Chicago, Charlotte, Dallas and Philadelphia, offer multiple Admirals Club locations.

In late 2022, it began rolling out a new, cozy design for its Admirals Clubs, with the first refreshed lounge now open at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Admirals Club amenities may include complimentary snacks, house drinks, business centers and shower suites.

The airline also offers five premium Flagship Lounges for certain premium cabin and elite passengers, with one more in the works: 

• Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
• Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
• Miami International Airport (MIA)
• John F. Kennedy International Airport New York (JFK)
• Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) — Coming Soon

In Dallas Fort Worth and Miami, there's also Flagship First Dining, which is a sit-down dining experience for Flagship First and Flagship Business Plus passengers on qualifying international or transcontinental flights (this option is temporarily closed in Los Angeles).

To access any American Airlines lounge you'll need to be flying either with American Airlines, a Oneworld alliance partner or JetBlue.

American's higher-end Flagship Lounges have stricter entry requirements than the standard Admirals Club locations. You'll need to meet one of the following requirements:

• Traveling in business or first class on a qualifying route (long-haul international, premium transcontinental and select Hawaii flights).
• Traveling on a qualifying international route (regardless of cabin) and you have one of the following elite statuses: AAdvantage Platinum status or higher; Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold or higher; Oneworld Emerald or Sapphire status
• Have Oneworld Emerald or Sapphire status earned through a program other than American AAdvantage or Alaska Mileage Plan
• Have American Airlines' invite-only ConciergeKey status
• Traveling in any cabin and purchase a single-visit pass for $150 or 15,000 AAdvantage miles (capacity limits apply)

Cards that offer American Airlines lounge access

The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® comes with a full Admirals Club membership for the primary cardmember, as well as ten authorized users, which you can add for no additional fee. The card's $595 annual fee may seem hefty, but that's less than paying for an individual Admirals Club membership which costs up to $850. The card also provides other perks like a first checked bag free, priority check-in, early boarding and 25% savings on inflight food and beverage purchases.

You can also get free or discounted Admirals Club access with a number of American Express cards that offer airline fee credits. If American Airlines is selected as your preferred airline, then the purchase of an Admirals Club membership or day pass will qualify for the credit. With The Platinum Card® from American Express, you can be reimbursed for up to $200 in lounge fees each year. Terms apply.

Complimentary access

Complimentary Admirals Club access is available to business and first-class passengers traveling on any international route (including flights to Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico, which previously were excluded), premium transcontinental routes and select Hawaii flights.

Additionally, American AAdvantage members with Platinum status or higher and Alaska Mileage Plan members with MVP Gold status or higher can access Admirals Club lounges (with one guest) when traveling in any cabin on a qualifying international flight with American Airlines or a Oneworld partner. If you have Oneworld Emerald or Sapphire status (not through AAdvantage or Mileage Plan), you'll have lounge access (with one guest) regardless of the route.

Members of the U.S. military traveling in uniform have access to most Admirals Club lounges when traveling on a same-day American Airlines flight. You may also bring your immediate family (spouse, domestic partner and/or children under 18) or up to two guests with you.

Paid access

If you don't have the right credit card or free access, you can purchase an annual Admirals Club membership or a one-day pass. With an annual Admirals Club membership you'll also have access to Alaska Airlines lounges, Qantas lounges and other partner lounges.

One-day passes cost a flat $59 or 5,900 AAdvantage miles and access can be restricted if the lounge is in full. You can also splurge on a single-use Flagship First lounge pass for $150 or 15,000 miles.

For unlimited access, you'll need to buy a full membership. The price of a yearly membership varies depending on your level of AAdvantage elite status, whether or not you are renewing and the type of membership.

An individual membership ranges in cost from $750 for top-tier AAdvantage Executive Platinum members to $850 for anyone with no status. Household memberships cost as little as $1,550 for Executive Platinum members and max out at $1,650 for members without any level of elite status. Membership renewals cost $50 less. You can also redeem miles for an annual membership with miles at a rate of one cent per mile, so an $850 membership would cost 85,000 AAdvantage miles.

With a membership, you may bring your immediate family (spouse, domestic partner and/or children under 18) or up to two guests along with you. The household membership grants full membership privileges to a spouse or domestic partner, so they can access lounges without the primary member.

American Airlines Admirals Club lounges are a great place to relax before a flight. Not only will you have free drinks and snacks, but you'll also have comfortable seating and access to plenty of outlets to charge your devices.

But if you want to get into these exclusive refuges, you'll need to either be extremely loyal to American Airlines or pay for access. If you're considering purchasing a full yearly membership, you can actually save money by opening a Citi AAdvantage Executive Card. The card comes with an Admirals Club membership and its annual fee is $450, which is less than any of the paid membership tiers.

However, if you don't travel solely with American Airlines or its partners, then you may be better off with more general lounge access. Many credit cards come with access to over 1,300 Priority Pass lounges worldwide.

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For rates and fees of the Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.

For rates and fees of the Business Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.

Information about the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® and Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer prior to publication.