American Airlines Flagship Lounge – Chicago

After exiting our Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong Susan and I proceeded to an American Airlines lounge. Because we had reserved this flight just 4 days earlier I really hadn’t a chance to research our lounge options. After looking at a terminal map I realized that American Airlines had a First Class Flagship Lounge in the airport. American has only 4 of these locations in the US including Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago and Miami. Additionally, there is one at London Heathrow.

The Setup: Unforeseen Events
Introduction: Planning for Thailand
Review: Cathay Pacific Lounge SFO
Review: Cathay Pacific International First Class – San Francisco To Hong Kong
Review: The Pier, Hong Kong International Airport
Review: Dragonair International Business Class – Hong Kong To Phuket
Review: Anantara Layan Phuket Resort – Deluxe Seaview Suite
Boat Transfer & Check-in: The Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Resort & Spa
Review: Santhiya Koh Yao Yai – Ocean View Pool Villa Suite
Review: Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Resort
Day Trip: National Marine Park – Koh Hong Archipelago
Final Thoughts & Monkey Business – Santhiya Koh Yao Yai
Review: Thai Royal Orchid Lounge – Phuket
Review: Lux Pay In Lounge – Phuket
Review: Dragonair International Business Class – Phuket To Hong Kong
Review: Regal Airport Hotel – Superior Room
Review: Cathay Pacific International First Class – Hong Kong To Chicago
Review: American Airlines Flagship Lounge – Chicago
Review: American Airlines Domestic First Class – Chicago To San Francisco

Overview of ORD – Concourse K to left of map

I few years ago I the opportunity of visiting the Flagship lounge in LAX which I found it to be fairly nice. The food wasn’t extravagant, but it was nicely decorated, open and quite. To visit a Flagship lounge you need to be either First Class on an international 3 cabin itinerary, American Airlines Executive Platinum, or Oneworld Emerald. Since I didn’t know when the same opportunity to visit a Flagship Lounge in Chicago would happen again we decided to go there.

The Flagship lounge is in Terminal 3 at the end of the K hall. From an incoming international flight, you need to process through immigration, take the Airport Transit System (ATS) train from Terminal 5 to Terminal 3 (separate buildings) and then clear security at Terminal 3. From there you walk down the main connection hall to the K/H “Y” corridor and to the left down the end of the K leg.

Terminal 3

Concourse K

Admirals Club Entry

The receptionist at the lounge greeted us warmly, looked at our Cathay Pacific First Class tickets, and processed our entry into the lounge. As you enter, the reception desk is on your left and the luggage room is on the right. Past the front part of the lounge the main open seating area is past reception to the left and a smaller quite area is to the right. In the back of the room is the main dining area. The dining area is not that elaborate as it’s basically a long room with 2 display areas. Food on the left and drinks on the right. Both are self-serve.

Reception desk

Main walk in looking toward entrance

Small TV space

Open seating past TV room (on right walking in)

Main open seating (left)

Main open seating also has a TV

Main open seating partitioned off section

There is a good sized computer/business section and next to an enclosed quite room. Around the corner (left) and to the back behind the receptionist is a hallway to the bathrooms.

Business section

Computer cubicles

Hallway to bathrooms

Men’s facilities

Quite space

Quite room

Looking around the lounge it is decorated nicely, but nothing more. I would describe is a midwestern-conservative-dated. I’m an old school kind of guy and normally this style would be fine for me, but this is the first class “Flagship” lounge for American Airlines in a major US hub, and I was expecting a little more. The size of lounge is pretty large and even though there were a few visitors in the place, it never felt too busy or over crowded.

Periodicals

There was a complete spread of food on display. Soup, cheese, appetizers, finger sandwiches, veggies, salads, fruit and so on. I tried a couple small sandwiches and the food quality was good. Certainly enough to hold you over until your next full meal opportunity, but not a meal onto itself. There was also an expresso/coffee drink machine and a self-service bar that was respectively stocked. The food was up a notch from your standard Chicago based Admirals Club.

Salad, sushi and snacks

Soup and warm items

Soda bread and salmon

Small sandwiches – they were pretty good

Veggies, cheese and bread

Dessert and fruit

Caffeine

Full bar – self serve

Bar part 2

Cold beer

We ended up spending a couple hours in the lounge relaxing and getting some “return home preliminary work” done since we were back in the U.S. Afterward we continued on to our last flight of the trip; American Airlines ORD-SFO in domestic first class.

In Summary:

The American Airlines Flagship Lounge Chicago while somewhat nice by U.S. standards, is not one of the “best” U.S. based lounges.  The food is good but not gourmet. The design and interiors are dated and below average for an international grade first class lounge. At the same time this space was quiet and relaxing, and never got to crowded. American Airlines is in the process of updating all 4 of their US based Flagship Lounges, including this one. Chicago is a prominent AA hub and the lounge should reflect this. While a nice space, this location needs improvement. It will be interesting to visit the new lounge and gauge how competitive the new design is.