Have some further American Airways AAdvantage miles to spare?
Nicely, for those who’re trying to begin your journey in model, the Fort Price-based provider has a brand new choice for you. Efficient instantly, top-tier elite standing members can redeem miles to make use of the Flagship First eating facility earlier than departure.
This new choice is a part of American’s “Improve with Miles” program that debuted in recent times, and the performance of with the ability to redeem miles for Flagship First eating was teased earlier this yr.
An American Airways spokesperson advised TPG that the redemption charges are mounted at:
To take care of the exclusivity of the Flagship First eating areas, American will solely let Platinum Professional members redeem miles for entry passes twice per yr. In case you additionally attain Govt Platinum standing, you can redeem a move for Flagship First eating two extra instances.
For these not acquainted, American’s Flagship First eating amenities are the airline’s lounge-within-a-lounge idea at choose airports. This restaurant-style eating expertise debuted in New York in 2017 and has since expanded to Dallas-Fort Price, Los Angeles and Miami.
In the course of the peak of the pandemic, American shuttered all of its Flagship First eating amenities and has since solely reopened the areas in Dallas-Fort Price and Miami. The outpost in Los Angeles might by no means reopen (it has been “briefly closed” for the reason that early days of COVID-19), whereas the ability in New York has been transformed right into a joint-use lounge house for American and British Airways flyers as a part of the redevelopment of John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK)’s Terminal 8.
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To redeem miles for Flagship First eating, log in to your AAdvantage profile. Then, beneath “Improve with Miles” within the rewards hub, you will discover the choice to redeem miles for the move.
Based mostly on TPG’s valuations, 20,000 miles per move equates to $320. This may very well be worthwhile for particular milestone journeys, however for many vacationers, I would advocate saving the miles for flights themselves.
The one wrinkle is that Flagship First eating additionally contains entry to the Flagship Lounge, so you probably have a very lengthy layover, this might make sense. Additionally observe that you’re going to want a same-day departing boarding move to entry the lounge and that your move supplies entry to your quick household (partner, home associate and/or youngsters beneath 18) or as much as two friends. Youngsters aged two and older rely as friends.
I personally have not been to a Flagship First eating facility this yr, however vacationers nonetheless appear to benefit from the above-average desk service with a wide-ranging a la carte menu and high-end drinks. At one level, American was even serving Krug Champagne in these amenities, however that is since been swapped for cheaper bubbly.
Observe that this selection to redeem miles for Flagship First eating joins the present day move that American sells for its business-class-only Flagship Lounges. These day passes go for $150 or 15,000 miles. In case you’re torn between redeeming miles for a Flagship Lounge move or a Flagship First eating move, the 5,000-mile upcharge for a good meal (and extra personal house) may very well be value it.
Maybe most curiously, the transfer to promote entry to Flagship First eating comes because the airline gears as much as formally retire long-haul and premium transcontinental first-class. The phased retirement is slated to start out early subsequent yr when the Airbus A321T and Boeing 777-300ER — the 2 jets that at present characteristic first-class — get reconfigured into completely different seating layouts.
American hasn’t shared what it’s going to do with its Flagship First eating amenities as soon as the product is now not marketed, however promoting entry to top-tier elites is a straightforward method to monetize the house within the meantime.
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