Kudos to American Airlines for really improving the food menu at its Admirals Club lounges. I’ve been seriously impressed by the beef brisket and BBQ pork along with fresh salads and new charcuterie options.
American Airlines Has Upped Its Admirals Club Food Game
AA is really trying hard to re-invent itself, recognizing that if it wants to command a premium for its fares and get more people to sign-up for co-branded credit cards, it must offer a compelling product. We’ve seen that onboard with the new A321XLR and 787-9 but I’m seeing it on the ground too with more and better food at its network of Admirals Club Lounges.
Take Chicago O’Hare for example, for months there has been a a chicken “Sicilian Roasted Chicken” dish which I quite like (a relatively lean source of protein and nicely flavored). Typically there’s also a pasta option like gnocchi that I pass on, but looks decent.
But lately these items have remained and there has been BBQ as well. For some time it was BBQ pork with crispy onions, which was a very delicious dish:
More recently, it has been BBQ beef brisket, a very delicious meal such that I prefer to eat on the ground rather than in the air.
There’s also an expanded charcuterie with a nice selection of meats, cheeses, crackers, fruits, nuts, and spreads and a very delicious salad with cole slaw, cucumbers, and a nice mustard sauce. There’s always hummus too, at least one decent soup, and the coffee has been upgraded to LavaZZa.
I picked ORD as an example, but I’ve noticed great improvements in Boston (BOS), Los Angeles (LAX), and New York (JFK) as well.
In short, the AA lounge network is a huge value add for me. I fly a lot and maximizing my work (with functional Wi-Fi and few distractions) is very important in the air so that I can dedicate more time to my family on the ground.
Offering hearty, protien-filled, pleasantly tasting food makes me more loyal to American Airlines.
So their food is better than what their competitors are offering at the United Club and Skyclub?
If they’re trying something new, great. However, from experience, it depends on the particular lounge. Like, AC at T8 JFK hardly ever has food; maybe, a few pre-made plates of guac and chips, but often that’s it. Anything else, a chicken quesadilla, nope, pay-up if you want better. Then again, LGA B, AC has a decent chicken cacciatore sometimes…
ORD AC food is indeed much better than JFK or LGA options.
I would say yes, though D1 Lounge > Polaris Lounge > Flagship Lounge when it comes to the premium lounges.
“BBQ Pork with Crispy Onions,” “Smoked barbecued pork, crisy onion,” “Contains: Pork.” I’d surprised if it didn’t contain pork with all those warnings. It seems aviation takes redundancy seriously.
@ Matthew — I am surprised you eat this poison.
I realize it’s not great quality, but it is a good protein source and very delicious.
Haven’t you been paying attention? Our Liebling is having money issues lately. Been multiple posts on it here and FT, so it makes sense to load up in the lounge and such. Cost effective! Alles in Ordnung!
Little known fact: When that BBQ is being served in the Admirals Clubs in DFW, it is actually the best BBQ available in the DFW area, pushing the usual winner, the McRib, down to #2.
Congratulations to AA and BBQ lovers all over the Metroplex!
ROTFL
Congrats to the AA culinary team!
What are the improvements in Boston? The menu has been exact same for the last three years: clam chowder, build your own nachos, and an above average charcuterie selection
If anything it was probably more that Boston had a head start on the rest versus any new benefits here
No real cutlery or bowls? Why so many disposables?
Quality food is excellent, but paper cups and eco friendly plastic utincenls not so much.
It’s unfortunate that the cutlery and soup bowls are disposable…I’d like to see metal cutlery and ceramic bowls, like the ceramic dishes.
It looks like the AC lounge in SNA has also upgraded to similar food. Definitely a step up, and the food was quite tasty (roasted sweet potatoes, BBQ beef brisket, the roasted chicken dish and some sort of Mexican brown rice). Now if the presentation could be improved…