American Airlines DCA Admirals Club Now Open [First Look!]

American Airlines has opened its latest Admirals Club, this time in the regional concourse of Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in Arlington, Virginia. This latest club is the first of the new redesign, showcasing a more modern aesthetic that will be duplicated in clubs across the country.

Location

This club is in Terminal 2 at the entrance to the E gates, which are the regional use gates for American at the airport. While these gates are for smaller jets usually headed toward smaller cities, any eligible American Airlines passenger can use this lounge, as all American flights are after security and accessible via a short walk.

Unique Flair

This lounge has a lot of nods to the D.C. area and includes:

• Special VIP room for dignitaries and federal representativesL This actually isn’t the first time this type of concept has been offered. The old US Airways Club at the airport used to have a separate VIP side, but it was removed as the airline merged with American.
• Cherry blossom infinity windows: These windows allow you to get natural light but have a view of the iconic cherry blossoms year-round.
• Stone entryway: The entrance mimics the nearby museums and monuments that make D.C. famous.

Seating

This lounge doesn’t have a shortage of seating, though you’ll notice many unique options, including couches. There are plenty of charging ports and areas where you can seek privacy.

Lounge Size

This lounge is 14,500 square feet in size and accommodates 236 passengers at one time, making it the largest lounge at DCA.

Hot Tip: The nice thing about the opening of this club is that the other 2 Admirals Clubs at DCA will remain open, allowing passengers to use 1 of 3 clubs during their journey. This should prevent overcrowding.

Accessing the Lounge

Like all Admirals Clubs, there are a few access rules. Passengers must hold a boarding pass for same-day travel on an American Airlines or partner airline-operated flight and be:

• An American AAdvantage Platinum, Platinum Pro, or Executive Platinum flying on an eligible international itinerary
• Members of the Admirals Club, either by credit card or paid membership
• A foreign carrier Oneworld Emerald or Sapphire flying on American or Alaska
• Flying first or business class when departing on a qualifying international or transcontinental flight marketed and operated by American or a Oneworld airline
• Uniformed military personnel

Hot Tip: Learn more details about how to access the Admirals Club in our guide: Full List of U.S. Admirals Club Lounge Locations, Hours & Amenities [Includes Map].

Final Thoughts

The lounge design for the new DCA lounge is stunning, and there are lots of sleek wood and concrete features, combined with new seating and a bar. While the new lounge concept is gorgeous, the soft products need heavy improvement, including new food selections beyond the current cheese cubes and carrot sticks. While American hasn’t announced any new changes on that front, if it does, it will certainly make these new lounges a worthy competitor to those of Delta and United.