American Airlines Flagship Lounge in Chicago Reopening April 21

American Airlines will be reopening its final Flagship Lounge post-COVID-19 closures at Chicago (ORD) on April 21, 2022. This lounge reopening will signify the reopening of all remaining American Airlines premium lounges, though a few mainstream Admirals Clubs remain closed.

The Reopening of the Chicago Flagship Lounge

The Chicago O’Hare Flagship Lounge, located in Terminal 3 between gates H6 and K6, closed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic as demand fell precipitously.

On April 21, this lounge will reopen to eligible passengers. Daily hours pre-pandemic were 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Once this lounge reopens, all of American’s Flagship Lounges systemwide will be available for use.

As a point of reference, here’s when each Flagship Lounge reopened:

Hot Tip: For more details, check out our full list of American Airlines Flagship Lounges, including locations, hours, and more.

How To Access the Chicago Flagship Lounge

To access a Flagship Lounge, you need to meet one of the following criteria:

• Be traveling in long-haul international first class or business class on an American Airlines or Oneworld flight
• Be traveling on an eligible transcontinental flight in business class or first class
• Have Oneworld Emerald or Sapphire status and be traveling on an eligible flight
• Have American Airlines Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro, or Platinum status or Alaska Airlines MVP 100K, MVP 75K, or MVP Gold status and be flying on American Airlines to an eligible international destination

Most passengers will access the lounge either because they’re sitting in business class on an eligible route or are elite passengers flying on an international flight.

In the case of Chicago, most passengers will be flying to Europe on one of the carrier’s several daily departures across the pond.

Inside the Chicago Flagship Lounge

Flagship Lounges provide an elevated lounge experience for eligible customers, including:

• Premium food buffet featuring hot and cold items, soups, salads, and more
• Bottled and canned non-alcoholic beverages
• Complimentary beers, wines, and hard liquor
• Showers
• Ticketing assistance
• A glass of Champagne upon entry
• Premium amenities such as upgraded soaps and fixtures

Final Thoughts

With the opening of Chicago’s Flagship Lounge, American will now have reopened every single Flagship Lounge in the network — a testament to the demand for premium travel as the COVID-19 pandemic begins to subside. Up until this point, eligible passengers were only able to use the nearby Admirals Club, so having an upgraded offering with additional food, alcohol, showers, and more is a welcome addition to the travel experience.