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American Airlines offers mile redemption for exclusive lounge access

American Airlines offers mile redemption for exclusive lounge access
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Mimi Wright Social media manager | The Points Guy

American Airlines has introduced a new option for its top-tier elite status members to redeem miles for access to the Flagship First dining facility before departure. This offering is part of the airline's "Enhance with Miles" program, which was launched in recent years. The ability to use miles for Flagship First dining was hinted at earlier this year.

According to an American Airlines spokesperson, the redemption rates are set at 20,000 AAdvantage miles for Executive Platinum members and 24,000 AAdvantage miles for Platinum Pro members. To preserve the exclusivity of these dining areas, Platinum Pro members can only redeem miles for entry passes twice per year. Executive Platinum status holders have the opportunity to redeem a pass two additional times.

American's Flagship First dining facilities are described as a lounge-within-a-lounge concept available at select airports. The restaurant-style experience first appeared in New York in 2017 and later expanded to Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles, and Miami. During the pandemic, all Flagship First dining locations were closed; however, only those in Dallas-Fort Worth and Miami have reopened since then. The Los Angeles location remains temporarily closed, while the New York facility has been converted into a joint-use lounge space with British Airways at JFK Airport's Terminal 8.

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To redeem miles for Flagship First dining access, travelers need to log into their AAdvantage profile and navigate to "Enhance with Miles" in the rewards hub. There they will find the option to exchange miles for a pass.

Based on evaluations by TPG (The Points Guy), each pass valued at 20,000 miles is equivalent to $320. While this may be appealing for special trips, it might be more prudent for most travelers to save their miles for flights instead.

Flagship First dining also grants access to the Flagship Lounge, making it beneficial during long layovers. Access requires a same-day departing boarding pass and extends to immediate family or up to two guests.

In addition to this new option, American Airlines continues selling day passes for its business-class-only Flagship Lounges at $150 or 15,000 miles each. For some travelers, paying an extra 5,000 miles could be worthwhile for a more private meal experience.

This move comes as American plans to retire its long-haul and premium transcontinental first class early next year when aircraft like Airbus A321T and Boeing 777-300ER undergo seating reconfigurations. The airline has not disclosed future plans for its Flagship First dining facilities once these changes take effect but monetizing them through top-tier elites is seen as an interim solution.

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