Airport Lounges

Video | American Airlines Admirals Club – New York LaGuardia (LGA)

Jake Redman July 1, 2013 4


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4
On July 1, 2013
Last modified:July 1, 2013

Summary:

Airport Lounge Name: American Airlines Admirals Club
Location: New York LaGuardia (LGA)
Terminal/Concourse: Terminal B (Central Terminal)

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View of Manhattan from Admirals Club at LGA
From your window seat you get Manhattan in the distance and airplanes up-close. – AAdmirals Club at LaGuardia

Seating: You name it. Tall-back retro, slick leather side-chair, typical lounger with a view, cafe seating. There are so many types of seats and places to park yourself at this American Airlines Admirals Club at New York’s LaGuardia Airport. It took a lot of wandering around to discover all the different corners of this lounge but I’m glad I took the time. It would have been easy to miss something.

Even with so many choices, the window seat wins out here. The chairs are lounge-typical but features a great look at the nearby classic American Airlines hangar and (more impressively) a great view of the apron, taxi & runways and distant Manhattan. On a nice day, I could sit here for awhile.

Complimentary fruit at LaGuardia Admirals Club
The sandwiches and salads are extra but the fruit and some snacks are still free. – Admirals Club at New York LaGuardia

Food: There’s food that can actually serve as a meal. That’s not something many other US airlines have picked up on. While this full lunch isn’t a freebie, it beats being hungry or having to sneak in a squishy concourse breakfast sandwich. The typical domestic complimentary lounge snacks are here too. Fresh friuts are nice to see mixed in with the yogurt-(it’s not really yogurt) covered pretzels and snack mix.

Booze: Low end brands are truly low end but are complimentary. Middle and higher end beer, wine and cocktails come at a price. Examples of mid-priced spirits: Jose Cuervo, Smirnoff and Jim Beam. Higher end spirits: Absolut, Bombay Sapphire and Johnny Walker Black.

Wi-fi/Connectivity: Power outlets are just about everywhere you want to be. Even the cafe seating has table-level ports for easy laptop-plugging. This was nicely thought out and is a huge advantage when you’ve got a briefcase full of quickly dying phones and tablets. Wi-fi was fast and free.

Service: The front desk let me know that I should leave a little early because my flight was actually NOT on that concourse. My American Eagle flight left from down the hall past a different TSA line that I’d have to clear. Inconvenient, but I’m glad she told me so that I could give myself time to exit and re-enter. (It’s unfortunate that Eagle commuters have to do this to enjoy the lounge). The lounge was a bit cluttered with leftover cups and half-eaten snacks for quite awhile before they were cleaned up but otherwise service throughout the lounge was efficient and friendly.

Summary: It’s truly a shame that this isn’t a landside (pre-security) lounge that I can easily access before any flight from LaGuardia’s central terminal. But if it were, there probably wouldn’t be great sightlines into the city or this much room to move around. With several different areas with good seating and nicely sectioned, you’ve got plenty of ways to experience this lounge. Good food options, (even at a cost) help to make this more of an upgrade than just another spot in the terminal. Of all the lounges at LaGuardia, this is our favorite.

How to get in: If you plan on visiting more than 3 Admirals Clubs in a 30-day period, a 30-day Pass is a good choice for access particularly if you plan on bringing guests (up to two per visit). Annual memberships can be valuable if you fly American more frequently. Full memberships prices depend on your status within the AAdvantage program. The American Express Platinum Card (not Amex partner platinum cards) also gets you into Admirals Clubs worldwide.

Hops: 4 (of 5).

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Jake Redman
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Jake Redman

Modhop Host & Founder Jake Redman brings years of global exploration and travel tips to the podcast and our videos at Modhop. Jake is also a Producer and Host for SiriusXM.

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