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American Airlines to add dining at renovated Admiral Clubs
Andrea Ahles
February 17, 2016

The Fort Worth-based carrier said it will introduce Flagship Dining at four airports, including Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, where first-class customers on international and transcontinental flights will have complimentary full-service meals available in the lounges. The dining experience will be available in 2017, and also at clubs in New York’s JFK, Los Angeles and Miami airports.

“They will be able to sit down at a table, order a gourmet meal before departure and experience that, and then get on the plane and relax on a flight from New York to London,” chief marketing officer Andrew Nocella said. “Working with British Airways showed us how valuable of a feature this is for our customers.”

British Airways and American have had a joint business agreement since 2010 where the airlines share revenue and marketing on routes between the U.S. and Europe. Nocella said American needed to improve its first-class service to align with its joint venture partners like British Airways and Japan Airlines.

“It became apparent we were not delivering historically on what first class was,” Nocella said. “It’s not just first class on board the aircraft. It needs to be from the moment they book a ticket and check in at the airport.”

American said it plans to renovate its Flagship Lounges at New York’s JFK, Los Angeles and Chicago O’Hare airports with more modern furnishings. It will also upgrade Admirals Clubs at DFW, Miami and Philadelphia airports into Flagship Lounges.

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