My first weekend trip to Oslo began in Chicago. To begin the trip I booked an economy class ticket on AA98 which is the 10PM departure from Chicago O’Hare (ORD) to London Heathrow (LHR). For both trips to Oslo I specifically booked this flight for three reasons.
The first reason is that it allows me to work a full day without having to take PTO to cross the Atlantic. The second is that it leaves so late that I’m actually able to sleep nearly the entire flight. With 5PM-7PM departures I usually don’t get very much sleep when heading East. Lastly, I booked flights on American so that I could try to use a Systemwide Upgrade to move to business class; more on that to come.
Work ended at 5PM on Friday so I immediately left the office and made my way to the airport. I wanted to get to the airport early to have enough time to check out both the renovated Admirals Club and the new Flagship Lounge in O’Hare. Although I was only flying economy on American I could access either lounge thanks to my current American Airlines Executive Platinum elite status.
Access to the Chicago O’Hare Flagship Lounge isn’t entirely difficult to come by. Those with AAdvantage Platinum or above status (OneWorld Sapphire or Emerald) traveling internationally in any cabin on a OneWorld operated flight have access to the Flagship Lounge. Likewise, those traveling internationally in either First or Business class on American have access to the Flagship Lounge.
American Airlines Flagship Lounge Entrance Chicago O’Hare Intentional
The Flagship Lounge in Chicago is located between the H/K gates. The terminal splits into H and K gates after passing through the hall of flags, which you may recognize from home alone.
You can access the lounge by either taking the right or left fork. I usually go right as the door is closer to the right than it is to the left. If you’re lost, just follow the signs to the Admirals Club.
As you walk along the hall which connects the H/K gates you’ll find the entrance to the lounge. The entrance to the Admirals Club and Flagship Lounge is shared as with most Flagship Lounge locations.
To enter the lounge you must check-in with the lounge attendants located on the ground level. To enter the lounge you need to present your boarding card and an ID. As you check in, if you have access to the Flagship Lounge the lounge attendant will hand you a Flagship Lounge invitation card. You’ll need that card to present to the Flagship Lounge greeters.
Behind the check-in desks was a very cool mural of Chicago.
After passing down the hall with the mural I found the elevator bank which takes guest upstairs into either lounge.
Once inside the elevator it was extremely clear which lounge was on which floor.
After the short ride I exited the elevator and was immediately in the reception area of the Flagship Lounge.
I then handed the lounge agents my Flagship Lounge invitation and was directed into the lounge.
American Airlines Flagship Lounge Chicago Seating
I got to the lounge by about 6PM on Friday evening. Once inside I noticed the lounge was pretty full as many of the international departures leave between 5-7PM.
Immediately after entering the lounge I first noticed a large sitting area with extremely comfortable couches.
Above the couches is a familiar broken spiral chandelier found in other Flagship Lounge locations.
To the left of the first sitting area (toward the dining area) was a second sitting area with more traditional airline lounge furniture. Along the large windows which overlook the H/K ally was a bar style table which is perfect if you need to setup a laptop and work while in the lounge.
Toward the rear of the lounge (toward the showers) was another sitting area with similar seating options which featured reading lamps.
As you’ll see from the photo below, there was a ceiling leak during my visit, but I suspect this will be repaired quickly.
One thing you’ll quickly notice about this lounge is that ever seat has access to power. There are outlets in each table between the seats. More impressively the lounge offers Qi wireless charging pads on several tabletops.
Most flagship smartphones use Qi wireless charing technology so I’m glad to see American embracing the tech. It was extremely convenient to simply place my phone on the charging pad rather having to unpack my charging cable.
American Airlines Flagship Lounge Media Room
At the very end of the lounge you’ll find a large media room which was also empty. I noticed not many guests ventured too far away from the dining area, which is understandable. More on that in a second.
The media room featured cinema style seating and all of the seating in the room faced the two large TV sets. Again, every seat in the media room offered ample options to charge devices while seated.
Toward the rear of the media room was another bar style seating area for guests to setup a laptop.
One interesting thing about the media room is that there was absolutely no sound from either TV. On top of that, I didn’t see any option to plug headphones into anything to connect to the TVs. If you plan on watching something in the media room you better be comfortable reading the on-screen subtitles.
Personally, with this room I think American should just play “Up In The Air” on repeat, all day, every day. After all, that entire film is basically an American Airlines add.
American Airlines Flagship Lounge Champagne Bar
I purposefully saved the dining area of the lounge until now as it is by fare the most impressive area of the lounge. As with other Flagship Lounges the food and beverage options are fantastic! That experience begins with the self-service wine/Champagne bar which you pass as you enter the dining area. Above the Champagne bar you’ll find a lighting arrangement which is reminiscent of the LAX Flagship Lounge I recently visited.
The Champagne bar is fairly long and takes up a significant portion of the center of the dining area.
During my visit there were bottles of Taittinger Brut Champagne as well as several red and white wines on offer. Glasses are found below in a recessed area of the bar.
As you past the Champagne bar it’s difficult to not grab a class of either before sitting down for a meal. My only wish with this area is for it to be closer to the entrance so you could grab a glass as you enter as is the case with Cathay Pacific’s The Wing First Class Lounge.
American Airlines Flagship Lounge Chicago Dining Area
After passing the Champagne bar you’ll find the large dining area of the lounge. Within the dining area are two large buffet stations.
At one end of each station guests could find condiments, napkins, and silverware.
One buffet featured hot, hearty food options.
While the second buffet featured cold foods such as salads, cured meats, and sushi.
I personally recommend eating a full meal before the flight as the food was much better than that found on the plane and I could then sleep through the in-flight meal service.
Toward the entrance of the of the dining area is the dessert station. The dessert station also featured a tea station complete with pre-flight chamomile tea.
The dessert area featured various cheesecakes and brownies.
It also had a few jars of M&Ms, skittles, and Garretts chocolate caramel corn.
After grabbing a few items from the buffet I found a seat which wasn’t hard given the ample seating options provided.
Just off to the side of the dining area was a more intimate dining room which is perfect for large groups traveling together.
Of if you’d prefer you could sit at one of the less private two-top tables located throughout the dining area.
After my delicious pre-flight meal it was finally time for a drink or two before my flight.
American Airlines Flagship Lounge Beverage Options
Perhaps even more impressive than the food selection in the lounge was the beverage selection. Beyond the Champagne and wine bar there was a second beverage station toward the rear of the buffet area.
Toward one side of the rear beverage station was a refrigerator filled with canned soft drinks and juices. There was also a Coke Freestyle machine.
Next to the soft-drinks was a full self-service bar with several liquor options. Notably the lounge offered “Few Spirits” which is a local distillery in Evanston, IL. I personally really enjoy when lounges offer local options, it gives the lounge a more personalized feel.
At the other end of the beverage station was a second refrigerator which was fully stocked with canned beer. Again, a local Revolution Brewing Anti-Hero was on offer. Next to the beer refrigerator was a coffee machine where guests could prepare a wide variety of coffee drinks.
Located in a second area of the lounge was a full Bloody Mary station which included Grey Goose vodka and several garnishes.
Long story short, if your goal is to have a few alcoholic beverages before a flight then you definitely won’t be disappointed when visiting the American Airlines Flagship Lounge in Chicago.
American Airlines Flagship Lounge Chicago Shower Facilities
About 30 minutes before our scheduled boarding time I decided to take a shower and change into more comfortable clothes. After all, I came to the airport straight from work and didn’t want to fly in slacks!
To use the shower facilities you must visit the Flagship Lounge agent desk to get a key.
To get a key you must hand the lounge agent your boarding pass as collateral. At that point I was given a key to an open shower suite.
I was surprised by how elegant the shower suites were. The shower room was actually a very nice relaxing place to be and mot importantly the space felt extremely clean.
Next to the sink was a large glass-enclosed shower.
Just outside of the shower was a small wooden bench. I’m not sure that I’d ever sit on a bench in an airport shower suite, but that’s just me…
Overall the shower suite was fantastic. The shower water pressure was great and the temperature was easy to control. I usually avoid domestic lounge showers as they tend to be rather uninviting, but this shower suite was excellent. I hope American keeps these shower suites in this condition for years to come.
After my shower I returned the key to the lounge agent who then returned my boarding card. I don’t love the idea of using a boarding card as collateral, but I understand the intention behind it.
If you don’t have time to visit the shower suites you’ll be happy to find the restrooms are equally nice.
Final Thoughts
Wow! I am thoroughly impressed by the new American Airlines Flagship Lounge in Chicago O’Hare. The lounge is quite large, there is ample seating, and the buffet dining is excellent. On top of that, the shower facilities and restrooms are much nicer than most that you’ll find in domestic lounges.
I usually don’t show up to the airport in advance to hang out in a lounge, but I’d make an exception for the new American Airlines Flagship Lounge in Chicago. In fact, going forward I will most likely use the lounge to eat dinner before evening international flights. The food in the lounge is much better than you’ll find in American Business or Economy class on long-haul flights. For that reason, I plan on eating in the lounge and sleeping through meal services on future flights.
I’m so glad to have this new lounge in my hometown airport. I absolutely look forward to visiting this lounge several more times in the coming months and years. I just hope American maintains the current condition of the lounge. It would be a shame to see the lounge deteriorate in future years due to cost cuts.
