American Airlines announced its plan for a new Austin Admiral’s Club this morning. The lounge will be “more than 12,000 square feet on the west side of the terminal” and will be American’s first lounge with an outdoor terrace. The location of the lounge upstairs at the end of the airport will allow for “”expansive views of downtown Austin and the airfield.”
“As we elevate our presence in Austin, we’re excited to bring a new level of comfort and hospitality to our customers,” said American’s Chief Customer Officer Heather Garboden. “This new Admirals Club® lounge will reflect the vibrant spirit of Austin while offering the thoughtful design and premium amenities our customers expect.”
American Airlines first announced plans for a new lounge in Austin at gate 14 four and a half years ago about eight gates east of their current lounge. This lounge will actually be about 20% smaller than it would have been in the original space. So a new lounge in Austin has been a long time in coming.
I wrote exclusively in November 2024 that American had shifted plans for where it would build its new Austin club to the West Gate Expansion area of the airport, that the space wouldn’t be done until 2026 (it opened this week) and therefore the lounge couldn’t be expected until 2027. And I wrote at the time that it would be “11,575 square feet including an outdoor terrace.” (It sounds as though measured square footage changed ever so slightly since then.)
While American is expected to remain smaller in Austin than Southwest and Delta, they will nearly double their gate allocation at the airport once the new concourse opens in the early 2030s, and they’ll occupy 9 gates on the west end of the current concourse (along with Alaska Airlines). So this new lounge is located right where American’s gates will be. Already this new lounge is on the side of the concourse that American operates out of now.
Here’s a look at the 2030s gate allocation. The lounge will be above the light blue (American) gates on the very left.
American’s new design aesthetic is currently featured in Philadelphia (A West), Washington National (E Concourse), Denver and Newark.
And the pipeline of lounges which will see it, in addition to Austin, includes the DCA D renovation, new Charlotte main Admiral’s Club and Flagship lounge, a new Flagship lounge for Miami (with the current one converted to Admiral’s Club space) as well as San Antonio.
I don’t necessarily love Admirals Club food, finding Delta lounge food to be significantly better even in the face of cutbacks there, but new kitchen facilities help and having proper space for the food will be better and make the presentation more appetizing.
The real treat, though, isn’t the design or that there will be an outdoor deck – it’s the staff in the Austin club who are the absolute best in the system. They know the names of all regulars on sight.
They work magic with itineraries – and they keep working that magic even once you’ve left, frequently bird dogging inventory and improving connections even after you’ve left the lounge. When I’ve had flights cancelled and could only get a long connection in Dallas or Charlotte, I’ve found myself landing to notes saying they’ve gotten me on an earlier flight because space opened up. They do this for everyone.
It’s a small city, personal customer service feel even in a growing market. And that makes Admiral’s Club membership worth it. The space will finally match the service once this lounge opens, in all likelihood next year – American says construction will start this year. I genuinely cannot wait for the lounge to open because it’ll make flying American Airlines out of my home airport that much better.
Nice. Right on cue, @MaxPower
“Thoughtful and premium” Heh.
Easy win for Gary 😉
So they finally found the right combination of black, trans, 5 spirit and lesbians to finally build this thing?
@chris
this might be the most random attempt to go full racist, transphopic, and homophobic on an unrelated topic I’ve seen on an aviation comment section.
Why?
@Max
I take it that you don’t know the history of this project and the city’s ridiculous demands with lounge construction. Look it up…it’s out there.
This outdoor terrace will be very nice for the 17 days of the year when the weather is tolerable in Austin.
*shot across the bow at Delta’s Austin aspirations*
@ Mike Hunt It really depends on what you call tolerable. I’ve lived here since the first SWA arrived and departed and have found Central Texas weather to be very tolerable with but a few exceptions…but please do not tell everyone else!
And AA keeps scheduling Regional Jets in the DFW-AUS market.
@One Trippe – I spend most of my time in the DFW area these days. My previous comment was obviously an exaggeration, but on average, Austin has roughly 40–45 days per year with a temperature between 65°F and 75°F and no precipitation. Much like North Texas, decent weather in Austin comes in short bursts. Usually that’s mid-March to mid-April and late October to mid-November. Outside of that, the conditions to sit outdoors are pretty miserable in general. And please don’t tell me it’s somehow better in Austin than it is in Dallas, because it’s clearly not.
Did anyone else notice that every single headline in today’s newsletter has an em dash?
@Josh – I really like them. I know they have become unpopular because of AI but I just think they’re great.
AA follows DL with outdoor lounges
The gate map shows how insignificant UA is becoming in Texas
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@Tim Dunn — Which SkyClub was first to have an outdoor space? ATL F?
@Tim Dunn – AA follows DL with outdoor lounges in Austin, but of course united has one also (LAX)… delta predated united with this feature out a lounge by 3 years though.
DL has had one at JFK for years.
multiple SCs have them now
as for using them in bad weather, most of them have ceiling fans, are covered, and have fireplaces or some other warming device.
@Tim Dunn – It’s not warming devices that are the issue in Austin. It’s mostly keeping the outdoor space cool. And covered or not, ceiling fans don’t do much of anything above 80 F, especially when it’s humid. That accounts for roughly half of the entire year there.
Let’s face it, an outdoor lounge at any major Texas airport is going to have very limited utility. Places like LAX, SAN, HNL etc. make much more sense.
@Chris
I’m aware of the history of the project. I’m also aware blacks, trans, and lesbians has nothing to do with the delays. You’re just spewing hate because you woke up feeling stupid
But by all means, please provide a link showing how blacks, trans, and lesbians had anything to do with AA’s delay of this club.
I assume (hope) it’s smoke free.
@MaxPower — Since @Chris went there… They’re bringing back ‘culture war’ nonsense because they’re getting desperate. Economy isn’t going well, new forever wars, and their attempts at voter suppression aren’t even working, so expect more distraction and irrational hate. 237 days until the midterms.
@Retard – “New forever wars” when we are fewer than 20 days into a military operation is next level stupidity. Every time I think you can’t sink any lower in intelligence you manage to prove me wrong.
@Mike Hunt — Now, 236 days… not looking good for y’all…