American Airlines Considering Major Lounge Change That Would Shut Out Some Members

American Airlines opened a brand-new Flagship Lounge and Admirals Club side by side at Philadelphia International Airport in 2025, giving travelers in Terminal A two upgraded places to relax before their flights. But just over a year later, one of those lounges might be on its way out.

The airline is reportedly considering a big shake-up that would turn the two lounges into one. While that would be great news for its most elite travelers, it could leave many Admirals Club members looking for somewhere else to go.

Flagship Lounge Could Double in Size

According to View from the Wing’s Gary Leff, American is expected to expand its Philadelphia Flagship Lounge by taking over the Admirals Club next door in Terminal A West. The plans first came to light on Reddit, where a passenger said a Flagship Lounge employee told them the expansion would happen “sometime around next March.”

The Flagship Lounge currently covers 12,500 square feet with about 200 seats, while the Admirals Club covers 11,000 square feet with 181 seats. Combined with some extra flex space, the merged lounge would be nearly 25,000 square feet, roughly doubling the Flagship’s footprint.

The two lounges are already connected, which would make the change relatively simple. The timing would also have the bigger lounge ready before next summer’s transatlantic rush, when Philadelphia becomes one of American’s busiest gateways to Europe.

‘Nothing Set in Stone’

American hasn’t confirmed the plan just yet, though it didn’t rule it out, either.

“Nothing set in stone right now, but we are always evaluating how we can best serve our customers during the summer peak next year,” an American spokesperson told Leff.

The Flagship Lounge is reserved for the airline’s top customers, including international first and business class passengers and travelers with elite oneworld status. On the other hand, the Admirals Club is open to members who pay for access, including many who get in through the Citi AAdvantage Executive credit card.

If the takeover happens, those Admirals Club members would lose the lounge in A West. The nearest Admirals Club would be in Terminals B and C, and there’s no announced replacement in Terminal A.

What It Means for Travelers

Clearly, the change would solve one problem while creating another. Several readers in the comments of Leff’s post described the Flagship Lounge as overcrowded, and doubling its size would give premium travelers more breathing room.

However, other readers said they would cancel their Citi Executive cards if they lost access to a club in Terminal A. American previously closed its A East Admirals Club when the new lounges opened, so there would be no other Admirals Club option in Terminal A.

To make matters worse, other options in the terminal are also limited right now. The American Express Centurion Lounge is closed for an expansion and isn’t expected to reopen until late 2027.

For now, Admirals Club members flying out of Terminal A may want to enjoy the space while they still can.

This story was originally published by Men’s Journal on Nov 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the Travel section. Add Men’s Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.