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Welcome to a weekly feature on the Renés Points blog. Each week this series covers in a “rookie” way either a Delta or travel related theme and attempts to break down to a basic level each topic. You can read up on all the previous posts HERE. Now on to this week’s feature.
I made a stupid rookie mistake and it resulted in my having to turn on my heels and do the “walk of shame” out of the American Admiral’s Club this past weekend. What was the simple mistake I made you ask?
Well you see I am privileged to be an authorized user on a buddy’s Citi AA Executive card and this allows me, when I present the card to AA agents, to simply walk in to an Admiral’s Club Lounge. I don’t even have to be flying AA to get in and can even bring in two guests (or my family) with me. That is really a heck of deal. But the key part of all of this is you must have the card with you and I had forgotten it at home. – Doohhhhh!
This really was most disappointing after a number of very pleasant AA flights to be denied entry into their clubs along the journey. To be fair, the AA reps really tried for a workaround (and apparently there is one) but I would have had to have shown an ID that I lived at the home of the primary user. Well, that I did not have with me or at home so it was time for plan B!
Since I was in LAX I took the very long underground walk from T2 (edit: T4 – I think) all the way to T6 where I popped up above ground level and entered the Alaska Boardroom with my Priority Pass card from my Chase Sapphire Reserve® card. In all honestly the walk did me good so when all is said and done no big deal really – but still it bugged me that AA had no workaround for this predicament I had made for myself and found myself in.
Now don’t think this is just AA’s rule as Delta has the exact same rule for Delta AMEX Reserve Card holders with a Reserve card as authorized user (cost is $175 per user btw). As you can see from the online AMEX chat they also state that you must present the card to enter the Sky Club (and Delta will back them up on this). The downside with the AMEX card is that you do not get to bring any guests along with you like the AA Executive card includes into the AA clubs.
Bottom line, there are any number of different cards that can get you into either airline or private lounges but if you want in you better have the card in your wallet ready to present at the door. Rookie lesson learned! – René
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Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
There’s an underground tunnel at LAX between T2 and T6? I thought only TBIT, T4,5,6,7,8 were connected?
Please share information on this tunnel as it would definitely help me figure out how to connect airside at LAX!
@Jason – I was able to walk all the way from AA T2 to the T6 Alaska. Then again maybe it was T4 when I think on it. It was very early. 😉
@Rene: Ahh, makes sense if it’s T4. I got excited because I thought they connected the north/south side of the airports together and I wouldn’t have to take the darned shuttle and re-clear security.
I have a snack-size Ziploc bag holding these mandatory cards that I keep in my briefcase that I take on all my travels, even vacation trips. Then I always have available the cards that I don’t regularly carry in my wallet. Try it!
Hmm.. I have the Citi AA Platinum Select card. I wonder what the cost difference is for that card and the Executive. I don’t fly AA much, but the use of the admirals club may be useful. I try to use my AA card where I cant use an Amex. It keeps my points active so I don’t lose them for not flying with them. Also works to make sure you get on earlier and have overhead space.
@Gregg G – It is $450 a year but AU cards are FREE so that could be a way to make it more reasonable to have others in the family get into clubs. Yes, I agree with your thinking. BTW I do have a link for the card on the blog at http://www.RenesPoints.com/cards
This is sort of a dumb unrelated question, but is there really any purpose or use for the delta medallion bag tags? Why don’t they have any kind of tracking or anything else on that to tie it back to owner?
@Oren – They are all point pointless. Delta even calls them “BragTags”. Having said that, if you are trying to find space on board and have the tag maybe an FA would be more happy to find space or put it in closest with tag on? Just a YMMV kinda think.
@rené,
I looked at the comparison of Platinum VS Executive and the Executive does not list the 1st bag free benefit that the Platinum one does. Is that an oversight on Citi’s part or does it not include it?