My husband and I had to take a quick trip to Chicago for a personal matter. To that end, we booked an itinerary with American Airlines to fly there and back within a 24-hour window at the end of October.

Since we flew out of New York’s LaGuardia airport (LGA), we were able to visit the American Airlines Admirals Club LaGuardia (LGA) before our flight to Chicago (which I will not review since it was in economy) and also the Admirals Club at Chicago O’Hare (ORD) before our American Airlines First Class flight back to New York, which I will review.

Here I will review the Admirals Club at New York LaGuardia (LGA). Briefly, this is certainly one of the nicer Admirals Clubs that I have visited. Its open design on the upper floor of the concourse gives it a spacious and airy atmosphere. The food was not bad and there were plenty of diverse seating options. I’d happily return.

At a Glance

Category	Details
Location	Terminal B, airside in concourse A, as you come down the escalator of the walkway to gates 11-31
Hours	Daily 4:30AM – 9:30PM
Who gets in	Those with an Admirals Club membership, Admirals Club day pass (from credit card or purchased separately), or higher-tier elite status (American Platinum Pro and Alaska Atmos Gold on international itineraries, or non-US derived oneworld Sapphire status).
Amenities	– Food and drink buffet – Two full bars for alcoholic drinks – Several seating types for lounging, dining and working, many of which have power outlets. – Call booths – Complimentary Wi-Fi – Showers – Quiet/relaxation area
Crowds	Busiest early and late morning, steady through 6pm, quietest in the late evening.

Hours and Location

The Admirals Club at New York-LaGuardia is open daily from 4:30AM until 9:30PM, as per American Airlines.

To get to the Admirals Club at LaGuardia’s Terminal B, you’ll make your way into the terminal and past the check-in counters. You’ll find the first class and priority check-in counters at check-in bay A.

Proceed to the opposite end of the hall, at the large lighted gate with the ‘All Gates’ sign, which is where you’ll find one massive security checkpoint. TSA PreCheck was on the left after passing through that gate. Whatever choice you make here, once through you’ll go up an escalator to the upper floor.

Once there, you’ll make your way over a winding path through duty free shops, to emerge into a large central area with a beautiful water feature at the center and a multitude of dining outlets and shops. American Airlines’ departure gates are all in concourse A, which holds gates 11 through 31. While I didn’t see any signage specifically calling out concourse A, there was a sign towards gates 11 through 31, so we followed that.

You’ll proceed through a long walkway that you use to cross an active taxiway, and if you’re lucky you’ll see aircraft pass right under you. Along this walkway you’ll also find the Capital One Landing, which is Capital One’s smaller, dining-focused lounge concept. You’ll pass that, proceed through the walkway to the other side, and go down the escalators.

Right at the bottom of the first set of escalators, you’ll find the entrance to the Admirals Club, just to the right of the second set of escalators. Because all Admirals Clubs have pretty much the same entrance style, they are easy to recognize.

Once inside, you’ll be welcomed in by one of several agents at podiums, who will scan your boarding pass (and your day or credit card pass, if that’s how you’re gaining entry). After doing that, we were provided a brief explanation of the lounge’s layout, and were then welcomed inside.

Access Requirements

There are various ways to enter the Admirals Club. These requirements should be the same across all Admirals Clubs. Full details are available on the website of American Airlines, but find below an overview:

• Admirals Club Members: you can buy a membership straight-up or receive one through various means, including by getting the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard.
• Travel in a premium cabin: business or first class on transcontinental or international itineraries with American Airlines or oneworld partners.
• With American AAdvantage elite status, Platinum Pro and up. However, this will only get you in on international itineraries.
• oneworld Sapphire or Emerald members, obtained through a loyalty program other than American AAdvantage, can get access on both domestic and international itineraries.
• By buying an Admirals Club Day Pass. However, capacity controls can restrict access to day pass holders, so this can be a bit tricky.
• Holders of the Citi Strata Elite Card will get four Admirals Club passes, which, unlike buying a day pass, do not seem to be subject to capacity controls (based on my experience at the Washington National DCA, E Gates Admirals Club). This is how we entered this lounge: we redeemed two passes, one for my husband and one for myself.

Seating and Design

After being welcomed in by the desk agent, you’ll turn left into the lounge proper through something of a large doorway.

Passing through it you’ll immediately notice that the lounge opens up into the rest of the concourse. These days, LaGuardia is a beautiful airport with a monumental design featuring a massive indoor space with high ceilings. Really, this sort of terminal design can only complement the lounge design of the Admirals Club, so I’m glad that they incorporated it.

The first area you’ll walk into is a large space that’s partitioned into three smaller areas. Directly in front you’ll find a variety of fixed lounge chairs, and a similar area will be just on the other side of a central partition. Then off to the right are rows of chairs arranged in quads, with pairs facing each other.

At the far end you can turn either right or left. Turning right you will first pass a small media room on your right, with a series of loungers facing TV screens. On your left you’ll find large windows acting as a barrier so you don’t fall down, but which also provide a great view of the concourse down below. Tables and chairs set up in pairs provide a great spot to grab a bite and look at that view.

At the end of this corridor you emerge into a seating area, primarily for the purpose of having a bite and a drink. There’s a bar with some high-top seating to your immediate right, and then beyond that is also the smaller of two buffets in this lounge, as well as a drink station. You’ll also find a variety of seating options.

In the center is a triangular banquette with tables and chairs set up along two sides, but there isn’t really enough space for the banquette to feel like a useful addition to these tables (though I did see people actually using it). The fact that it doubles as a planter was a nice touch, as it adds some green to a space that, design-wise, is really just a whole load of grey with some wood accents (have a look at Alaska’s version of a triangular banquette in their San Francisco lounge – it’s quite the difference).

Further back is a long counter, perfect for solo travelers looking to have a bite while enjoying the view of the concourse below. There are also numerous outlets, so it’d also make for a good space to work, which is also true for the booths that you’ll find opposite this counter. There were only a few of those, and they seem just large enough that four people could use them if they squeezed in, but they would certainly be more comfortable for a couple.

I have mentioned the view a few times, but this is actually what that looked like from this particular seating area. It also gives you some idea how high up the lounge is actually situated, relative to the concourse’s main level.

Backtracking a bit to the seating area in front of the lounge entrance, you can also turn left. You’ll first walk over a bridge that connects the two parts of the Admirals Club to each other. Looking to your left you’ll have a view of the escalators coming down from the walkway that connects the concourse to the main terminal building.

Immediately on the other end of the bridge you’ll bump into the second bar in the lounge. This one is a bit bigger, with a similar design. It’s functional and business-like, and I feel a little bit more could have been done with the design. If anything, it gives me a bit of a sports bar vibe. High-top seating surrounds three sides of the bar, since the back of it is dedicated to the second buffet.

It’s behind the bar that you’ll find that second buffet, as well as restaurant-style seating, with banquettes and tables set for two. In practice you should be able to move tables together too, if you’re a bigger group.

Past the buffet the lounge continues. You’ll come across a triangular island in the same style as the smaller seating area earlier. To the left of this you’ll find service desks with American Airlines employees that can help you with any questions you may have about your itinerary. Then on the right side of the island are tables with chairs. Since the island is like a large banquette, this offers paired seating in a restaurant style. There are also some round tables with up to three chairs right by the windows on the right, offering nice views of the concourse.

Beyond the triangular island you’ll first come across a hallway on the left that brings you to the restrooms. Right by that hallway, you’ll find this wooden contraption at the center, with corridors on both sides.

Go inside, and you’ll be in what’s maybe best described as… a man cave? Is this a Texas ranch or a ’60s boardroom mixed with an arcade? Given the rather static and grey, ‘business-like’ styling of the club overall, this space is a welcome reprieve. Even if I can’t figure out what this space is going for, I love it! The wood makes the space feel warm and inviting, and the arcade games are kind of fun.

Meanwhile, the corridors on either side are the usual grey-scale tones, with different kinds of seating. The one-person booths are a nice way to limit distractions from people passing by.

When you pass that fabulous wooden anomaly, you’ll get to a larger seating area. There are different kinds of seating depending on what you’re going for. Overall, the space is split by a long planter. On the right, by the windows, you’ll find comfy lounge chairs set up in pairs. Then by the planters are additional chairs set up in quads, with tables in between each pair. Those tables have outlets, while the ones by the windows do not.

On the other side of the planter you’ll find a slightly different vibe. First, there is another drink station with all the usual fixings, as well as a small dessert selection. More about that later.

Then, lined up along the planters, are couches and various larger lounge chairs. This feels more like a living room in a lounge that otherwise feels rather corporate. I’d also say that the placement is a bit awkward, because sitting there you’ll be looking straight at people using the private work booths on the opposite side.

Those booths come in various shapes and sizes. There is a single booth that holds an actual desk with an appropriate desk chair, facing the wall, and then there’s a series of booths with a couch and a table. These should still be fine to work in, but I’ve always found it a bit less comfortable if I can’t pull myself up all the way to the table and still lean back. Finally there are also a few private call booths, with a door that can be closed. I’d have liked these to be partially frosted, though, for privacy. As you’d expect, every booth has an outlet to charge devices.

Beyond the planter and the booths you’ll come upon a space that’s a bit more centered around working. There’s a counter in the center with chairs on one side, and high-top stools on the other side. By the windows is another counter, and this is probably the nicer place to sit and work (or not, if you’re afraid to be distracted by the goings-on downstairs on the concourse). You’ll also find an iMac attached to a printer here. There are outlets at pretty much every seat here, as you’d hope.

In this area there are also some conference rooms on the left, and more of those single-seater booths, with built-in power outlets. By the windows are some more comfy swiveling chairs with side tables.

Finally, at the very end of the lounge is a quiet and relaxation area, set up within a curtained space that features different kinds of seating options, including day beds. This was a legitimately quiet part of the lounge, with little to no foot traffic, as it is quite a walk from the entrance (and all the food).

Once you get to the very edge of the lounge, you can turn the corner and follow the glass safety partitions, along which there is further seating. You’ll make your way to what is actually the back of concourse A…

And there you’ll find there are more day beds, positioned in a uniquely great way with full views of the tarmac. Even though it’s as far from the buffet and bar as you can possibly be, I think this might be one of the best places in this lounge to relax. Which is probably why every single day bed was occupied! It’s funny, because for all intents and purposes you could consider this spot ‘hidden’, and yet everybody has found it anyway.

Overall, the American Airlines Admirals Club LaGuardia Terminal B is a pleasant place to spend your time. Set in concourse A, it makes full use of the high ceilings to make the place feel spacious and airy. However, in terms of design, Admirals Clubs have always been rather corporate in aesthetics, and the Admirals Club LaGuardia is no different. With a lot of grey tones and some pops of wood, it feels a bit sterile. Even so, this is a big lounge with multiple bars and buffets, and many kinds of seating options. From restaurant-style dining options, to couches to office setups to day beds, you’ll find a place to sit that should be to your liking.

Food and Drinks

There are two buffets at the Admirals Club LaGuardia Terminal B. One is at the smaller seating area, turning right before crossing the bridge. The smaller of the two bars is also here. This buffet features a cold bar, hot bar, and several drink options.

The cold bar included a variety of finger foods, such as vegetables, fruits and deli meats. On offer were also little naan breads and several kinds of dip, cheeses, hams and salami. The salami was pretty solid, and the rest was… well, raw vegetables are just what they are.

Somewhat to my surprise, the hot options were quite good. During my first visits to Admirals Clubs, which included the ones at New York-JFK Terminal 8 and Washington National DCA, the food was really rather cafeteria level. Here, the food was significantly better (and so perhaps it has improved at those two clubs as well). I tried a bit of all and thought all dishes were quite nice, though I specifically liked the braised pork ragu.

At this buffet you’ll also find a soda machine, as well as an espresso machine that will make most any coffee you might want.

Then there’s also the smaller of the two bars in this area. It is fully stocked with beers, wines and liquor, and they are on display prominently for you to make your pick. However, not all of these are complimentary, and there was no written menu that clarified which were the ‘premium’ options. The bartender was happy to explain, though.

As I mentioned before, there’s a second buffet at the back of the larger of the two bars. As you come across the bridge, take an immediate left and walk to the end, then turn right to find it. The food and drinks here are more or less the same as at the other buffet and bar.

The biggest difference is in the cold buffet. Whereas the other bar had a spread of finger foods, here you’ll find some salads, served with some toppings and bread, though I thought it didn’t look as good as the ingredients over at the smaller buffet. The hot options were identical, though, and here there were also some snacks and candy, and a little display with desserts.

Drink options are also more or less identical, with two espresso machines, dispensers for water and iced tea, and a soda machine.

While that’s it for the food buffets, there is one more full drink station. Walking past the service desks, bathrooms and through the corridor, you’ll emerge into a larger seating area with the drink station on your immediate left. You’ll find all the same stuff, plus some more candies, snacks and dessert options. Dessert here was a bit different compared to what was on offer at the larger buffet: small apple pies, which were quite lovely.

Overall, the food at the Admirals Club LaGuardia is decent. I think it’s a step up from some of the food available at other Admirals Clubs, and all in all I enjoyed the meal I had.

Restrooms and Showers

The Admirals Club LaGuardia Terminal B has two sets of restrooms and showers. The showers are located right by the entrance to the club. After passing through the reception area, turn right immediately, and turn right again into a hallway. It will bend slightly to the left, and at the end you’ll find both the men’s and women’s restrooms, as well as two shower suites. You’ll need to ask at the service desks for entry. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to check out the showers myself, as the door was locked when I tried to get in.

The larger set of restrooms is beyond the larger bar, just by the service desks. Follow the corridor and take a left to get to the men’s and women’s restrooms.

The men’s restroom was clean and generally in good condition. There were two sinks, three urinals and four toilet stalls. However, in terms of amenities there wasn’t much of anything on offer, and the bare box of Kleenex comes across as a bit cheap. I do believe that when competitors Delta and Alaska have gorgeous lounges like the Sky Club JFK (Gate A8) or the Alaska Lounge Portland, American may need to step it up a bit. To be fair, the newer lounges, such as the one at Washington National DCA by the E gates, are a significant step up in terms of design.

Overall, the Admirals Club LaGuardia has good facilities, in that they were clean and well-maintained. At the same time, they are a bit basic, with an okay design and no special amenities.

Summary

Overall, the Admirals Club at LaGuardia Terminal B is one of the better Admirals Clubs I’ve visited. The real star is the setting: perched above concourse A, the lounge borrows the terminal’s soaring ceilings and gives you sweeping views of the concourse below, and from the hidden day beds at the far end, the tarmac. It’s also big and varied, with two bars, two buffets, a quiet room, private work and call booths, and that delightfully odd wood-paneled ‘man cave’ with arcade games. The food was a pleasant surprise and a clear step up from the cafeteria-style spreads I’ve had at other Admirals Clubs, with the braised pork ragu a highlight.

Where it falls short is personality. Outside that wooden den, the design is a sea of corporate grey, and the restrooms are clean but bare-bones. That stands out all the more when Delta and Alaska are opening gorgeous lounges like the Sky Club at JFK’s gate A8 and the Alaska Lounge in Portland. Still, if you have access, whether through an Admirals Club membership, elite status, or a Citi Strata Elite pass like we used, it’s well worth arriving early for. I’d happily return.