OWE and access to MIA lounges

[kempvet]

Never seen anything so confusing as trying work out the entry conditions of OWE to any lounge at MIA. First of all, is MIA-SXM considered to be international, get the impression that somehow you need to be leaving from the E terminal to enter the F Lounge (BA,AA,Iberian). And then, if you can enter the F Lounge, with how many guests? Just wondering whether BA are going to pull out a Concorde Room F ticket only condition to enter the F Lounge.

[TABLE="class: aa-tabular-simple aa-tabular-wide aa-zebra aa-no-hover locations"]
[TR="class: MIA premium admirals-club thirty-day citi-exec aairpass oneworld oneworld-int-prem transcon aa-altRow"]
[TD]Miami (MIA) - Premium Lounge
Miami International Airport[/TD]
[TD]Concourse E just beyond the security checkpoint on the fifth floor. Admirals Club members must be departing Concourse E[/TD]
[TD]Daily
1:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Must be departing from Concourse E to access this lounge. No additional guests.[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Can a OWE enter this lounge, when going MIA-SXM on a Y fare.

OR

Is there a AA Flagship lounge that can be used instead before the MIA-SXM Y fare trip.

BTW, I can not be bothered traveling F on the older AA planes anymore, it is hardly a J anyway, and can't justify the difference in price on these older single aisle planes.

 

[sydflyer]

there's an AA lounge at MIA. it's basic if i was to be generous so i wouldn't be breaking a sweat to try and get there.

 

[kempvet]

granted, there is a very small AC at MIA, you could hardly swing a cat without hitting someone, I guess that this is the one which you went to, but there is at least another AC, much larger lounge which is rather good, and has a childrens room etc. Just wondering whether there is an AA flagship F Lounge there, and what are there entry conditions, and the F Lounge (one world) in Terminal E and whether they accept OWE traveling on a Y ticket MIA-SXM leaving from a different terminal.

I guess the answer could be more to do with security, no ticket leaving from E, then no entry through security at E in the first place, therefore impossible to visit the F lounge in E if departing from D (which is where most of the Carribean flights leave from)

 

[Timba-Jet]

I recall reading the AA flagship lounge in MIA, closed for renovations last year but had not re-opened yet.

 

[kempvet]

Checking the AA website, I notice that they don't seem to have a Flagship Lounge in MIA, only ORD, LAX, JFK and LHR. Guess they third party the F Lounge with BA and Iberian and this is located in Terminal E in MIA which only serves those leaving from Terminal E.

AA also have significantly changed their website AC locations and conditions in the last few days, I guess oneworld premium means both sapphire and emerald. I also notice that they now have a military option for access which seems to be the same as the normal AC member.

Interesting to see that the AA 30 day membership lets you into the J Lounge at SYD T2 and T3 and not T1 and LHR T3 and T4 but not T5.

 

[serfty]

MIA has three lounges in D&E - they are connected airside.

D has two A/C's and E has the one mentioned in the OP.

"Can a OWE enter this lounge, when going MIA-SXM on a Y fare."

- yes, if a (non AA) one-world emerald/sapphire before travelling on a oneworld flight. For AA elites, Caribbean destinations do not count as international so no access unless also an A/C member.

There was a F/L in E but it closed as posted.

 

[kempvet]

MIA has three lounges in D&E - they are connected airside

OK, thanks, this is the key phrase - they are connected airside - I was not sure of this, thanks. We may have a 4 hour stop over in MIA on the LAX-MIA-SXM trip and really wanted to use the F Lounge in E. Taking 2 guest MrsKempvet and toddler, is this permissable?

 

[serfty]

By oneworld rules you are permitted one guest; however toddlers don't seem to count for A/C's and you should be fine.

Note that the E lounge is located upstairs in the area previously occupied by the 'old' E A/C. E was supposed to be closed for complete renewal in the near future.

 

[juddles]

....no ticket leaving from E, then no entry through security at E in the first place, therefore impossible to visit the F lounge in E if departing from D (which is where most of the Carribean flights leave from)....

I do a lot of trips through MIA, heading either to Carribean or South America. Am QFF WP and the departing flight is always AA business, from Terminal D. Have never had problem accessing the E lounge. As someone else said, you are airside and the two terminals are connected by walkways. The only two inconveniences have been the late opening time (is it 1pm?) and that it is a fair walk from D. It is such a superior lounge to the two A/C in Terminal D, so worth the effort. And I love the lift to get to it. Feels like you are returning to the 60´s.

 

[kempvet]

thanks juddles, I couldn't find much information about the lounge but is it more like the J Lounges in SYD T1 and SIN, and what assortment of food do they have, better/worse quality than SYD T1 J Lounge. I know that the Miami E Terminal lounge also caters for F pax, so it is a more upmarket J Lounge.

 

[juddles]

Kempvet, sent you personal message. Additional comment is that I have a brother who is OW Emerald via LAN, and he has had a few hiccups with the E lounge. Seems they have an over-representation of dragons there!

 

[dfcatch]

I haven't finished my TR in another thread - but just to add to Serfty's sage advice.

1/ A/C located above D15

2/ A/C located around D30 area

3/ Premium Lounge (AA/BA/IB) in the E concourse 5th floor.

As a WP you plus one guest have access to the Premium Lounge.

I quite liked the Premium Lounge - that said, I don't mind either of the A/Cs either - just depends on time as to how busy they are.

The airside walkway is between approx. D26 and E5 to walk between concourses.

There is also the sky train if you can't be bothered walking from the low Ds to the high Ds or vice versa.

 

[kempvet]

OK, thanks to all who responded, now that I know that the Premium Lounge (AA/BA/IB) in the E concourse 5th floor is connected air side to the D terminal and also that the Premium Lounge (AA/BA/IB) in the E concourse 5th floor is more like a Qantas J lounge, and that I have access with one guest, just about all the issues have been answered, thanks to all.

 

[dfcatch]

Just to add that I found the food selection, number of showers, quiet and plentiful seating to be what I liked about the Premium lounge.

 

[kempvet]

Out of the 2 ACs at MIA, the AC at D30 is the one to head to, even if the D15 one is closer, D30 is much larger, plenty of space to relax and a children's room. Of course the E Lounge if you have access rights is even better (never been there) according to the previous posters, more like a SYD J lounge.