By Shawn Gallagher
I recently had a chance to stop by the Greenwich Lounge at JFK Airport in New York City before a flight out. This is one of American and British Airways’ joint premium lounges, and this particular lounge is the business class lounge (this was formerly the Flagship Lounge up until a few years ago).
Let’s go over the details and my time there.
Who Has Access?
The naming can be confusing when it comes to the lounges at JFK Airport’s Terminal 8. The Greenwich Lounge is basically the business class lounge here, equivalent to an American Airlines Flagship Lounge.
1. AAdvantage Platinum or MVP Gold on a qualifying flight
Passengers who have Platinum status with American Airlines or MVP Gold with Alaska Airlines get access on qualifying routes. These qualifying routes are international, Oneworld long-haul flights.
You’ll be allowed 1 guest (children above 2 count as a guest) during your visit.
Related: Complete guide to the American Airlines AAdvantage loyalty program
2. Flagship Business
Those booked in Flagship Business get access when flying qualifying international routes, transcontinental routes, and to Hawaii.
Note that guests aren’t allowed for passengers who access the lounge via Flagship Business.
3. Oneworld Sapphire or business class on a Oneworld airline
Oneworld Sapphire status holders on any Oneworld marketed flight can get access with 1 guest.
This is an advantage for Oneworld status holders outside of the U.S. (members other than AAdvantage or Mileage Plan). Say you have Oneworld Sapphire through British Airways, and you’re flying a quick 45 minute flight on American Airlines out of JFK. You still would get Greenwich Lounge access, whereas an American Airlines AAdvantage status holder would just get Admiral’s Club access.
Lastly, even if you don’t have Oneworld Sapphire, traveling in business class on a Oneworld airline will also get you access to this lounge (no guest).
Greenwich Lounge Review
Enough talking from me, let’s go over the lounge.
The lounge is pretty easy to find. You’ll see signs for it right after you clear TSA, as the elevators to go up will be to the left side.
Note that you have to be at least 21 years old to enter alone.
You’ll walk through a lengthy corridor like this upon entry.
This lounge is pretty big with plenty of seating. It was mildly busy when I first got there, as there were several transatlantic flights in addition to overnight flights to Asia awaiting departure.
I decided to start off by getting a late snack. The food at the lounge was good quality with a fair amount of options.
I sat down with a salad, a roll, and two oatmeal raisin cookies.
There were plenty of options for alcoholic beverages, which were laid out for grabs in this section of the lounge.
A self-serve wine bar was also in the middle of the lounge.
More from this main area of the lounge.
This lounge offers great views as well.
More Bars, More Seating
There are two other sections to this lounge apart from the main area. The first is the Tasting Room, a restaurant-like space with a bar. I personally liked the vibe here.
As you can see, it was very quiet when I was walking through here as it was almost midnight when I took these photos.
Further past the Tasting Room was another bar and more seating. If you’re looking for a quieter and more cozy atmosphere, I’d come down here.
Even further down is another area called The Bridge. It didn’t really seem to be in action at this hour, so I just took a peek in. It does show how big this lounge is; you’ll definitely have options even during peak hours.
The Bridge Menu.
Other Lounge Amenities
A quiet room was located near the main area of the lounge. It seemed like a nice place for those who want to focus on work or just enjoy a quiet atmosphere.
The restroom was very clean. Although I didn’t use them, showers are also available down the hall past the restrooms.
This was like a TV room, with multiple seats lined up for the large TV screen upfront.
Bottom Line
This is a great lounge with many things to do. It’ll be plenty comfortable if you have a long layover or arrive at JFK early before your flight. The multiple bars, the variety in seating, and the quality catering make this lounge a good one. It has everything you need.
I visited late at night, which wasn’t that busy. Peak hours would be in the early evening, starting at around 5pm to about 8 or 9pm, when most of the transatlantic flights to Europe depart. However, the good amount of space and the multiple bars offered here certainly help during busier times.
All photos taken by the author.