American is building a new 10,000-square-foot Admirals Club at Chicago O'Hare
The Concourse L lounge will have more seats, runway views and a Chicago-inspired design. The current lounge stays open while it's built. Here's who gets in and how it fits with American's other O'Hare clubs.
American Airlines is building a new Admirals Club at Chicago O'Hare. The lounge will be in Concourse L and cover more than 10,000 square feet, according to American's Feb. 10 announcement. It will eventually replace the existing Concourse L club, which stays open until the new one is ready. Our directory notes that construction is underway.
American hasn't given an opening date or a seat count. Chief customer officer Heather Garboden, who announced the plan at the 2026 Choose Chicago annual meeting, said the new lounge "will offer more seating and upgraded amenities."
What American has described#
The release is light on specifics, but a few things are clear:
- Runway views. The lounge will have floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the runway.
- Zones. American is dividing the space into what it calls neighborhoods, each with its own offerings. That's the same approach the airline uses in its updated lounges, where quiet areas, work areas and the bar are separated rather than mixed.
- Local design. American says the finishes will reflect "the vibrant community of Chicago."
- A consistent look. American says the lounge will carry the signature design elements of its updated clubs.
Food and drink details haven't been released. American's newer clubs have moved toward hot dishes and better bars, so it's reasonable to expect the same here, but the airline hasn't said so.
O'Hare today#
American has three Admirals Clubs at O'Hare, all in Terminal 3. Our directory lists the Concourse H/K club, the Concourse G club and the current Concourse L club. The H/K club is the best of the three by our users' ratings, at 4.7, and the only one with showers (two). The L club, which opened in 2018 and seats about 150, is the one being replaced. It rates 3.9, the same as the G club, with food and drinks its weakest scores. It sits just before gate L1 and is open daily from 05:00 to 21:45.
The Flagship Lounge, for international and transcontinental premium passengers, is not in Concourse L. American's release and our directory both place it between Concourses H and K, on the mezzanine beside the H/K Admirals Club, with eight showers and a rating of 4.6. The new Admirals Club doesn't change Flagship access, but a bigger club on L will take pressure off the H/K pair during the afternoon departure bank.
Who gets in#
The release spells out domestic access:
- Admirals Club members, including those whose membership comes with the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard.
- Travelers with qualifying oneworld status. Our oneworld lounge access page covers the Sapphire and Emerald rules.
- Holders of the Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard, who get four Admirals Club passes a year, each valid for 24 hours.
- Anyone willing to buy a One Day Pass, valid for 24 hours, for $79 or 7,900 AAdvantage miles.
Our directory adds the guest rules for the current L club: members can bring immediate family or up to two guests, business and first passengers on a qualifying international itinerary can bring one, and day passes require a same-day American or oneworld ticket. Our Admirals Club program page and AAdvantage page have the full breakdown.
Why O'Hare#
American says it serves more than 500 flights a day from O'Hare, and that it expanded its Chicago network by more than 180 destinations over the past year. It also lists new routes: Kahului, Hawaii, from December 2026 with lie-flat Flagship Business seats and Premium Economy, and Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Columbia, South Carolina, in May.
O'Hare is also an airport where American competes directly with United, which has been investing in its own lounges across the field. Our directory lists United's Polaris Lounge, with ten showers and a 4.6 rating, and five United Clubs, the best-rated of which, at B18, scores 4.7. A new Admirals Club is American's answer, at least on the domestic side.
The investment also fits a pattern. American has been refreshing its lounge network market by market; see our story on the new Admirals Club in Charlotte. Our best-rated Admirals Clubs today are at Dallas/Fort Worth's Concourse D, Philadelphia's B/C and Heathrow, each at 4.8. The company is marking its centennial in 2026 and reminds readers it opened the first airport lounge.
What I'm watching for#
The two unknowns are the opening date and whether the new club adds showers. The current L club doesn't have any, and the H/K club's two showers are the only ones American offers at O'Hare outside the Flagship Lounge. A 10,000-square-foot lounge has room for them, but American hasn't committed.
We'll update this story and our O'Hare listings when American announces the opening. Until then, if you have a choice of concourses at O'Hare, the H/K club remains the one to pick. See all American Airlines lounges.
Related reading#
Cite this article
Patrick Karsh. “American is building a new 10,000-square-foot Admirals Club at Chicago O'Hare.” Lounge Frog. Published 2026-10-06. Updated 2026-10-14. https://www.loungefrog.com/news/american-airlines-new-admirals-club-chicago-ohare-concourse-l
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