Review: AA & BA Greenwich Lounge New York (JFK)

Review: AA & BA Greenwich Lounge New York (JFK)

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NAME: Greenwich Lounge
Airport: JFK
DATE: February 2023
REVIEW RATING:
BEN SAYS: The Greenwich Lounge JFK has a spacious layout with great views, a good selection of food, an excellent selection of drinks, shower suites, and some unique amenities.
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For the next portion of my review trip, I checked out the three “new” American Airlines & British Airways lounges at JFK’s Terminal 8, prior to my British Airways first class flight to London. In this post I’ll review the Greenwich Lounge, and then in separate installments I’ll review the Soho Lounge and the Chelsea Lounge.

The Greenwich Lounge is an excellent business class lounge, with great views, comfortable seating, a solid selection of food and drinks, and two special amenities that set it apart. To many American fliers it should also look familiar, as it’s the former Flagship Lounge, and not much has changed.

Basics of American & British Airways JFK lounges

To provide a bit of background, in late 2022, British Airways moved to Terminal 8 at JFK. American Airlines and British Airways have a lucrative transatlantic joint venture, and New York to London is one of the most important air markets in the world. As a result, this terminal move was a big development for the two airlines.

Given how big the combined presence of the two carriers is at JFK, we’ve seen major lounge investments at Terminal 8. There are now three premium lounges in the terminal — the Greenwich Lounge, the Soho Lounge, and the Chelsea Lounge.

While it’s cute that they’re named after neighborhoods that exist in both New York and London, the names don’t do a whole lot to tell you which is most premium, and which you have access to.

To briefly summarize the basics of the three lounges:

  • The Chelsea Lounge is the most exclusive lounge, and is roughly 10,000 square feet with seating for 128 passengers, and it’s an all-new space; it’s open to select first class passengers on American and British Airways, and it replaces the former Flagship First Dining facility
  • The Soho Lounge is the next lounge, and is roughly 12,000 square feet with seating for 282 guests, and it’s an all-new space; it’s open to oneworld Emerald members on select itineraries
  • The Greenwich Lounge is the final lounge, and is roughly 27,000 square feet with seating for 590 guests, and it replaces the former Flagship Lounge; it’s open to select business class passengers on all oneworld airlines, plus oneworld Sapphire members on select itineraries

I’ll go into more detail on each of the lounge’s entry requirements with the individual reviews, but wanted to provide a basic overview. Note that in addition to this there’s the Admirals Club, which has standard Admirals Club access rules.

Greenwich Lounge New York location

The Greenwich Lounge New York is easy to find. Once you clear security at JFK Terminal 8, just walk down the main pathway toward the gates, past the Bobby Van’s Grill (which is on the right).

JFK Terminal 8

You’ll see signage above the walkway pointing in the direction of the various lounges, and as you can see, the Greenwich Lounge is to the left.

JFK Terminal 8 lounge signage

When you turn left toward gates 1-12, you’ll immediately see the elevators to the Greenwich Lounge on the left.

Greenwich Lounge New York elevators

It’s useful that there are signs on the terminal level that share the entry requirements for the lounge, though that didn’t seem to help a whole lot with avoiding confusion. I’m sure over time more travelers will get the hang of who can access each lounge.

Greenwich Lounge New York elevators

Greenwich Lounge New York hours

The Greenwich Lounge JFK is open daily from 4:30AM until 11PM, covering virtually all departures from the terminal. If you’re departing on a oneworld flight, then the Greenwich Lounge should be open.

Greenwich Lounge New York entry requirements

Despite its name, the Greenwich Lounge is a Flagship Lounge for all practical purposes when it comes to entry requirements. The Greenwich Lounge can be accessed by:

  • American Flagship Business passengers; this includes those on premium transcon flights (to LAX, SFO, and SNA), as well as long haul business class flights
  • Long haul business class passengers on all oneworld partners, including British Airways, Qatar Airways, etc.
  • American AAdvantage Platinum members and Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold members on long haul itineraries (this doesn’t include premium transcon flights)
  • oneworld Sapphire members with foreign frequent flyer programs on any same day oneworld itinerary, even if it’s domestic

Note that those accessing the lounge based on flying in business class can’t bring any guests, while those accessing the lounge based on their status can bring one guest.

Greenwich Lounge New York entrance

Greenwich Lounge New York layout & seating

While the Soho Lounge and Chelsea Lounge feature all-new decor, the Greenwich Lounge is just a repurposed Flagship Lounge, and the design reflects that. The lounge primarily consists of one huge room, with floor-to-ceiling windows that afford great views of the apron. I’d say the decor feels fresh but also a bit sterile.

In this section I’ll cover the main part of the lounge, and then below I’ll separately talk about The Tasting Room and The Bridge Bar, which are the unique new features of the lounge.

When you enter the Greenwich Lounge, there a variety of seats with side tables, and then also some dining tables with two to three seats each.

Greenwich Lounge JFK seating
Greenwich Lounge JFK seating

There’s then a sitting area with TVs, which is (fortunately) the only part of the lounge where TVs are prevalent.

Greenwich Lounge JFK seating
Greenwich Lounge JFK seating

Off to the side of the TV area is a quiet area, which is located in a separate room with a door. I find that this space tends to stay quietest, and many people don’t even notice this space.

Greenwich Lounge JFK seating
Greenwich Lounge JFK seating

When you go deeper into the lounge, there’s a central walkway with a bunch of dining tables and communal tables, and this is also where the self-serve wine bar is.

Greenwich Lounge JFK seating
Greenwich Lounge JFK seating

Then the back of the lounge has plenty more seating, with rows of chairs that frankly feel a bit like your run-of-the-mill Admirals Club.

Greenwich Lounge JFK seating
Greenwich Lounge JFK seating
Greenwich Lounge JFK seating
Greenwich Lounge JFK seating
Greenwich Lounge JFK seating

There are also some cool x-shaped seating arrangements which can each accommodate four guests, as well as some booths that make good workstations (they’re the only cubicle-style seats in the lounge).

Greenwich Lounge JFK seating
Greenwich Lounge JFK seating

The best seating is by the windows, where there are plenty of chairs with ottomans. This is an ideal place to sit if you’re wanting to take in the views.

Greenwich Lounge JFK seating
Greenwich Lounge JFK seating

As far as crowding goes at the Greenwich Lounge, you can expect that it’ll be nice and quiet for the mornings and early afternoons, given that most long haul flights out of JFK Terminal 8 are to Europe. The lounge really gets busy in the evenings, starting at around 5PM, when passengers start to show up for all the flights to Europe.

Greenwich Lounge New York The Tasting Room

In addition to the main part of the lounge, The Greenwich Lounge also has The Tasting Room (otherwise referred to as The Brooklyn Brewery Pub), which is open to all lounge guests at no extra cost.

While The Tasting Room only has service starting at 10:30AM, you can sit there at any hour. This is in the space of the former Flagship First Dining facility, and the entrance is located right next to the main buffet.

Greenwich Lounge JFK The Tasting Room entrance

This is a gorgeous space, with both high-top seating, tables, and chairs by the windows. The view from this part of the lounge are great, and because it’s hidden a bit, it tends to stay pretty quiet.

Greenwich Lounge JFK The Tasting Room seating
Greenwich Lounge JFK The Tasting Room seating
Greenwich Lounge JFK The Tasting Room seating
Greenwich Lounge JFK The Tasting Room seating
Greenwich Lounge JFK The Tasting Room seating

In The Tasting Room, you can expect a variety of beers on tap, which can either be ordered individually, or as part of a flight.

Greenwich Lounge JFK The Tasting Room menu

On top of that there’s a menu of bar snacks, ranging from charcuterie, to pretzels, to bratwurst, to grilled cheese.

Greenwich Lounge JFK The Tasting Room menu

This is such a well executed concept, in my opinion, and adds some personality to an otherwise sterile lounge.

Greenwich Lounge New York The Bridge Bar

In addition to The Tasting Room, the Greenwich Lounge also has The Bridge Bar. This is an open-air space overlooking the terminal, and it’s intended to have a mid-century modern design with a classic 1960s feel. The Bridge Bar has a variety of cocktails on offer, with a special focus on Aviation American Gin and Betty Buzz.

When The Bridge Bar is fully operational, it can be accessed by turning right at the Greenwich Lounge reception. However, that entrance is kept closed in the mornings, but this space is still accessible, though it’s mostly hidden. You can get there by walking through The Tasting Room, and then eventually you’ll find yourself in this space.

Greenwich Lounge JFK The Bridge Bar seating
Greenwich Lounge JFK The Bridge Bar seating
Greenwich Lounge JFK The Bridge Bar seating
Greenwich Lounge JFK The Bridge Bar seating
Greenwich Lounge JFK The Bridge Bar seating
Greenwich Lounge JFK The Bridge Bar

The Bridge Bar has some signature cocktails, which you can find below.

Greenwich Lounge JFK The Bridge Bar cocktail menu
Greenwich Lounge JFK The Bridge Bar Betty Buzz drinks
Greenwich Lounge JFK The Bridge Bar Aviation Gin drinks

By the way, as part of the opening of The Tasting Room and The Bridge Bar, there’s a whole bunch of additional lounge seating beyond those two spaces. The former Admirals Club connects those two unique concepts, and that’s now part of the Greenwich Lounge as well. While there’s nothing remarkable about the space, this is great in terms of expanding capacity, given that this lounge can sometimes get crowded.

Greenwich Lounge JFK seating (former Admirals Club)
Greenwich Lounge JFK seating (former Admirals Club)
Greenwich Lounge JFK seating (former Admirals Club)
Greenwich Lounge JFK seating (former Admirals Club)
Greenwich Lounge JFK seating (former Admirals Club)
Greenwich Lounge JFK seating (former Admirals Club)

Greenwich Lounge New York food & drinks

The Greenwich Lounge has a large self-serve buffet, located toward the front of the lounge. I checked out both the breakfast and lunch selection.

Greenwich Lounge JFK buffet

The breakfast buffet had a yogurt parfait bar, a variety of fruit, cold cuts and cheese, pastries, bagels, bread, croissants, and several hot dishes. Hot options included scrambled eggs, baked beans, sausage, bacon, and potatoes.

Greenwich Lounge JFK food
Greenwich Lounge JFK food
Greenwich Lounge JFK food
Greenwich Lounge JFK food
Greenwich Lounge JFK food
Greenwich Lounge JFK food
Greenwich Lounge JFK food

For lunch, the selection included a variety of yogurt, olives, several types of salads, cold cuts, sushi, a variety of hot dishes, bread, and dessert, including chocolate squares, lemon bars, and cookies.

Greenwich Lounge JFK food
Greenwich Lounge JFK food
Greenwich Lounge JFK food
Greenwich Lounge JFK food
Greenwich Lounge JFK food
Greenwich Lounge JFK food

As far as drinks go, there was a Coca-Cola soda fountain and coffee machine (both of which weren’t working), a selection of beers, canned soda, bottled water, and juice.

Greenwich Lounge JFK drinks
Greenwich Lounge JFK drinks
Greenwich Lounge JFK drinks

Then in the center of the lounge was the wine selection, which included several white, red, and rose options, as well as champagne. Self-serve Piper-Heidsieck isn’t half bad, if you ask me!

Greenwich Lounge JFK bar
Greenwich Lounge JFK bar
Greenwich Lounge JFK bar
Greenwich Lounge JFK bar

There’s also a large selection of self-serve liquor. With the Bridge Bar having now opened, you can of course also have the bartender there make you a cocktail.

Greenwich Lounge JFK drinks

I think the food & drink selection in the lounge is solid, but also nothing memorable. This isn’t to the level of a United Polaris Lounge, where you get a la carte dining and barista-made coffee.

Greenwich Lounge New York bathrooms & showers

The Greenwich Lounge’s bathrooms are in the very back left of the lounge. The men’s room had half a dozen sinks, and several urinals and stalls.

Greenwich Lounge JFK bathrooms
Greenwich Lounge JFK bathrooms
Greenwich Lounge JFK bathrooms

The Greenwich Lounge also has six shower suites, which are excellent.

Greenwich Lounge JFK showers

Each shower suite has a toilet, a sink, and a walk-in shower, with toiletries from D.S. & DURGA.

Greenwich Lounge JFK shower suite
Greenwich Lounge JFK shower suite
Greenwich Lounge JFK shower suite
Greenwich Lounge JFK shower suite toiletries

Bottom line

The Greenwich Lounge offers a pleasant experience for business class passengers and elite members, with a spacious layout featuring lots of natural light, a decent selection of food, a good selection of drinks, shower suites, and some special amenities, in the form of The Tasting Room and The Bridge Bar.

Personally I don’t think this lounge is quite to the level of a United Polaris Lounge, but then again, this is the least premium of the three lounges in the terminal.

In the context of the lounge changes we’ve seen, the Greenwich Lounge is largely unchanged compared to the former Flagship Lounge. However, it is a bit better than before, given the introduction of The Tasting Room and The Bridge Bar, which are two cute amenities that I think add a lot of personality and capacity to the space. Then again, a lot more people also have access to this lounge now.

This is definitely the least elegant of the three lounges, which isn’t surprising, since it wasn’t actually designed from scratch.

What do you make of the Greenwich Lounge JFK?

Conversations (36)
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  1. Terry Galvin Guest

    Has the Elemis Spa been removed from the Business Class lounge at JFK?

  2. Tm Guest

    I've been told that you can't access this lounge if you have an award ticket in flagship business. I've also been told you cannot access this lounge if you bought the ticket through JetBlue even though you're flying on American metal. Both of these things are ridiculous since these two scenarios are how I bought tickets for my family to travel with me on a trip.

    1. Sean Guest

      Told by who? Looking at the access rules (https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/clubs/joint-premium-lounges.jsp), there’s no mention of award tickets not being eligible.

  3. Emily Guest

    Hi there!

    Was curious if flying business flagship or first flagship LAX > JFK, if you still have access to Greenwich lounge upon arrival to JFK? Platinum Pro AA status.

    Thanks so much in advance!

  4. Charlotte Guest

    Can you access this on any AA business class ticket or only Flagship?

  5. Scudder Diamond

    I passed through the old Flagship lounge plenty of times. It lacked seating at the busiest times, and it looks like they've addressed that. (Sufficiently is a different question...) But prior to the afternoon international departures, when the club was busy, the buffet was like a dumpster full of rabid raccoons. Not increasing area for food service will make that only worse now.

  6. Kevin Guest

    Is it possible to access on arrival? I've never been through JFK before, so not sure how customs and immigration works. Thanks.

    1. Scudder Diamond

      If you don’t have a connecting flight in terminal 8 you would not have access on arrival.

  7. BBK Diamond

    A Beautiful detailed review. Only missing the bar bites from the tasting room. The all 'sound' so good.

  8. J F Hautemulle Guest

    I was there early morning yesterday, before my flight to London. I found the lounge totally soulless, out of the three coffee machine, two were out of order, the third one ran out of milk…and no one in sight to help…not a good experience. Never the usual “charm” one gets from staff in a US airport….but then again, the terminal leaves a lot to be desired. Probably the only place in the world without a Starbucks.

  9. shoeguy Guest

    I was there Wednesday morning. The lounge is the Flagship Lounge. Nothing has really changed, but for the bar and tasting area replacing Flagship First. The food and drink offerings were plentiful (they could improve the coffee a bit). Everything was clean and well maintained, but for some spilled drink and crumbs at the table adjacent to mine.

  10. Wilhelm Guest

    @Lucky - Do you know what the lounge access rules are for Iberia Business Class passengers (non-elite) departing from JFK T8? I've heard reports that they do not receive access to the Greenwich Lounge and are instead redirected to the Admrials Club. The same also seems to be the case with the premium checkin facility. If true, this would be a big service quality differential, but I would not be all that surprised considering how cheap Iberia is.

    1. Scudder Diamond

      I can’t speak to the lounge question (I’m OW Emerald), but you’re right about he check in. IB’s feels very much like a bastard step child.

  11. Rob Guest

    I was there two weeks ago. It was a pleasant experience. As someone, who rarely has access to lounges, I appreciated everything about it. I arrived early and noticed it was getting crowded towards the 7-7:30 pm range.

  12. Beachfan Guest

    Don’t know Polaris in Neark, but st LAX, while the menu looked good, the food truly sucked (March 6).

  13. rji Guest

    @lucky

    Any idea why there is proper champagne for the masses in this lounge but an Italian sparkling in soho? That is really bizarre.

  14. yiannis93117 Guest

    So where do the Admirals Club members go?

    1. Mark P Gold

      To the Admirals Club in Concourse C.

  15. Rain Guest

    I don't know about NYC but the areas of London follow the lounges in terms of their cost.
    Chelsea being the most expensive of the three, Soho in the middle with Greenwich being the most "attainable" of the three to live in from a cost perspective.

    1. Scudder Diamond

      Pretty much the reverse in NYC. (Adjusting for the types and quantities of housing stock.)

  16. Daniel from Finland Guest

    I was waiting for these reviews. Thanks!

    It has been so confusing with all these options. So as Emerald by Finnair I can expect to go to the Soho lounge regardless of where I am flying.

    1. Ben Schlappig OMAAT

      @ Daniel from Finland -- Yep, that's correct! Soho Lounge review is coming very shortly, so stay tuned. :-)

  17. Rjb Guest

    Was in SoHo lounge two weeks ago. I like Greenwich better.

    1. Ben Schlappig OMAAT

      @ Rjb -- Very interesting, I'm curious as well. What do you prefer about the Greenwich Lounge compared to the Soho Lounge?

  18. Loretta Jackson Guest

    Please for the love of god ban than WuMao ruining the comments.

  19. Abidjan Guest

    The soft drink machine seems to be constantly broken.

    1. Ben Schlappig OMAAT

      @ Abidjan -- Yeah, very odd, eh? Guessing "supply chain issues" is the excuse.

  20. David P Guest

    So many lounges! It does seem confusing. Is there a 4th lounge for “regular” Admirals Club?

    1. Ben Schlappig OMAAT

      @ David P -- There is indeed an Admirals Club, though it requires taking the tunnel to the other pier. It's not nice at all, and desperately in need of a renovation.

  21. Chris Guest

    Silly observation, but I wonder why some bathroom stall doors swing out and the others swing in.

    1. Ben Schlappig OMAAT

      @ Chris -- Not a silly observation at all! I'm guessing it's about accessibility, and the stalls with doors that swing out are designed for those with special accessibility requirements?

    2. Heidi Guest

      Indeed - the last two stalls with doors that swing out are accessible stalls - you can see in the mirror reflection that those stalls have grab bars installed. ADA code requires at least one accessible stall per restroom but in this case, it seems like during bathroom renovation, space constraint and plumbing code (required number of stalls for space it needs to serve prevented from installing a full size ADA compliant stall and reducing...

      Indeed - the last two stalls with doors that swing out are accessible stalls - you can see in the mirror reflection that those stalls have grab bars installed. ADA code requires at least one accessible stall per restroom but in this case, it seems like during bathroom renovation, space constraint and plumbing code (required number of stalls for space it needs to serve prevented from installing a full size ADA compliant stall and reducing the number) resulted in two alternate sized ADA stalls. It's actually a welcome solution as most restrooms only have one dedicated stall and that is sometimes not enough.

    3. vlcnc Guest

      Usually ones that swing out are for disabled people - it's easier to get a wheel chair in for example.

    4. Chris Guest

      Thanks all, but another dumb question - if it's easier to get in and out of a stall with a door if you're in a wheelchair, wouldn't it also be easier even if you weren't? Thinking about maneuvering with my large backpack, I'd think yes (haven't thought of it much before, honestly). I think I'd want all the doors to swing out!

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Rain Guest

I don't know about NYC but the areas of London follow the lounges in terms of their cost. Chelsea being the most expensive of the three, Soho in the middle with Greenwich being the most "attainable" of the three to live in from a cost perspective.

3
Rob Guest

I was there two weeks ago. It was a pleasant experience. As someone, who rarely has access to lounges, I appreciated everything about it. I arrived early and noticed it was getting crowded towards the 7-7:30 pm range.

1
Ben Schlappig OMAAT

@ Daniel from Finland -- Yep, that's correct! Soho Lounge review is coming very shortly, so stay tuned. :-)

1
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