PHL – Terminal B/C – Admirals Club – Airline Lounge Review

Terminal B/C, Philadelphia International Airport

Introduction

This is my review of the American Airlines’ Admirals Lounge at Terminal B in Philadelphia’s International Airport.

There is a total of 4 lounges in Philly’s airport, and this was just one of them.

Other lounges are at Terminal A East (soon to become a Flagship Lounge), Terminal A West  and Terminal F.

Opening Hours

The lounge is open daily from 04:30 to 22:30.

Entry Conditions

Access to this lounge is for passengers who are traveling on American Airlines First Class or Business Class (called First on domestic flights).

The lounge is also available to passengers traveling on OneWorld carriers, who have Sapphire or Emerald Status.

There may also be some paid entry options, and credit card access – but I’m not sure on those.

How to Get There

Having landed at Terminal B, it was a short walk towards the main terminal before I found the signs, and the elevators up to the lounge. It is very well signposted.

Interestingly, when leaving, I left from the Terminal C entrance, where there is escalator access to the lounge. This entrance is close the Market Place – which you’d need to walk through the Food Court to find.    

Layout

This is a huge lounge! It spans between Terminals B and C, over the lower Food Court.

As always with Admirals Clubs, this was very busy – but I still found somewhere to sit and work.

The lounge mostly has casual seating and low tables, with some high ‘dining’ tables.

I quite like the sofas which have a table built into them for working – but they could do with power built into the seat.

There are a number of ‘work areas’ complete with divider and pods – very importantly there was a printer!

I’m not quite sure how its booked, but as with many Admirals Clubs there is also a Conference Room!

Food and Drink

Food

As with all Admirals Clubs there are food basics available – the famous cheese cubes, carrots, soup, etc.

American Airlines are starting to make a conscious effort to upgrade their Admirals Clubs slightly – in this case offering some hot food and salad too.

Updated October 2022 – on my visit they had a make your own Taco station!

At my time of visit, there was also the Nacho cart – free – but generally tips are expected (it is America afterall!).

If you want something more substantial to eat – you can order from the paid menu, with food around $12.

Drinks

On the drinks side, coffee machines are self-served – however soft drinks and alcoholic drinks were all bar service. I have to say, this does annoy me a little – firstly as there is always the underlaying expectation for a tip – and secondly because Americans like to sit at the bar, making it awkward to hand drinks over!

The ‘included’ drinks alcoholic offering includes a white wine, a red wine, Coors Light (yuck!), Heineken 0, some Vodka, Whiskey and Gin brand. If you want anything else – you’ll need to pay for it!

Soft drinks are of course free!  

Wifi

As always, the Wifi was excellent and very quick!

Showers

In this case I’m not sure that Showers were available in this lounge – if they were, I didn’t find them!

Conclusion

Admirals Lounges are a bit like a Volvo. They’re reliable, fair in quality, you know what you’re going to get – but you’re need to pay for any extras!    

This is a very nice Admirals Lounge, admittedly (I’ve been in far worse) – but you’re not going to get a 3-course meal in one, unless you’re prepared to pay for it!