American Airlines will debut the redesign of its Admirals Club lounges this autumn with the opening of the first revamped lounge at Washington-National. The world's largest airline plans to expand the redesign to other Admirals Club lounges, with three lounges in the United States already in the works.

Let's look at what we know about the AA lounge redesign and how you can access the new lounges once they're open.

What we know about the AA redesigned Admirals Clubs

(Photo courtesy of American Airlines)

Although American Airlines announced this redesign in August 2022, it's been in the works for a while. Travelers will soon experience the new look with an updated Admirals Club at Washington-National, scheduled to open this fall.

(Photo courtesy of American Airlines)

Photos of the redesign reveal a lounge that looks to deliver on the goals shared earlier by Clarissa Sebastian, managing director of premium customer experience and onboard products for American Airlines.

She noted that travelers appreciate the feeling of "coming home" when visiting American's Admirals Club lounges. She says the airline worked with an architectural firm to "create an environment of calm, with natural woods and open spaces, so our customers can relax and feel their best as they prepare for their flight."

(Photo courtesy of American Airlines)

To provide that feeling of "coming home" and wellness, the newly redesigned lounges will feature designs that convey calm and familiarity. American also keeps sustainability in mind with branded elements featuring renewable American walnut.

(Photo courtesy of American Airlines)

While focusing on familiarity across lounges, each lounge will include details that tie it to its location, including references to specific landmarks and landscapes that make the lounge unique — like the famous cherry blossom trees that can be found throughout Washington, DC.

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Airports with newly redesigned Admirals Clubs

American Airlines announced that it would debut the redesigned Admirals Club lounge at Washington-National in Washington, D.C.

Three additional Admirals Clubs are already slated to get the new lounge design:

Newark.

Austin.

Denver.

This lineup of airports is rather intriguing, as only the Washington-National lounge makes American Airlines' list of its 16 "top airports." Two of the three other redesigned lounges will be in United hubs: Newark and Denver. And the other is located in the quickly-expanding and hotly-contested Austin airport.

Interestingly, American didn't opt to debut the new Admirals Club redesign in Charlotte when the airline completed a months-long renovation of its primary lounge in this hub in early 2022.

Other perks of American's Admirals Club lounges

While the new lounge redesign caught our attention, there are plenty of other reasons to access Admirals Club lounges. In addition to just getting a reprieve from the crowded airport terminal, you'll get complimentary snacks, house drinks and freshly-made avocado toast or guacamole at select lounges during meal times.

Another perk of Admirals Club access comes in handy when your travel plans go awry. Club lounges are staffed with knowledgeable agents that can assist with anything from getting a new boarding pass to rebooking your flight after a cancellation.

How to access American Airlines Admirals Club lounges

Travelers have plenty of ways to access these newly redesigned Admirals Clubs — or any other Admirals Clubs. NerdWallet compiled six ways to access Admirals Clubs, from carrying the right credit card to having AAdvantage elite status and flying on an eligible route. Here's a summary.

1. Buy an Admirals Club day pass

The easiest way to access the Admirals Club is to buy a day pass when you want to access an Admirals Club lounge. A day pass costs $79 per visit, or you can pay 7,900 AAdvantage miles instead. However, that's only a redemption rate of one cent per mile. NerdWallet analysis finds that the baseline value of AAdvantage miles is 1.7 cents per mile.

2. Get an Admirals Club membership — or a credit card that provides one

Frequent travelers should consider getting an Admirals Club membership. But, we don't recommend getting an Admirals Club membership directly with American Airlines, as the standard price is $850 for a new individual membership.

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Instead, we recommend getting the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® — which grants cardholders the same Admirals Club membership at a cheaper price of a $595 annual fee.

Even better, you can add up to ten authorized users for free, and each authorized user can access the Admirals Club anytime they fly American Airlines or its partners.

3. AAdvantage or other Oneworld elite status

American Airlines AAdvantage Platinum elites (and higher) can only access Admirals Club lounges when flying on qualifying international routes.

Alaska Mileage Plan elites with at least MVP Gold status also get Admirals Club access when flying on qualifying transcontinental and international routes. Additionally, travelers with elite status through another Oneworld alliance airline can access Admirals Club lounges anytime they're flying a Oneworld airline.

Final thoughts on AA's redesigned Admirals Club lounges

American is rolling out newly redesigned lounges across its Admiral Club network, starting with a Washington, D.C. lounge opening this fall before expanding to several other U.S. airports. If you want to access these cozy new lounges and the nearly 50 other Admirals Club lounges worldwide, now's the time to consider which access option you'll choose.

Featured image courtesy of American Airlines.