American is building a new 10,000-square-foot Admirals Club at Chicago O'Hare

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. Construction is underway, and the existing Concourse L club stays open until the new one is ready.

American hasn't given an opening date or a seat count. Chief customer officer Heather Garboden 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 facing the airfield.
• Zones. American is dividing the space into what it calls neighborhoods, each with its own purpose. That's the same approach the airline used in its recent lounges, where quiet areas, work areas and the bar are separated rather than mixed.
• Local design. Expect Chicago references in the finishes and art.
• A consistent look. American says the lounge will carry the signature elements of its updated clubs, so it should feel like the newer Admirals Clubs at DFW and Charlotte rather than the older ones.

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, and the only one with showers. The L club is the one being replaced, and its rating trails the others.

Concourse L is also where American's Flagship Lounge sits, for international and transcontinental premium passengers. The new Admirals Club doesn't change Flagship access, but a bigger and better club next door will take pressure off a space that gets crowded in the afternoon departure bank.

Who gets in

Admirals Club access rules apply:

• Admirals Club members, including those whose membership comes with the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard.
• oneworld Sapphire and Emerald members flying oneworld airlines, and passengers in premium cabins on qualifying flights.
• Holders of the Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard, who get four passes a year, each valid for 24 hours.
• Anyone willing to buy a One Day Pass, which American prices at $79 or 7,900 AAdvantage miles.

Our Admirals Club program page has the full breakdown, including guest rules.

Why O'Hare

O'Hare is one of American's biggest hubs and its main connecting point for the Midwest. It's also an airport where American competes directly with United, which has been pouring money into its own lounges across the field. United's expanded Polaris Lounge reopened in 2025 with 50 percent more space, and United runs five United Clubs at O'Hare. 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, with new or rebuilt clubs at DFW, Charlotte, Philadelphia and Washington National in the past few years. Chicago was overdue.

What to watch 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.