American Airlines makes a food investment many will appreciate

The airline is opening a new high-level experience.

Apr 10, 2025 - 14:17

American Airlines makes a food investment many will appreciate

While airport lounges were envisioned as a place to relax and work quietly in the period before one's flight, the main benefit is the array of food and drink options that allow one to avoid the inflated prices in the rest of the airport.

International carriers such as Emirates, Qatar Airways, Air France, and Turkish Airlines are well-known for the array of fine dishes they serve high-fare travelers in their premium lounges. In the U.S., the Centurion network, accessible to American Express high spenders, is generally considered to have some of the most luxurious lounges.

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'I wanted to represent the area Philadelphia sits in'

Launching the world's first airport lounge when it opened the Admirals Club at New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in 1939, American Airlines (AAL) now has a network of over 50 lounges in both domestic and international airports around the world.

As they offer a sit-down dining experience, the Flagship label is the airline's highest level and is generally accessible only to first and business travelers or those who hold similarly elite status through loyalty or a qualifying credit card.

As it prepares to open a new Flagship lounge at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) in the summer of 2025, American Airlines just shared that local celebrity chef and James Beard Award semifinalist Randy Rucker will be the one to craft its menu.

Originally from Texas, Rucker opened the New American restaurant River Twice in South Philadelphia in 2019 and followed with fellow contemporary-themed Little Water in the central Rittenhouse neighborhood in 2024. One of the former's most popular signature dishes is a tomato sandwich topped with caviar. The latter restaurant specializes in coastal seafood and fish dishes.

"I wanted to represent both my two restaurants and the area where Philadelphia sits in the Mid-Atlantic," Rucker told TheStreet. "You have all these ideas of what you want to do and then you really have to figure out what you can do in the lounge context."

While the exact menu is currently being developed and specifics are being held under wraps, Rucker and American are promising local Mid-Atlantic ingredients in dishes that change with the seasons.

A selection of cocktails will also be used to further "tell the story of Philadelphia." On top of the sit-down menu, the lounge will feature a number of buffet options that travelers can grab on their own.

Randy Rucker is a Texas native and James Beard award semifinalist who opened two popular Philadelphia restaurants.
American Airlines

'Depicting where we're located and putting that on a plate'

"We have amazing farmlands in Lancaster County," Rucker said. "We have amazing farmlands in South Jersey. We have the shore less than 45 minutes away as well. Depicting where we're located and putting that on a plate is important to me as a chef."

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Other cities that have an American Airlines Flagship lounge include Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Miami and Los Angeles.

On top of the new lounge, American has taken several other steps to build out its Philadelphia hub over the last year. New routes from the city to Edinburgh and Milan are launching later in 2025 this coming summer while capacity for several domestic routes from the city will also be increased.