Flagship Dining, the premium American Airlines sit-down dining experience available in Flagship lounges at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Miami International Airport (MIA), is expanding access eligibility to more customers.
To further enhance the experience, American is introducing an exclusive wine and chocolate pairing featuring KHK Wines and K+M Extravirgin Chocolate for Flagship® Dining guests.
Chef Thomas Keller, who co-founded K+M Extravirgin Chocolate with Italian olive oil producer Armando Manni and is a founding ambassador in KHK Wines, curated the pairing. The offering will also be available at The Chelsea Lounge® club at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), adding another elevated touch to American’s most premium lounge experiences.
Beginning September 15, customers traveling in Flagship® Business Plus and Flagship® Business on qualifying long-haul international, transcontinental and Hawaii Flagship® routes can enjoy access to Flagship® Dining — an opportunity previously offered to only those traveling in Flagship® First.
“At American, we’re continually looking for ways to elevate the customer experience and create moments that make travel more memorable,” said American’s SVP of Customer Experience and Design Rhonda Crawford.
“By expanding access to Flagship® Dining and introducing new menu enhancements, including an exclusive wine and chocolate pairing from KHK Wines and K+M Extravirgin Chocolate curated by Chef Thomas Keller, we’re delivering an even more elevated hospitality experience that begins well before customers step on board.”
The private Flagship® Dining experience will also reopen at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in late 2026. It’s an ideal retreat, especially popular among international travelers on layovers or with longer flights ahead of them.
A reimagined Flagship Dining menu
Launching alongside the expanded access, American is unveiling a refreshed four-course Flagship® Dining menu curated by American’s culinary team.
Developed by American’s chefs, the seasonal offerings blend regional flavors, thoughtfully sourced ingredients and refined culinary techniques to create an elevated dining experience inspired by some of the world’s most celebrated restaurants. The refreshed menu will also feature regionally inspired entrees that showcase flavors unique to American’s hubs, including, but not limited to:
- Roasted purple cauliflower steak
- Flagship® burger
- Churro bread pudding
- Texas pear and burrata salad
- Mesquite-grilled beef filet
- California artisan board
A chef-curated pairing elevates the Flagship Dining experience
As part of the enhanced Flagship® Dining experience, American is introducing an exclusive wine and chocolate pairing featuring KHK Wines, K+M Extravirgin Chocolate and K+M hazelnut dragées. Chef Thomas Keller co-founded K+M Chocolate with Italian olive oil producer Armando Manni and is a founding ambassador in KHK Wines — brands known for their shared commitment to quality, craftsmanship and hospitality.
The pairing features KHK Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon alongside a selection of K+M chocolates and K+M hazelnut dragées, served at The French Laundry, Chef Keller’s three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Yountville, California. Together, the collection delivers a thoughtful progression of flavors designed to complement one another and provide a memorable conclusion to the dining experience.
The KHK Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon featured in the pairing was crafted in collaboration with acclaimed Napa Valley winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, whose wines have earned widespread recognition for their quality and sense of place, producing more than 60 cabernet sauvignons that earned 100 points over the course of his career. Brown helped create a cabernet sauvignon that pairs seamlessly with the flavors of the K+M Extravirgin Chocolate and dragées, bringing an additional layer of craftsmanship to the experience.
“KHK is a vineyard partnership and a tribute to the longtime friendships among Jim Keller, a fourth-generation Napan with no relation to me, and the Hall family, of Hall’s Chophouse. My role is to lend a chef’s palate and guidance. We all share deep roots in wine, food and memorable experiences, and our vision for the perfect everyday Cabernet has come together,” said Chef Thomas Keller, founding ambassador, KHK Wines.
Beyond Flagship® Dining, customers visiting all Flagship® lounges and The Chelsea Lounge® club can enjoy KHK cabernet sauvignon. The addition further reflects American’s commitment to offering distinctive food and beverage experiences in collaboration with premium brands, bringing elevated hospitality and exclusive offerings to customers throughout their journey.
“What KHK imagined with their terroir, lifetime experiences and feet-firmly-rooted-in-reality philosophy is, for me, a rare opportunity to make an extremely high-quality, classic Napa Cab that is absolutely within reach. I’m thrilled to be creating it with them,” said winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown.
Updated Flagship Dining access
Under the updated policy, access is available to customers traveling in Flagship® Business on qualifying long-haul international, transcontinental and Hawaii Flagship® routes.
These updates align Flagship® Dining access more closely with the premium travel experience while ensuring customers traveling on eligible Flagship itineraries can enjoy the benefit as part of their journey.
Flagship® Dining is available on a space-available basis. Customers interested in dining should check in with the host team inside the Flagship® lounge upon arrival. If a table is immediately available, customers will be seated at that time. If all tables are occupied, customers may be added to an electronic waitlist and will be notified when their table is ready. Wait times may vary based on lounge demand and flight schedules.
About American Airlines Group
American Airlines is a premium global airline connecting more of the U.S. to the world. With roots tracing back to an air mail carrier in the Midwestern United States in 1926, American now operates more than 6,000 daily flights to more than 350 destinations in more than 60 countries and serves more than 200 million customers annually. Powered by a proud and talented team of 130,000 aviation professionals, American’s team lives out the airline’s purpose of caring for people on life’s journey every day.
The world’s largest airline proudly celebrates its centennial year in 2026, reaching a milestone that reflects a century of innovation and the Forever Forward℠ spirit that changed the industry and the world. American introduced the first scheduled air cargo service, the first airport lounge and the first airline loyalty program and continues to reinvent the customer experience today. The airline is also a founding member of the oneworld alliance, whose members serve more than 900 destinations around the globe.
All images credited to American Airlines
