Thirsty travelers can now enjoy the new bar inside British Airways and American Airlines’ Greenwich Lounge at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). The shiny, new cocktail haunt follows the opening of the Brooklyn Brewery Pub inside the relatively new JFK Terminal 8 lounge (previously the Flagship Lounge).
The Bridge Bar has exclusively partnered with actor Ryan Reynolds’ aptly named Aviation American Gin. It offers a slew of special cocktails and mocktails, all backed by Betty Buzz — a range of nonalcoholic sparkling mixers launched by actress Blake Lively.
The bar has been crafted to transport customers to a golden age of air travel and certainly tips its hat (a Sinatra-approved fedora, no doubt) to the heady days of the ’60s when air travel was as exclusive as it gets.
Calum Laming, British Airways’ chief customer officer, believes the new addition couldn’t be better suited to the lounge.
“We are excited to unveil a new experience in the Greenwich Lounge,” Laming said. “With Betty Buzz and Aviation American Gin, we have created the perfect space for customers to relax pre-flight, offering a varied and delicious cocktail selection and flavors to suit every taste.”
Related: British Airways’ Club Suites don’t disappoint: On board a retrofitted 777 from London to New York
If you’d rather grab a beer while waiting on your plane, you don’t have to look far. Greenwich — which makes up a holy trinity of Terminal 8 lounges for British Airways and American Airlines, alongside Soho and Chelsea — is also home to a tasting room run by native ale purveyors Brooklyn Brewery.
In this self-styled tap room pictured above you can look out over the tarmac while you sup a brewski and wait for your boarding time, customers can also choose from a quirky pairing menu that includes Beer Braised Bratwurst, French Onion Grilled Cheese, and a Beer Float dessert.
Frequent flyers will recall that this space was formerly known as the Flagship First dining facility, but that exclusive lounge-within-a-lounge closed last year when British Airways colocated into American’s JFK Terminal 8 and opened the Chelsea lounge just a few steps away.”
Related: How can you access British Airways lounges?
The Bridge Bar and the Tasting Room are top-tier additions catering to an already stellar space. To gain entry to the Greenwich Lounge, you will need to be:
- A British Airways Club World passenger.
- A Oneworld Sapphire member from a non-U.S. program taking any same-day Oneworld flight.
- An American Flagship Business flyer on any route (including transcontinental ones).
- American AAdvantage Platinum (and higher) elite members when flying in any class of service on Flagship routes, including from the U.S. to: Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, New Zealand and South America (excluding Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela).
Now only one question remains: Will you opt for beer or cocktails? We suppose you can cross that bridge when you get to it.
Related reading:
- The best credit cards for airport lounge access
- The ultimate guide to American Airlines Admirals Club access
- The 7 do’s and don’ts in an airport lounge
- The best credit cards to reach elite status
- 7 domestic lounges that are worth going out of your way for
- Best credit cards for American Airlines flyers
