A Look At American Airlines Flagship First Dining – Miami, FL (MIA) Restaurant Review

The handful of airlines that operate long-haul, international passenger flights with first class go to extraordinary lengths in the air and on the ground to please the lucky few who pay (or have employers or clients pay) the extraordinarily high prices for their first class travel.

American Airlines is the last U.S. carrier to operate any flights with long-haul international first class. American calls it Flagship First. American Flagship First includes access to Flagship First Dining (FFD), a complimentary, à la carte, fine-dining experience American provides inside a separate restaurant in American Flagship Lounges in Dallas, TX (DFW), Los Angeles, CA (LAX) (temporarily closed), and Miami, FL (MIA). In New York (JFK), American offers similar services in the Chelsea Lounge, a first class lounge operated jointly with British Airways.

The access policy is a bit of a mystery. The description of FFD on American’s website says access is limited to passengers traveling on same-day, long-haul international or transcontinental flights on American Flagship First or Flagship Business Plus tickets.

But the Flagship Lounge terms and conditions provide otherwise:

• A customer with a same-day ticket on American or a oneworld^® airline in the first class cabin or on a Flagship^® Business Plus fare on a qualifying international or transcontinental flight automatically has access to Flagship^® First Dining, located within certain select Flagship^® Lounges.”    Emphasis added. 

Legally, the terms and conditions should control.  In practice, the FFD description on the American website is what lounge attendants go by.  A coupe of years ago, I was denied access to FFD at the JFK FFD facility even though I had a flight in first class on a oneworld airline other than American.  

In January 2024, I finally met the more restrictive requirements and tried FFD for the first time.  A flight from MIA connecting to a flight in Flagship First from JFK to San Francisco (SFO) was the ticket.  Even though that flight met the criteria, getting in still required an extensive discussion with the agents in the MIA flagship Lounge. 

It took a while to convince them that my same-day flight from JFK to SFO qualified for FFD access in Miami.  Once they were convinced that my interpretation was valid, an agent provided a printed invitation and escorted me to the FFD facility.   

Flagship Lounges are excellent business class lounges in their own right. My 2021 review of the MIA Flagship Lounge is here.  

Upon entering, all guests are offered a glass of champagne.     

 Seating is comfortable and plentiful.

The buffet is high quality.

But on this visit I was finally going to see what FFD was about. Previous Flagship Lounge visits, while enjoyable, had piqued my curiosity about FFD. It seemed like some kind of a secret society. Seeing anyone enter or exit is rare. FFD sliding entrance doors open and closes quickly. There is no view from the outside. In short, my first visit was highly anticipated.

Upon entering, the maître d’ offered greetings and collected the lounge invitation.

A well-stocked bar and seating area are located immediately inside the entrance. The liquor selection seems to be the same as the Flagship Lounge. Cocktails, wine and champagne options appear to be a cut above.

The waiting area overlooks Gate D30 and has great views of the MIA ramp and runways. Because so few are able to get in, I assume the waiting area is used infrequently if at all.

The contemporary decor is plain and functional.

But FFD’s main attraction is food. FFD offers high-paying, international first-class customers the option to have a great meal before boarding so they have more time in the air to sleep or work.

Chefs affiliated with the James Beard Foundation collaborate in creating menus featuring local products. These are the menus from March 19, 2024.

Timon Balloo, the owner and chef at The Katherine in Fort Lauderdale, FL., created the menu.  In 2023, Yelp recognized The Katherine as No. 13 on its list of the 25 best new restaurants in the United States.    

Strip steak looked tempting because I haven’t had red meat in months. Health concerns have altered for the better my choices of food and drink. I ordered a jumbo lump crabcake appetizer. My entrée was masala dusted salmon, a chef Balloo original creation.

Alcohol is now something I enjoy in moderation on special occasions. This qualified. I started with a few sips of Johnnie Walker Black on the rocks before the meal.

Crabcake appetizer.

Argyle pinot noir accompanied the salmon instead of the recommended chardonnay. It is a good wine that generally retails for about $25 per bottle.

Masala dusted salmon.

The crabcake was wonderful, but the fish seemed overdone. I think the meal would have been better if the appetizer and entrée weren’t covered by a dense undergrowth.

Before I share my thoughts on MIA FFD, here are reviews of some other first class dining facilities. How does FFD compare in your view? All Nippon Airways (HND), Qatar Al Safwa Lounge (DOH), Singapore Airlines Private Room (SIN), Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounge (CGK), Cathay Pacific The Wing (HKG), and Qantas First Lounge (SYD).

Overall Impression

It was a pleasure to experience American Airlines Flagship First Dining at long last. Unfortunately, it didn’t measure up to my high expectations. FFD would not be an adequate substitute for the typical, five-course first meal service on American Airlines Flagship First flights. If it was an either-or choice, I’d rather eat on the plane.

Compared to other first class dining experiences I’ve been fortunate to try, I’d rank American FFD near the bottom. Singapore Airlines, Qatar and Qantas would be at the top. Even a United Airlines Polaris Lounge, technically a business class lounge, tops FFD. American FFD isn’t bad, it just isn’t as great as those other lounges. American’s Chelsea Lounge, a JFK first class lounge operated jointly with British Airways, is closer to what dining for first class passengers should be. That will be the next lounge review post.

American FFD faces an uncertain future given that American plans to discontinue international first class sometime in 2025.

I hope all of the fathers had a great Father’s Day.