Cambodia April 2012 - Admirals Club SFO And American Airlines 1023 First Class (SFO-LAX)

***This post is part 2 of a full trip report. The index can be found here***

I arrived at San Francisco International Airport approximately two hours prior to departure and was checked in fairly quickly via the priority line. Luggage was checked all the way through to Phnom Penh amazingly... although I was slightly skeptical that it would actually arrive there as promised. Early Wednesday afternoon security was a breeze, and I was soon airside in the beautiful new Terminal 2.

The new Admirals Club was one of the nicer American lounges I've been to. Certainly the entrance, lined with trees and expansive views of the runway, made for a calming atmosphere in a typically bustling airport. The food and drink selection, however, were fairly limited - unless you were willing to pay for an actual meal in the dining area. There were complimentary cookies, fruits, soft drinks, and coffee on display. I did receive a drink voucher, which I traded in for a large bottle of water at the bar. A couple of computers for guest use were located by the large windows.

After about an hour in the lounge, I was getting quite bored, so I grabbed my stuff and sauntered over to the departing gate. The facilities in Terminal 2 are actually very good, with plenty of restaurants and seating all around the open atrium. Boarding started soon afterwards.

American Airlines 1023
Boeing 737-800

San Francisco (SFO) - Los Angeles (LAX)
Wednesday March 28, 2012
Departure: 4:40 PM (scheduled) / 4:32 PM (actual)

Arrival: 6:00 PM (scheduled) / 5:49 AM (actual)

Duration: 1h 20m (scheduled) / 1h 17m (actual)
Seat: 4A (First) 

The first class seats on this 737-800 were definitely showing some wear and tear, and but it was more than comfortable for the quick hop down to LAX. Drinks were served soon after take-off, and the rest of the flight went very smoothly, with not even a hint of turbulence. Compared to the SFO-LAX first class service on United, however, I felt like the snacks selection on American was fairly lacking. While United offered a large basket filled with a wide range of options for passengers to choose from, from chips to cookies to fruits, the only thing American offered were Biscoff cookies (which were delicious as always).

As soon as we hit our cruising altitude, it felt like we were already starting our descent into Los Angeles. After a perfect landing, we arrived at the gate more than ten minutes ahead of schedule. First class passengers were allowed to deplane first, though I stayed behind and snapped a few more pictures.

With an almost eight-hour layover at LAX, I took my sweet time transferring from Terminal 4 to Tom Bradley International Terminal, browsing shops and visiting lounges along the way.