Dorkfest Bound: A LA Trip Report
A weekend trip to LAX for Cranky Dorkfest 2026 - flying the AA A321XLR, saying goodbye to the A321T, and exploring the LAX neighborhood on foot.
A whirlwind aviation weekend at LAX built around Cranky Dorkfest 2026 — with a first ride on AA's A321XLR Flagship Suites, a farewell flight on the A321T in Flagship Business, and enough exploring around the airport to make the trip feel bigger than 48 hours.
Sometimes a weekend trip is exactly the right amount of trip. This one was built around Cranky Dorkfest 2026 at LAX (already written up here), but the routing let me do a few things I've been wanting to check off: my first ride on AA's A321XLR Flagship Suites, one last flight in the legendary A321T, and time to explore the LAX neighborhood on foot rather than just the airport.
Here's the full plan.
BOS Admirals Club
Itarted the trip with a stop at Boston's Admirals Club before the first flight west. It’s not the biggest AA lounge in the network but has a solid pre-departure setup. A worthwhile look given how much premium ground investment AA has been making across their network in 2026.
AA A321XLR Flagship Suites BOS to JFK
The big first for me on this trip. AA's A321XLR is one of the more talked-about aircraft in the current premium narrowbody conversation, and BOS-JFK is one of the routings where AA has been putting the aircraft. Full review to come, but the short version: it was a very fun first ride.
The LAX Airport Walkabout
Sometimes travel plans require a plan B. After a hotel shuttle situation that didn't go according to plan, I ended up walking from LAX’s Tom Bradley International Terminal to my hotel. What started as a workaround turned into one of the more interesting parts of the trip: electric scooters, great tacos, and enough of the neighborhood around LAX to make me realize how little most travelers actually see of the airport area beyond the terminals.
Cranky Dorkfest 2026
The anchor of the whole trip. Morning ramp visit with five aircraft on display, afternoon plane spotting from the famous LAX In-N-Out. Full recap here. This was my first Dorkfest and it delivered.
LAX Flagship Lounge
Before heading home, I swung in for an early morning visit to the LAX Flagship Lounge. This is one of AA's flagship ground experiences, and with the recent Flagship Dining expansion announcement, there's plenty to look forward to (one Flagship First dining returns to this location!)
LAX’s Temporary Admirals Club
A quick stop at the temporary Admirals Club at Gate 151 in the Tom Bradley International Terminal. An Admirals Club with some Hollywood flare.
AA A321T Flagship Business LAX to JFK
The farewell flight departing TBIT. AA's A321T - the transcon-configured A321 with the 3 class Flagship Business and First offerings - has been one of the more iconic AA aircraft of the past decade. As the fleet transitions toward the A321XLR for premium transcon service, the A321T is on its way out.
I lucked out with a status upgrade for this one, which turned it into the perfect farewell, and comparison to the new XLR. Full review coming.
The Series
| Post | Status |
|---|---|
| Dorkfest Bound: An Aviation Weekend at LAX | You are here |
| BOS Admirals Club review | Coming soon |
| AA A321XLR Flagship Suites BOS–JFK review | Coming soon |
| The LAX Airport Walkabout | Coming soon |
| Cranky Dorkfest 2026 Recap | ✓ Published |
| LAX Flagship Lounge review | Coming soon |
| LAX Gate 151 Admirals Club review | Coming soon |
| AA A321T Flagship Business LAX to JFK review | Coming soon |
Related: Cranky Dorkfest 2026 Recap · Where Does AA Fly the 787-9P Flagship Suite?