Shortly after American Airlines unveiled its new Provisions by Admirals Club grab-and-go lounge concept, the Fort Worth, Texas based carrier is making another lounge investment at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. American has announced that it will build a Flagship Lounge at the airport along with expanding the existing footprint of its Admirals Clubs there.
American is Opening a Premium Lounge in Charlotte
If you aren’t familiar with American Airlines’ Flagship Lounge, they are the carrier’s premium lounges primarily for long haul Business and First Class passengers. The airline currently operates five Flagship Lounges in Dallas (DFW), Chicago (ORD), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), and a recently opened lounge in Philadelphia (PHL).
Charlotte will be the sixth Flagship Lounge location, leaving Phoenix (PHX) as the only major American hub without a premium lounge. American also operates First and Business Class lounges at New York (JFK) known as the Chelsea Lounge, SoHo Lounge, and Greenwich Lounge.
In keeping with the recent themes we’ve seen from American’s Flagship Lounges, different areas of the lounge will be divided into “neighborhoods” to cater to travelers’ needs. American describes them as follows:
- Lounge: Relax and recharge in comfortable seating
- Bar and dining: Connect and collaborate over drinks or a meal
- Villas: Embrace privacy and a mental reset in the spa-style shower suites, workstations and/or kid-friendly family room
Heather Garboden, American’s Chief Customer Officer, said this about the upcoming Flagship Lounge:
“As an airline, we’re committed to meeting the needs of our customers, and we’re excited to continue to invest in our lounges at CLT. These improvements will introduce a premium experience for our Flagship customers and provide more space in our Admirals Club lounges.”
Haley Gentry, Chief Executive Officer of Charlotte Douglas International Airport, added:
“CLT is delighted by our hub carrier American’s announcement that it will bring its premium Flagship lounge to Charlotte. We look forward to the continued partnership to enhance the travel experience for our passengers.”
No information has been given about the location of the new lounge or a timetable to open. American stated in a press release that those details will be announced at a later time.
American Expands its Lounge Offerings in Charlotte
Charlotte is the second largest hub for American Airlines, after DFW, and American and its regional partners fly from the North Carolina city to over 170 destinations. American inherited this hub after its merger with US Airways and, for a long time, the lounge options here weren’t great.
With the opening of the new Provisions by Admirals Club location in Concourse A, American operates two full service Admirals Clubs in Charlotte, one in Concourse B and one in the connector between Concourses C and D.
As part of the Flagship Lounge announcement, American Airlines also revealed plans to “expand its Admirals Club lounge footprint” in Charlotte. Ralph Lopez, American’s Senior Vice President of CLT Operations, said this about the additional improvements:
“Charlotte is incredibly important to American’s network. We serve millions of customers as they travel through CLT, and we’re excited to continue to elevate their experience when traveling with us.”
Like the Flagship Lounge, no additional details regarding the expansion were provided.
My Thoughts
I think it is great to see American Airlines expanding its lounge footprint, especially in Charlotte which has long been cramped and crowded. I was somewhat surprised when I first saw the news as Charlotte doesn’t see much in the way of long-haul, premium traffic when compared to other American hubs.
However, Delta has committed to opening its premium Delta One Lounges at all of its hubs (with the exception of New York-LaGuardia) and I think American may be following the same plan. With that being said, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a Phoenix Flagship Lounge announced in the future.
Summary
American Airlines has announced plans to open a Flagship Lounge at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT). This will be the sixth Flagship Lounge and ninth premium lounge for the airline upon completion.