Review: American Express Centurion Lounge Charlotte (CLT)

I arrived in Charlotte on my American A321 First Class flight from Dallas and headed for the American Express Centurion Lounge to pass the time before my next flight to Nashville.

American Express Centurion Lounge Location

The Centurion Lounge in Charlotte is located near ‘The Plaza’ food court which is located in the Concourse D/E connector. The entrance to the lounge is to your right just before heading down the escalators to Concourse E. This makes it convenient for American Eagle (which operates from Concourse E) and International (Concourse D) passengers.

The sign is small so look to your right and you’ll see an elevator with ‘The Centurion Lounge’ branding. The lounge is located one floor above the concourse and can be accessed via elevator or the adjacent stairwell.

Once on the mezzanine level, follow the signage and American Express branding over to the member services reception desk.

American Express Centurion Lounge Hours of Operation

The American Express Centurion Lounge Charlotte (CLT) is open between 5:30a and 10:30p daily. This covers the vast majority of departures from the airport.

American Express Centurion Lounge Entry Requirements

Access to the lounge is available to American Express Platinum and Centurion cardholders. Platinum cardholders spending more than $75,000 annually on the card can bring two guests free of charge (Centurion cardholders can bring guests without meeting this threshold).

Delta SkyMiles Reserve cards (Personal and Business) can access the lounge when flying on a same day Delta marketed and/or operated flight. The flight must be booked on an American Express charge/credit card, though it doesn’t have to be booked with the Reserve card.

One-time guest passes can be purchased for $50. Children between 2 and 17 cost $30 while ages 2 and under are admitted free of charge. The full access rules and terms and conditions can be found here.

There was a short line in front of me when I arrived just after noon on Saturday but, after a few minutes, my boarding pass was scanned and I was welcomed into the lounge. It’s worth noting that 15-20 minutes after my arrival the lounge had a waitlist for access.

Layout

The Charlotte Centurion Lounge is laid out roughly in an L shape. The main seating areas are located towards the front with the buffet and bar located in the rear portion of the lounge. It was extremely crowded during my visit so I apologize in advance for the photo quality.

Immediately upon entering the lounge is the first of three large seating areas off to the left. A temporary bar is also located here but it wasn’t in use during my visit.

A narrow hallway separates this space from a groups of two person tables located next to the windows overlooking the concourse. Keep in mind, this is the main walkway through the lounge area.

A phone room is located along one wall which can be accessed by checking in at the Member Services desk at the front of the lounge.

On the opposite wall, a large TV iss mounted along with a magazine nook.

The second main grouping of seats is located behind the phone room and features cafe tables, chairs, and built in booths.

Chairs arranged in groups of four with a center table are located along the windows overlooking the ramp. Unfortunately for avgeeks, the blinds were closed to block out the sun.

At the rear of the lounge, near the bar, is the last of the three main seating areas in the lounge. It has a mixture of couches, chairs and tables, and lounge chairs located along the windows.

Food and Beverage

Between the second and third seating areas are the buffet and the bar. I found the food on offer during my visit to be more substantial than I’ve had on previous visits to Centurion Lounges. While the buffet itself was small, dishes were constantly being restocked.

Three types of salad were available on the buffet. While it wasn’t a build your own salad bar like I’ve seen at other Centurion Lounges, likely due to space, they did leave the dressing on the side to keep things from getting soggy.

I was most impressed by the hot dishes as two different types of protein, BBQ chicken wings and honey garlic salmon were offered along with sides of macaroni and cheese and green beans.

Multiple types of cookies, mixed berry compote with whipped cream, peach upside-down cake, and chocolate chip cannolis rounded out the dessert section.

Four baskets of rolls and a couple tubs of butter were located at the end of the buffet, we are in the south remember.

The bar area is small though the bartenders working were extremely efficient and managed to get drinks out quickly without a line forming, something you don’t always see in lounges when they get busy.

While I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, around 1:30p they rolled out an ice cream cart and I couldn’t resist grabbing some. This was a nice touch and proved to be very popular with the passengers on such a hot day. Two flavors, Mango and Marshmallow, were offered along with a variety of toppings.

American Express Centurion Lounge Atmosphere

From the moment I entered the lounge until the minute I left, the place was packed. Fortunately I managed to grab a seat before they instituted the waitlist because I saw many people, especially families, circling to try and find a place to sit.

The lounge first opened in February of 2020 and, at almost 13,000 square feet, it was one of the largest Centurion lounges at the time. The pandemic quickly shuttered it and, after reopening, the space is too small to meet the demand. I really like the overall layout and design of the lounge thanks to the large windows and seating and I’m sure I’d enjoy it even more if I visited at a less busy time of day.

Summary

The American Express Centurion Lounge at Charlotte Douglas International Airport is plagued by overcrowding like many of the lounges in the system. This lounge has a layout I love, great food, friendly staff, and a convenient location. If you stop by outside of peak times, you’ll have an enjoyable visit.