American Airlines rolls out sleek new Admirals Club lounge at Denver
American Airlines is making its mark at Denver International Airport (DEN).
The Fort Worth-based carrier debuted its new Admirals Club there on Wednesday, making it the third lounge to follow American’s new design concept seen at airports serving Newark and Washington, D.C.
The new lounge is 6,000 square feet and has 114 seats.
Though Denver is not a hub for American, the city is an important one for the airline, according to a senior manager at American. The senior manager added that American receives significant footfall in its lounge at Denver International Airport — the world's third-busiest airport in 2022.
The new lounge is also part of American’s sweeping project to revamp its lounges at airports across the country.
How to get in: The ultimate guide to American Airlines Admirals Club access
Location, hours and access
The Admirals Club lounge is on the upper mezzanine of Denver’s Terminal C, between gates 30 and 32, and is open daily from 4:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
American previously had an Admirals Club lounge in Denver’s Terminal A but has since moved operations to Terminal C, meaning customers had to take the airport’s shuttle to trek between terminals if they wanted to spend time in a lounge before a flight.
With the new lounge in Terminal C, flyers will now have access to a lounge that’s closer to the gates.
Passengers have quite a few ways to access the lounge, whether through elite status or an eligible credit card. Check out this guide for more about accessing American Airlines Admirals Club lounges.
A continuation of themes from Newark and DC
The new Denver lounge features many similarities to American’s new lounge aesthetic that the carrier debuted at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and later at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). However, the Denver location also includes some local touches.
The Denver lounge features sleek furniture similar to that in the Newark and D.C. lounges. The Denver lounge also has the same style of industrial metal beams adorning the Living Room Pavillion as in the Newark lounge.
American continued the same fireplace motif in Denver, giving the space a cozier and homier ambience.
The Denver Admirals Club also took cues from Newark’s cherry blossoms, modified with a local touch to include a set of Aspen trees on the walls as you enter the restrooms.
American aimed to make passengers walking through the new lounge feel “a sense of discovery” with the layout, separating the dining and lounging areas, according to the senior manager at American.
The lounge also contains a few local homages to Denver and Colorado. For example, the ceiling of the living room pavilion is painted black with stars dotting the area, resembling a starry night sky.
The carpets of the living room area feature a blue and gray ridged pattern, a tribute to the Rocky Mountains.
Art of the Rocky Mountains and the Eastern Plains hang in the dining area. From there, guests have a clear view of the airfield to see planes take off while grabbing a quick bite.
Chipotle chicken tacos and black bean sliders
The Denver Admirals Club includes a full-service bar that features a selection of wine, beer and cocktails, along with a small buffet that changes throughout the day. Like Newark, menu items at the Denver lounge play off the local cuisine of the Mile High City.
During my visit, I was able to get a sampling of the lounge’s all-day offerings and a cocktail — all of which were delicious. I tried the Colorado Bulldog, a cocktail made with vodka, coffee liqueur, cream and cola. It was smooth yet didn’t feel heavy with the cream.
American has long struggled with its food offerings in its lounges. However, it has significantly stepped up its dish selection with each of these new lounges.
Raphael Girardoni, American’s managing director of customer experience, product and design, said the carrier plans to bring the same level of quality to its food offerings across all its lounges by 2024.
In each of these lounges, Girardoni said American will curate regionally inspired menus with locally sourced ingredients.
“Our new food options give customers the ability to choose from a wide range of options,” Girardoni said. “We want to always make sure that we have healthy and nourishing items available, but also more indulgent in filling items.”
Besides an assortment of salads and charcuterie, the Denver Admirals Club lounge also offers black bean hummus, a locally prepared salsa, chipotle chicken tacos and black bean sliders — all of which I found to be packed with flavor.
For dessert, American’s menu in Denver had macarons, snickerdoodle cookies and rocky road brownies. The rocky road brownies were the highlight of the desserts, with pillowy marshmallows drenched in chocolate sitting atop the brownies that had a fudge-like consistency.
A communal feel
Perhaps the only con of American’s new Admirals Club lounge in Denver is its lack of private space, which can be a disadvantage for any flyers who may need to take work meetings or phone calls from the lounge.
There is a set of seats at the back of the living room area with partial dividers, but they don’t afford much privacy. The dining area also has booths, which allow for some seclusion, but most of the seating within the lounge is open.
Despite the lack of privacy, the lounge provides plenty of seating. Each seat contains USB ports and outlets on both sides, making them easy to find.
Bottom line
American’s Admirals Club lounge in Denver is a stunning new addition and one that continues to set a high bar for the carrier. Like the Newark and D.C. lounges, the Denver lounge is a cozy and comfortable place to unwind or catch up on work before a flight.
Passenger perks: Best new airport amenities of the past year
The food is also delicious and is perhaps some of American’s best lounge offerings — the food and cocktails at Denver even trumped those at Newark.
Given its streak of success in D.C., Newark and now Denver, we’re excited to see where American takes its new lounge concept next.
Related reading:
- Your ultimate guide to American Airlines AAdvantage
- Best credit cards for American Airlines flyers
- What is American Airlines elite status worth?
- Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
- The best credit cards to reach elite status
- Everything you need to know about flying basic economy on American Airlines
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
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- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
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- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.