Your First Look at American's Renovated Admirals Club in Charlotte
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American Airlines is reopening its second airport lounge in Charlotte on Wednesday, one of a handful of recent Admirals Clubs the airline has refurbished amid fierce competition for premium customers.
TPG got an exclusive sneak peek Tuesday afternoon inside the redone club in Concourse B. If you havenāt been inside one of the 10 lounges American has updated in the last two years, you should know that the visual differences are striking.
The new clubs offer most of the services and snacks available at all Admirals Club locations: the cheese cubes, pita chips, hummus, espresso machines, soft drinks, soups, sweets, and free basic wines, beers and liquor. But the look is modern, sleek, and bright, and in Charlotte, a new bank of windows overlooks a runway and taxiing American planes.
The airline wanted to give customers "a clean, modern feel that makes them feel relaxed," says American spokeswoman Sunny Rodriguez. Besides CLT, in the last two years the airline has renovated Admirals Clubs at Chicago OāHare (ORD), Boston (BOS), New York-JFK (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Terminal A, Miami (MIA), Orlando (MCO), and Toronto (YYZ), and it added a club in Houston (IAH). Lounges in Pittsburgh (PIT) and Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Terminal D are under renovation. A new first-class Flagship Lounge and Flagship First Dining are being added in Dallas as well.
The battle for lounge customers is heating up, too, with airlines upgrading their facilities and opening new super-premium lounges that rival international competitors. Meanwhile, smaller entrants such as American Express, Airport Lounge Development, and Escape Lounges are adding locations.
āWe are seeing more independent lounges being built than ever before, and legacy airlines are turning their old, tired locations into truly premium havens,ā says Brent Griffith, chief marketing officer of LoungeBuddy, an app that rates lounges and sells passes. Unitedās Polaris lounges, Americanās Flagship First Dining, and refreshed Delta Sky Clubs show that US airlines are āstepping up their game.ā
āThe best part about the club isnāt the food or the free drinks, itās that you get your space,ā said Moe Siddiqui, 51, a medical salesman from Tennessee. āYou donāt have to be part of the herd.ā
At Charlotte on Tuesday evening, travelers such as Siddiqui kept approaching the lounge, located between gates B3 and B5, on the mistaken belief that it was open. He then headed to the other, much larger Admirals Club in Terminal C. The renovated lounge in Terminal B, which has been closed for the last seven months, is about 4,500 square feet and has seating for about 100 people. The older lounge at Terminal C is about 23,000 square feet and seats 452.
There are a few ways to gain entry to Admirals Clubs. Buying a membership has just become more expensive on February 1, at $650 or 85,000 AAdvantage miles per year, less for elite-level AA frequent flyers. You can also get in if you are flying on a qualifying first or business-class ticket; if you are an Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro and Platinum elite-level flyer on an international same-day ticket on American or any airline in the Oneworld alliance, in any class; if you have a one-day pass ($59); or if you have the CitiĀ® / AAdvantageĀ® Executive World Elite MastercardĀ®, which gives access to the cardholder plus spouse, domestic partner and/or children under 18 or up to two guests. Uniformed military get in free.
Beyond the design and furniture, Charlotteās new club does have some features older clubs lack, including a freestyle Coke machine and a wine machine called a Cruvinet, which keeps wines fresh and at the appropriate temperature. The airline also installed more plugs to charge electronic devices.
The renovation coincides with the Charlotte airportās $70 million plan to renovate and expand its terminals to cope with a surge of people flying. In the last 10 years, the number of passengers stepping on a plane in Charlotte has increased by more than 30 percent. The airport says its changes make the airport look more modern, bigger, and brighter.
āItās growth, but itās also a desire to update our facilities to meet demand and to meet customer expectations,ā says Jack Christine, the Charlotte airportās chief operating officer. āThings like charging. People show up to the airport now with 18 different things they want to charge before they get on the airplane.ā
Charlotte has grown to become the countryās sixth largest airport by flights, and it is Americanās second-busiest hub behind only Dallas-Fort Worth.
All images by the author.
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| 3X | Earn 3X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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Thereās a lot to love about the Amex Gold. Itās a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If youāre hitting the skies soon, youāll 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 Dunkinā credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, thereās no reason that foodies shouldnāt 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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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 RewardsĀ® 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 youāre approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount ā all with no credit score impact. If youāre approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® 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 RewardsĀ® 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 RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership RewardsĀ® 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. Thatās up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® 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 ExpressĀ® 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 ExpressĀ® 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 ExpressĀ® 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.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® 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 RewardsĀ® 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 RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership RewardsĀ® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership RewardsĀ® 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 FICOĀ® 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
Thereās a lot to love about the Amex Gold. Itās a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If youāre hitting the skies soon, youāll 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 Dunkinā credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, thereās no reason that foodies shouldnāt 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 RewardsĀ® 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 youāre approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount ā all with no credit score impact. If youāre approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® 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 RewardsĀ® 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 RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership RewardsĀ® 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. Thatās up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® 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 ExpressĀ® 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 ExpressĀ® 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 ExpressĀ® 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.