For the longest time, the Lounge Scene at Charlotte Airport was dominated by the pure absence of choices. While there was a USO lounge, as well as two Admirals Club Locations, this was about as far as choice got you. If you were travelling with an airline other than American, you were basically stuck.
This has changed with the introduction of the American Express Centurion Lounge in early 2020, just a month before the aviation industry was changed forever due to Covid. You can read our review of this lounge here.
Now, Travellers have an additional option at Charlotte. The Club Airport Lounges have opened their newest US location near Terminal A North – And getting access to the lounge is relatively simple. You can either purchase a day pass (45 USD), or you get access when flying Lufthansa Business Class, or with a Priority Pass subscription. The later comes with many travel focussed credit cards, so it is worth checking out if you may eligible through this.
Overall, this lounge is a relatively small space with amazing views of the airfield, where you can observe the action and have some views of the Center Runway at Charlotte. At the time of visit, the lounge did not have the liquor license yet, but this should now be in place.
The Central self-service desk includes a big barista style coffee machine, where you can get all kinds of coffee drinks, as well as some snack options like pretzels, trail mix and gummy bears. On top of this, there is a water fountain where you can get chilled or sparkling water that’s double filtered.
Once you found a spot to seat, you will also find QR codes on the table which you can use to order food to your table. This usually showed up within 15 minutes, but in our first visit there were still issues with this system and some orders got simply lost. The menu is available on your cell phone, and features southern-inspired kitchen, like fried-green tomato sliders and open-faced pulled pork sandwich. You can order a maximum of two dishes at once, but beware that even the “large” options are more snack-size than the pictures might imply first. Here’s a look at their menu:
Overall the food was of great quality and there is something for everyone for sure. We enjoyed the Open Faced Pulled-Pork-Sandwich very much, and we expect the menu to change frequently over time.
There are various seating options in The Club. From semi-private workstation booth, to a more common area dining area in front of the bar, to a vacation-style beach chair with apron views, it really is up to you to choose. We predict that it can easily get crowded due to its size.
This lounge is a very welcome addition to the Charlotte Airport and its location in A North makes it interesting for all local passengers leaving Charlotte on an airline other than American. If you are in the comfortable decision to choose between this and the Centurion Lounge, the later has many more seating options and more of a traditional style buffet dining experience – But is located much further away from the A Gates. We will certainly be back and visit the lounge on one of our many flights out of Charlotte.
