American Express operates several Centurion Lounges in major airports worldwide, offering premium buffets, open bars, showers, and plenty of power outlets for recharging.
One of these American Express lounges is located in Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), a hub airport for American Airlines. Located at one of the nation’s busiest airports, this Centurion Lounge gets a lot of use, but there are a lot of features to this lounge that make it worth visiting.
Let’s take a look inside and see what the Centurion Lounge at Charlotte has to offer.
Location of the Amex Centurion Lounge at CLT
The lounge is located between Terminals D and E. Terminal D is a mixed-use terminal for American Airlines that tends to host American’s larger aircraft or those flying to long-haul international destinations. Terminal E is the regional terminal, home to all of American’s regional operations at Charlotte.
As you walk from Terminal E up to the main concourse, you’ll see the Centurion Lounge on your left. The Centurion Lounge in Charlotte is located in the middle of American’s gates, so if you’re flying another airline, you’ll have the longest walk to your gates.
To get up to the lounge, you’ll need to use either the elevator or stairs. During peak times, the elevator line can be long, so you may want to consider using the stairs.
Everything at the Charlotte airport is walkable, so you’ll want to leave enough time to go from the lounge to your gate, though most gates are within a 5- to 15-minute walk.
The Centurion Lounge at Charlotte is one of many Centurion-branded lounges throughout the U.S. and abroad:
Hot Tip: Learn more about how to navigate Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) in our ultimate terminal guide.
Guest and Check-in Requirements
To access the Charlotte Centurion Lounge, you’ll need to hold 1 of 5 premium cards:
As of now, Amex Platinum card and Amex Business Platinum cardholders are allowed to bring in 2 companions. But effective February 1, 2023, you’ll only be able to access the lounge as the cardholder, and bringing in guests will require a significant amount of spending annually on your eligible card. Centurion cardmembers may enter with up to 2 guests at no additional charge. Delta Reserve cardholders may bring up to 2 guests at a per-visit rate of $50 per person, per location.
Before visiting the lounge, you must check in at the reception desk. Image Credit: American ExpressHot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome offer of up to 150,000 points with the Amex Platinum card! (The current public offer is 80,000 points.)
There are 2 rules in place to help prevent crowding, which you’ll need to abide by:
- Access to the lounge is limited to visits within 3 hours of your flight, so if you arrive before then, you’ll need to wait for access.
- If you’re arriving in Charlotte and don’t have a connecting flight, you won’t be able to use the lounge.
Connecting flights do not follow either of these rules, and you’re allowed to access earlier than 3 hours prior to your connecting flight.
Inside the Lounge
Walking into the lounge, you’ll immediately hit the reception desk where your credentials will be checked.
You’ll see the lounge divided into 2 main areas: the seating zone, which you’ll walk into after going past the reception desk, and the bar and food zone, which is at the very back of the lounge.
The Charlotte Centurion Lounge is one of the largest in the network, featuring some of the most plentiful seating options. Image Credit: American ExpressWalking into the lounge, you’ll see a coffee station immediately to your left, where you can grab a cup of water, coffee, or tea. Immediately behind this coffee station are the restrooms and 2 shower rooms.
The main seating area features plenty of options, including a large conference table, private cubicles, lounge chairs, and more. This lounge is consistently very crowded, thanks to the popularity of American’s hub here. It can sometimes be very difficult to find an available spot to camp out, though with enough passengers coming and going, seating usually opens just as fast as it fills.
In the very rear of the lounge is a hot buffet line, as well as the staffed bar with table seating. You’re able to take any food and beverage you get here to any seat you find.
Hours of Operation
The lounge is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. As Charlotte is one of the busiest airports in the country, and American has a late bank of flights arriving and departing in the evening, the lounge closes rather early considering the number of flights departing. If you’re departing late at night, it’s likely you won’t be able to visit the lounge.
Hot Tip: If you have access, you may wish to use the nearby American Airlines Admirals Club for later departing flights past 8 p.m. Amex cardholders who are enrolled in Priority Pass may also have access to 2 Minute Suites locations (open 24 hours a day) and The Club CLT (open until 9:30 p.m.). Visit our article dedicated to Charlotte’s airport lounges for more details.
Food and Beverage
Like other Centurion Lounges, the Charlotte lounge offers both heavy buffet items and lighter snack foods.
For breakfast, enjoy items like quiche with hollandaise, country sausage, cheddar cheese grits, and French toast.
In the afternoon and evening, enjoy roasted cabbage with andouille sausage, chicken thighs, field pea chow chow salad, creamy whipped root vegetables, and buttermilk chess pie. In addition to all of the buffet items, you’ll find salads, baked goods, cookies, and other more traditional items.
Chef Gregory Collier inspires all of the dishes for this lounge, and his dishes feature the Southern flair of cities like New Orleans, Memphis, and Jackson.
Complimentary drinks are available at the bar. Image Credit: American ExpressAmenities
Amenities at this Centurion Lounge include:
- Family room
- High-speed Wi-Fi
- Large flat-screen TVs
- Locally-inspired cuisine
- Magazines and newspapers
- Member services desk
- Personal workspaces
- Premium bar
- Print, fax, and copy services
Free Wi-Fi
Throughout the lounge, you can enjoy complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi. To connect, simply find the American Express Centurion network and enter the password “MemberSince.”
Conference Space
There is a large conference table by the coffee station just after you enter the lounge, though this table tends to be occupied, especially during peak periods. Unfortunately, there’s no way to reserve this table, so don’t count on a large table to work at if you’re with a group.
Bottom Line: For practical purposes, this lounge doesn’t have a dedicated conference area. Seating at tables is first-come, first-served.
Family Room
If you need an area for your kids to unwind, there’s a small family room within the lounge that offers child-size seating, colorful walls, a few toys, and a private space for parents to monitor their children. The area is first-come, first-served and is open to all lounge guests.
Shower Rooms
There are 2 shower rooms that are based on availability, and you can check with the front desk regarding any waitlist. Towels, soap, and other shower items are complimentary in the lounge.
Final Thoughts
One of the largest Centurion Lounges in the network at one of the busiest airports, the Charlotte Centurion Lounge offers an inviting space for eligible cardholders to relax and grab a bite to eat. While it can get crowded during peak hours, seats generally open up relatively quickly.
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to use the lounge if you’re departing late at night, but there are other options available for Priority Pass members.
The information regarding the Centurion® Card from American Express was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
