View from plane departing CLT. Photo by Evan Berman

I recently had a nearly 3-hour layover in the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (CLT). CLT is a great airport. There are groupings of gates from A to E, but everything is connected and within walking distance, no trains needed. I arrived at C gates and my next flight departed from B gates. With a lengthy layover, I decided to visit the American Express Centurion Lounge. This is located on the D gates side of the D/E connection. Passing the food court, you will notice a sign for the Centurion Lounge on the right. Take the elevator up to the mezzanine level and you arrive at the entrance.

Getting In:

To enter this lounge (or any Centurion lounge), you must provide ID, a boarding pass for a flight departing within 3 hours, and one of the following:

1. AmEx Platinum Card (business, consumer, Charles Schwab co-branded, or Morgan Stanley co-branded),
2. AmEx Centurion Card (either consumer or business), or
3. Delta Reserve Card (either personal or business) when flying on a Delta flight. I would not have been able to use this card for entrance since my flight was on American.

Currently, those with a Platinum card may bring in two guests for free, though as of February 1, 2023, guests will be charged a $50 fee ($30 for children 2-17). You can avoid this by spending more than $75,000 a year on the card. If you greatly care about guest access, consider adding an authorized user ($175 per year) so they may access the lounge with you or travelling by themselves.

Food and Drink:

I entered the lounge at 5:10pm on Monday, which was a holiday. The lounge was extremely crowded and one of the only seats was around a circular table with two other solo travellers. Unfortunately, the crowded nature of the lounge is typical. The lounge was popular for a reason: the food, drinks, and service were all fantastic. All three had a decided southern theme. I had a farro salad, roasted cabbage with cream, roasted broccoli with garlic, bone-in chicken thigh with Tennessee seasoning, and cheddar stone grits– a highlight! The food was fresh and quite tasty, better than most food that you will find in airports. Also, it was completely free!

Last call for drinks was announced at 7:16pm and food was removed at 7:30pm. Note that this lounge is open until 8pm. I sampled the Blue Door, Cheery Cola, and Raisin Cane. For the Cheery Cola, the bartender substituted Bourbon for the Brandy. While the drink was too sweet for me, the Cheerwine (a staple of the Carolinas and made in nearby Salisbury, NC) is a nice touch that is unique to the CLT Centurion Lounge.

Both the Raisin Cane and the Blue Door were excellent. The earthiness of the Scotch pairs well with the licorice flavor of the Pastis in the Blue Door. While it is summertime, the cream in the Raisin Cane was not overpowering and the nutmeg on top was a great addition. It is a treat to drink high-quality cocktails for free!

Though you do not pay for the drinks, I recommend tipping. It may lead to better service and is a kind gesture as a cocktail requires more effort than simply pouring a beer or glass of wine.

The Club CLT:

My flight did not board until almost 8:15pm. As the Centurion Lounge closes at 8pm, I thought I would check out the other lounge that I had access to: The Club CLT. The Club is a collection of lounges that often offer superior service, food, and drinks compared to other lounges in the Priority Pass network. This lounge is located just before Gate A21, by the A/B Connector.

The most common way to access this lounge is through Priority Pass membership. This can be purchased, but is offered free of charge to most premium credit cards, including the Capital One Venture X, American Express Platinum, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Citi Prestige, and many others. Alternatively, you could purchase a day pass for $45.

While I did not eat at this visit, I have tasted food here before and it is solid. Scan the barcode and select any and all food and drink that you wish to order, and input your table or seat number (found above the barcode). Note your entry was due to Priority Pass membership and everything is free of charge. The service is usually prompt and friendly.

Since I knew my flight was to depart relatively soon, I sat down at the bar. I ordered a Stella Artois and was promptly served the beer by the bartender. While there was no list of craft cocktails as was the case with the Centurion Lounge, The Club CLT also offers wine and spirits.

Final Thoughts:

I spent several hours in the CLT airport and enjoyed a high-quality meal with exceptional drinks for the price of $7– the amount that I tipped for receiving the 3 drinks. Airport prices are always expensive, so this was a fantastic value made possible by the Centurion Lounge and the Club CLT. The Centurion Lounge features menus by James Beard award-winning bartender Jim Meehan and James Beard award-finalist chef Gregory Collier, as well as the American Express Platinum Card. Sign up for the blog to learn more about this card and other luxury travel experiences made possible for less.

Evan