American Airlines plans massive (and badly-needed) lounge at Charlotte hub

Could this be the most badly needed airport lounge in America?

You could certainly make that argument about American Airlines' newest club, just announced for Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT).

American on Tuesday unveiled plans to build a sprawling Admirals Club inside the main atrium at CLT.

Construction is set to begin later this year.

Once complete, this outpost will be the biggest in American's network — topping even the huge new space the airline is building in Dallas.

And it will be a major boost to the carrier's lounge offerings in North Carolina.

Read more: 3 reasons why this is the best credit card for Admirals Club access

Badly-needed lounge

AA's two existing Admirals Club locations in Charlotte are dated and often overrun with guests.

That's far from ideal at CLT, which is American's second-busiest hub, trailing only its Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) home base.

Now American is working on a new that will span more than 40,000 square feet and offer a host of modern amenities, including shower suites, bars and seating areas.

"Designing a lounge that gives our customers more space to relax, work and recharge is our top priority," Heather Garboden, AA chief customer officer, said in a statement announcing the news.

News of this latest Admirals Club for American doesn't come as a huge surprise.

Last year, the carrier outlined a major lounge investment at CLT, which included a higher-tier Flagship Lounge and an expansion of the airline's Admirals Club space at the airport.

At the time, AA didn't specifically say whether that meant a completely new club, or a renovation of one of its existing Charlotte outposts.

Now, we know: it's getting an all-new Admirals Club — one that will be larger than any of its lounges today.

American's new Admirals Club location

This new Admirals Club will be centrally located for passengers passing through CLT, located up on the mezzanine level of the large atrium passengers enter right after passing through security.

It should be easily reachable from CLT's A, B and C concourses — and a modest walk from the D concourse.

The club will be a bit of a hike from the airport's E-gates, where AA's many regional flights leave from.

American's CLT lounge footprint grows

American did not share an estimated opening date for the new facility. Its two existing CLT Admirals Clubs will remain open during construction.

Beyond this new Admirals Club and American's Flagship Lounge planned for Charlotte, the carrier has also opened a new permanent grab-and-go outpost called Provisions by Admirals Club.

That smaller space is located on the airport's A concourse.

Bottom line

Charlotte is set to see a ton of new airport lounges open in the coming years.

On top of American's three new facilities, the hub is set to get a Capital One Lounge and a second American Express outpost. Plus, Delta Air Lines opened a beautiful new Sky Club less than two years ago.

Related reading:

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• 3 reasons why this is the best card for Admirals Club lounge access
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