Charlotte Douglas International Airport may be getting a speakeasy-style American Express lounge, turning a corner of Concourse A into a cocktail-forward hideaway for rushed travelers. The proposed Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge would cater to passengers with tight connections, adding yet another high-end perk to CLT's ever-growing Concourse A if City Council approves a lease on Monday.
What Council Will Decide
City staff are asking council members to greenlight a five-year lease for roughly 4,600 square feet in Concourse A, with the airport set to collect 25% of the space's gross revenues, according to WSOC TV. The agreement would allow American Express to operate its new Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge at CLT for the full term of the lease. The proposal is listed on Monday's City Council agenda.
Sidecar's Short-Stay Model
American Express opened the first Sidecar in Las Vegas this week, presenting it as a speakeasy-style grab-and-go lounge built for travelers who have 90 minutes or less before departure, per Business Traveller. Instead of sprawling buffets and endless seating, the compact lounges emphasize small plates, cocktails and quick table-service ordering. Operators say the setup is meant to relieve crowding in larger Centurion lounges while still keeping the premium food and drink flowing.
Where It Fits In CLT's Lounge Race
CLT has been steadily beefing up its premium lounge roster. Capital One announced plans earlier this year for a 14,000-square-foot lounge in Concourse A, part of a broader push to lure both credit-card heavyweights and frequent travelers, according to WFAE. The airport already features a Centurion Lounge, a Delta Sky Club and multiple Admirals Club locations, and each new entrant has the potential to shift how and where passengers camp out before flights. Airport officials have pitched the wave of upgrades as a key piece of modernizing CLT's passenger amenities as traffic grows.
Council members are set to take up the lease at Monday's meeting. If the vote passes, the Sidecar would join a growing lineup of card-branded options at CLT and operate under the five-year lease terms. City and airport staff would handle lease implementation and revenue collection, and the lease item is listed on the council agenda, according to WSOC TV.
