Reason to dump Citi Exec CC / Admiral Club since Centurion is coming to CLT?
Nov 28, 2018, 2:08 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: NC
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Reason to dump Citi Exec CC / Admiral Club since Centurion is coming to CLT?
Link to post in Travel and Dining forum
AA closed the lounge at GSO in October. When we moved from Charlotte to outside of Greensboro a lounge at our "home" airport was a big reason to keep the Citi AAdvantage card (and pay the fee). Since we mostly connect through CLT I'm thinking of dumping this expense next year. CLT is the reason we will keep the card this year since my husband has so many layovers there. Any experience comparing the two lounges? Any reason to keep the Citi card (i.e. location, hours available, etc)?
AA closed the lounge at GSO in October. When we moved from Charlotte to outside of Greensboro a lounge at our "home" airport was a big reason to keep the Citi AAdvantage card (and pay the fee). Since we mostly connect through CLT I'm thinking of dumping this expense next year. CLT is the reason we will keep the card this year since my husband has so many layovers there. Any experience comparing the two lounges? Any reason to keep the Citi card (i.e. location, hours available, etc)?
Nov 28, 2018, 2:47 pm
#3
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
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- Centurion lounges, while good, tend to be very crowded, and may not be located close to your gate (and AA lounge may be more convenient)
If you connect mainly through Concourse D & E (I forget where most of the American flights are), it could make sense to drop AA club membership and focus on Centurion lounges.
Nov 28, 2018, 2:56 pm
#5
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Wasn't there a lounge along the hallway leading to D at some point that later was used as a crew room? I wonder if this will be space for the Centurion lounge.
Nov 28, 2018, 3:13 pm
#6
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: IAD/DCA/BWI
Programs: AA Executive Platinum
Posts: 578
The old D club was between gates D2 and D3, where the mini-food court is now. I have no specific knowledge, but I'm guessing this is going to be part of that big expansion they've been working on by the escalators down to E?
Nov 28, 2018, 4:22 pm
#7
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- In my experience, AA flagship lounges (I've only been to JFK and LAX) are better than Centurion lounges
- Centurion lounges, while good, tend to be very crowded, and may not be located close to your gate (and AA lounge may be more convenient)
If you connect mainly through Concourse D & E (I forget where most of the American flights are), it could make sense to drop AA club membership and focus on Centurion lounges.
- Centurion lounges, while good, tend to be very crowded, and may not be located close to your gate (and AA lounge may be more convenient)
If you connect mainly through Concourse D & E (I forget where most of the American flights are), it could make sense to drop AA club membership and focus on Centurion lounges.
Nov 28, 2018, 11:11 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: DCA/CLT/HKG
Programs: AA EXP (Former US CP)
Posts: 731
The Centurion Lounge will be part of the East Terminal expansion on the 3rd floor on the D/E Connector-where they are also constructing a new food court.
I personally believe that AA will open a new Admirals Club at the airport considering all of the new gates coming online within the next two years in A and E.
Years ago when US was in Star there was talk of US and LH opening up a joint International J lounge near the D gates but nothing came up of it.
I personally believe that AA will open a new Admirals Club at the airport considering all of the new gates coming online within the next two years in A and E.
Years ago when US was in Star there was talk of US and LH opening up a joint International J lounge near the D gates but nothing came up of it.
Nov 29, 2018, 5:58 am
#11
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: RDU
Posts: 2,263
Great news! If they can manage the crowds which plague Centurion Lounges just about everywhere else, this is a nice addition to CLT.
As much as I'd love a Flagship Lounge in CLT, I don't see it happening.
Right now I think AA serves/plans to serve about 9 eligible international destinations: Barcelona, Dublin, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Mexico City, Munich, Paris and Rome. Some are seasonal, so for part of you the year you may have 7-8 eligible flights. That, combined with a couple hundred CK's passing through the airport daily... Not sure it makes sense. Plus, you'd have 80% of them coming in prior to the overnight Europe bank, so you'd need to build a very large club which would be deserted for much of the day.
As much as I'd love a Flagship Lounge in CLT, I don't see it happening.
Right now I think AA serves/plans to serve about 9 eligible international destinations: Barcelona, Dublin, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Mexico City, Munich, Paris and Rome. Some are seasonal, so for part of you the year you may have 7-8 eligible flights. That, combined with a couple hundred CK's passing through the airport daily... Not sure it makes sense. Plus, you'd have 80% of them coming in prior to the overnight Europe bank, so you'd need to build a very large club which would be deserted for much of the day.
Nov 29, 2018, 6:44 am
#12
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,769
OP, please keep in mind that the most valuable aspect of AC membership - in saving time, money, sanity, client meetings, etc. - is not the towers of free snack mix, but rather the assistance of the desk agents when things go south. When that flight is canceled, you run to the AC, and the AAgent does some magic on the spot, in many cases that is worth the price of a membership right there. Otherwise it's going to be hours on the phone, even as an elite.
Dunno; all the international flights you list seem like enough to support it to me. What you describe is pretty much the dynamic of all U.S. lounges; U.S. airports aren't like DXB or other places where international flights are coming/going constantly - there's pretty much one bank per day.
Dunno; all the international flights you list seem like enough to support it to me. What you describe is pretty much the dynamic of all U.S. lounges; U.S. airports aren't like DXB or other places where international flights are coming/going constantly - there's pretty much one bank per day.
Last edited by arlflyer; Nov 29, 2018 at 7:12 am
Nov 29, 2018, 6:57 am
#13
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Join Date: Sep 2006
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Posts: 13,913
OP, please keep in mind that the most valuable aspect of AC membership - in saving time, money, sanity, client meetings, etc. - aspect is not the towers of free snack mix, but rather the assistance of the desk agents when things go south. When that flight is canceled, you run to the AC, and the AAgent does some magic on the spot, in many cases that is worth the price of a membership right there. Otherwise it's going to be hours on the phone, even as an elite.
Dunno; all the international flights you list seem like enough to support it to me. What you describe is pretty much the dynamic of all U.S. lounges; U.S. airports aren't like DXB or other places where international flights are coming/going constantly - there's pretty much one bank per day.
Dunno; all the international flights you list seem like enough to support it to me. What you describe is pretty much the dynamic of all U.S. lounges; U.S. airports aren't like DXB or other places where international flights are coming/going constantly - there's pretty much one bank per day.
Nov 29, 2018, 8:48 am
#14
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORF
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Posts: 3,749
OP, please keep in mind that the most valuable aspect of AC membership - in saving time, money, sanity, client meetings, etc. - is not the towers of free snack mix, but rather the assistance of the desk agents when things go south. When that flight is canceled, you run to the AC, and the AAgent does some magic on the spot, in many cases that is worth the price of a membership right there. Otherwise it's going to be hours on the phone, even as an elite.
Nov 29, 2018, 10:04 am
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: NC
Programs: AA, Marriott/SPG, AMEX
Posts: 272
OP, please keep in mind that the most valuable aspect of AC membership - in saving time, money, sanity, client meetings, etc. - is not the towers of free snack mix, but rather the assistance of the desk agents when things go south. When that flight is canceled, you run to the AC, and the AAgent does some magic on the spot, in many cases that is worth the price of a membership right there. Otherwise it's going to be hours on the phone, even as an elite.
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