Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) has become a much better airport for lounge options in recent years. With The Club, the American Express Centurion Lounge, Delta Sky Club and American Airlines Admirals Clubs, travelers have several options depending on their airline, credit cards and lounge memberships.
After personally visiting several of the lounges at CLT, these are my top three airport lounges at Charlotte Douglas.
I’m ranking these based on my own experiences, including the food, space, comfort, crowds and overall experience before a flight.
One important note: I have not personally visited the American Airlines Admirals Clubs at CLT yet, so I am not ranking them based on first-hand experience. I have heard from other travelers that some of the existing Admirals Clubs feel dated, but American has been making investments at CLT, including its new Provisions by Admirals Club and plans for a future Flagship Lounge. I’ll update this ranking if I visit the Admirals Clubs myself.
3. The Club CLT
The Club CLT is my #3 choice.
The biggest advantage is accessibility. The Club is part of the Priority Pass network, which makes it an easy option for many travelers who have lounge access through their credit cards. It’s located in Concourse A near Gates A21 and A22.
The downside is that it can get very crowded.
Sometimes it feels like everyone at CLT has Priority Pass.
Because so many travelers can access The Club, it can become difficult to find a comfortable seat during busy periods. The lounge itself isn’t particularly large for the amount of demand it receives, and CLT is a huge airport with a massive number of passengers.
The Club does offer the basic things you expect from an airport lounge, including food, drinks, Wi-Fi and seating. It also has showers, although there is an additional charge for them.
For me, though, the crowding keeps it at #3.
If you have Priority Pass and you’re flying through Concourse A, it’s still nice to have somewhere to get away from the terminal. But I wouldn’t necessarily go out of my way to visit it if I had access to one of the other lounges on this list.
2. American Express Centurion Lounge
The American Express Centurion Lounge at CLT is a significant step up from The Club for me.
It’s located between Concourses D and E on the mezzanine level, making it accessible from the airside terminal to travelers across the concourses.
The first thing I notice is the overall atmosphere.
It’s a much more premium experience than The Club, with better food, comfortable seating and a more polished environment.
The Food Is a Big Plus
I personally really enjoy the food at Centurion Lounges.
Obviously, food is subjective, but the selection works well for my tastes and is one of the reasons I enjoy visiting the lounge.
The CLT location offers premium food and a curated beverage program, including cocktails, wine and beer.
There are also showers, which can really come in handy if you’re traveling for a long time or have a lengthy connection. The CLT Centurion Lounge specifically has a shower suite.
But It Can Still Get Crowded
The Centurion Lounge isn’t immune to the same problem as The Club.
It can get crowded.
The difference is that the Centurion Lounge is larger and feels better equipped to handle the demand. Even so, you can still run into a wait or have difficulty finding the perfect seat during busy periods.
American Express currently shows an estimated wait time for the CLT location, and access remains subject to space availability.
That’s something I would keep in mind when planning a visit.
If you want to use the Centurion Lounge before your flight, give yourself some extra time. Don’t assume you’ll walk in immediately, grab a seat and be ready to leave five minutes later.
1. Delta Sky Club
For me, the Delta Sky Club at CLT is currently my #1 airport lounge at the airport.
And I think the biggest reason is simple:
Space.
The CLT Delta Sky Club is a large, modern lounge located in Concourse A near Gate A32. Delta’s lounge is approximately 14,000 square feet with seating for 246 people.
When I walk into this lounge, it feels much more spacious than some of the other lounge options at CLT.
Plenty of Room to Relax
This is probably my favorite thing about the CLT Sky Club.
There are plenty of different seating areas, so it doesn’t feel like everyone is sitting directly on top of each other.
There are also soundproof booths, which I really like if I need to make a call, get some work done or simply want a quieter place to sit. The CLT Sky Club has six soundproof booths, including one ADA-compliant booth.
That’s a feature I don’t take for granted.
The Food Is Good
The food is another reason I enjoy the Sky Club.
There’s a large buffet with a variety of food options, along with two beverage stations.
Again, food is subjective, but I personally like the food here.
The combination of good food, comfortable seating and plenty of space makes it a lounge where I actually enjoy spending some time before my flight.
Less Crowded Than Delta’s Hub Lounges
Another reason I like the CLT location is that, in my experience, it generally doesn’t feel as crowded as some of the Delta Sky Clubs I’ve experienced at major Delta hubs.
That’s a major advantage.
The lounge is still busy at times, but CLT isn’t a Delta hub, and I think that makes a difference.
The result is a lounge that can feel much more relaxed than some of the huge Delta hub clubs where crowds can be overwhelming.
What About American Airlines Admirals Clubs?
This is the big omission from my ranking.
I haven’t personally visited the Admirals Clubs at CLT yet, so I don’t think it would be fair for me to rank them based on other people’s experiences.
American currently has traditional Admirals Clubs in Concourse B and at the intersection of Concourses C and D. Both offer complimentary food and drinks, a full-service bar and Wi-Fi.
American has also added Provisions by Admirals Club near Gate A1 in Concourse A. It’s designed more as a quick grab-and-go option, with food and non-alcoholic drinks for travelers who don’t have time for a traditional lounge visit.
American has also announced plans for a Flagship Lounge at CLT, although there is currently no announced opening timeline.
I’ve heard some travelers describe the existing Admirals Clubs as dated, but that’s something I’ll judge for myself once I actually visit them.
Whenever I can, I’ll write a separate first-hand review and update this ranking if my experience changes it.
My Current CLT Lounge Ranking
Based on the lounges I’ve personally visited, my ranking is:
🥇 1. Delta Sky Club
Best overall experience for me.
Spacious, comfortable, good food, soundproof booths and generally less crowded than many Delta hub lounges I’ve experienced.
🥈 2. Amex Centurion Lounge
Excellent food and amenities.
The showers are a great bonus, and the overall experience feels premium. The biggest drawback is the possibility of crowds.
🥉 3. The Club CLT
Useful, but too crowded for me.
Priority Pass makes it accessible to a lot of people, but that accessibility can also be its biggest weakness when the lounge fills up.
Final Thoughts
I’m actually pretty happy with the lounge situation at CLT compared with a few years ago.
The addition of the Delta Sky Club, the Centurion Lounge and new American Airlines concepts has given travelers more choices.
For me, the Delta Sky Club is currently the clear favorite because I value having plenty of space to sit and relax. The Centurion Lounge comes very close because of the food, premium atmosphere and showers. The Club is useful, especially if you have Priority Pass, but the crowds can make the experience less enjoyable.
And that’s really the biggest theme I’ve noticed with airport lounges in 2026:
People want them.
The crowding at The Club and Centurion Lounge can be frustrating, but it also shows how much demand there is for a comfortable place to escape the terminal.
If you’re planning to use any lounge at CLT before your flight, my biggest advice is to budget extra time.
Don’t assume you’ll walk straight in, immediately find a seat and be ready to head to your gate. Give yourself enough time in case there’s a line or the lounge is packed.
And as I visit more lounges at CLT, I’ll keep updating this list based on my own experiences.
For now, if I’m flying out of CLT and have access to the Delta Sky Club, that’s where you’ll most likely find me. ✈️