American Airlines has a gorgeous lounge template – far better than the 2017-era ‘modern hospital’ design they were using – that’s rolled out across their new lounges.
Unfortunately there are no plans to retrofit existing open lounges in the new design. The only other announced lounges that will get their new design are the planned new business class Flagship lounge in Miami (with the ‘modern hospital’ Flagship converting to an Admiral’s Club) and the new Austin club announced four years ago but not yet started and that will be in an entirely different location.
I finally had a chance to visit the Denver Admiral’s Club. Even though it’s been open nearly two years I’ve never been by – because I never fly American in and out of Denver. They don’t serve the city non-stop from Austin, it isn’t an American Airlines hub, and adding a connection in Dallas certainly isn’t worth it when there are 17 peak daily non-stops across 3 other airlines between Denver and my home city (though I avoid Frontier sans wifi).
The lounge is located in terminal C between gates 30 and 32. It’s just 6,000 square feet with seating for up to 114 people. And it’s open 4:30 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.
It’s attractive. I happen to like the aesthetic of DCA’s E concourse (regional jet) lounge better, but it’s far nicer than the design of American’s older lounges. The problem is that it is just too small, and also that not every seat has power.
I did manage to find some place to sit in the dining area when I first arrived there, or so I thought. There was an empty table, so I put my belongings down and went to check out the buffet. But when I returned a couple of minutes later, my bag had been moved by a man probably in his 70’s. He began to stand aggressively and told me he was sitting there “he just didn’t leave any bags to mark the spot.”
I wasn’t going to fight him over a seat in the dining room. There was an empty chair at the tabletop along the windowline and that was fine.
Here’s the offerings at the buffet.
The airline describes the architectural approach for the lounge as drawing “inspiration from the natural landscapes…from the elegant Birch Aspen trees to create a space reflective of the woodlands, connecting the indoor experience to the essence of Denver’s outdoors.”
I suppose if you’re more interested in food than the aesthetic, you could grab a plate and walk just outside the lounge to the open seating area on the upper level of the concourse just beyond the entrance. This is a quiet area where almost nobody goes, and there’s no membership needed.
AA and DL’s Denver lounges are both too small
AA and DL are not significant players at DEN.
Although this could change once Elliott Management starts breaking up Southwest for parts and the entirety of Concourse C goes up for grabs…
No plans to retrofit the existing lounges is a miss – do they want to compete with United, Delta, or Spirit? UA is stepping on their neck in Chicago.
It is precisely because Southwest doesn’t do lounges that AA and DL do a good business at Denver.
And while some love to predict the downfall of everyone but the big 3, WN will be fine. You just might see their 787s at those C gates in a few years
But you hate Denver? How long was the security line and how many times did the train break down while you were there?
AA lounges including the FL lounges are in general overcrowded. Not to the point of a line out the door (other than maybe PHX) but just about. With the banking of flights it’s hard to find a seat in which you don’t feed you are invading someone else’s personal space. Nothing says “luxury” more than sitting right next to a family of six that you don’t know and can hear their entire conversation.
The bathroom situation is pretty gross.
Summer times are the worst because children get in and that’s another seat taken. Not to mention the little monsters running amuck while the parents are getting drunk and shouting in a cell phone to Aunt Bee and Andy all about how they’re able to get into a lounge at the airport.
In airports that I know might have unused gates I find myself just leaving the lounge and finding a quite gate area to wait for boarding.
There are a handful of lounges that overcrowding for whatever reason isn’t an issue. DCA (Club E), PIT, SFO and sometimes BOS.
@connor IIRC the ORD AC was redone in the past few years, so it’s a step up from what it was before. PHL desperately needs an overhaul – it’s largest lounge over its primary domestic terminals is so outdated and the food offerings pitiful. It’s no wonder the new AC in Terminal A is already overcrowded.
Gary. Maybe you would be better off to just bring (or buy) a sandwich and find a quiet gate area to relax before your flight.
AA shut my account down now twice, for signing up for credit cards I was eligible for based on their own terms. They confiscated now more than 300k from me. They can go f themselves with an iron stick. I’ll never give them another dime. Nice strategy. Maybe change your stupid terms, not punish customers for your stupid marketing teams.
Precisely why I have tossed all lounge memberships and their absurd fees in the toilet
I’m just glad United expanded their lounges because those would get so packed there’d be people on the floor. Headed there soon and (for once) sorta glad to be with United for DEN.
Too many people. Just way too many people.
@1990 – the new UC on the west side opens at the end of July, so there will soon be even more space for everyone. It will be tied with the club on the east side as the biggest club in the system, until future club in IAH takes the record.
New Phoenix Chase Sapphire lounge is already so crowded that reservations, although not required, are about the only way to get in.
Gary,
Loved your comment on old dude taking your table, even though your stuff there.
Now there is a dude who I would love to see pull that in Hawker Stall in Singapore. At the minimum, that’s S $100. Hopefully arrest, too. Caning would be more than I could for.
It truely depends on time of day, day of the week and how many card holder happen to be flying to/from or through (in DEN case to/from). I’ve been there several times and never an issue, even if I had to share a table with someone, it was not a problem. Same goes for PHX, PHL, MCO, DFW, JFK. . . . fact of life and travel, especially in the summer when the kids are in tow. At least AA clubs new designs have more space, nicer space and no lines like DL or UA. Hope the renovation schedule for others is rolled out soon (per rumor) and some (like PHX high A club) gets expanded.
@Mark — That’s excellent! Glad DEN is getting these improvements. And when even @Tim Dunn (above) is willing to admit something Delta could improve upon (lounge is too small!), that’s saying something!
@Denver Refugee — Delta still flies to DEN, but mostly domestic routes to other hubs. Obviously, SLC is their ‘mountain west’ hub. Though, I like where your head is at with DL nibbling away at SW. I’ve suggested as much on here with @Tim Dunn. Perhaps, it could be a Northwest-style merger, or a Pan-Am-style purchase of assets. Or, maybe @Mike Hunt will get his way, and there’ll soon be SW flights with domestic first class recliners. Bah!
Why doesn’t American expand the lounge? Anything they can do to improve their appeal in an enemy hub seems pretty basic.
Oh Gary. Were you deferring to age? Since I don’t have to I would have asked him if he wanted to settle this like two old soldiers. Of course I’d fight with him over the seat.
“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.” —Theodore Roosevelt
I liked the old Denver Admirals club. It was bigger. Never had a problem finding a place to sit. I believe it was in concourse A.
He didn’t leave any bags to mark the spot? If it were only possible to make him leave a little of his privileged blood on that spot. .How did that guy live so long without being taught a few memorable lessons?
It sounds like you should have been prepared. Fill the water bottle a bit. Make the sign that says wet baby pee. Wet the seat enough. Place the sign. Get your food and come back. Pick up your sign and sit on your plastic shopping bag covering the wet spot. There is probably dried baby pee on the seat so you are not really lying.