- Around The World In 80 Hours: Introduction
- Review: US Airways Club Charlotte
- Review: US Airways Envoy Class Charlotte to Paris
- Review: Hilton Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
- Review: Star Alliance Lounge Paris
- Review: Air China Business Class Paris to Beijing
- Review: Air China Business Class Lounge Beijing
- Review: ANA 787 Business Class Beijing to Tokyo
- Review: Hilton Tokyo Narita Airport
- Review: Tokyo Narita Airport Hello Kitty Check-in
- Review: EVA Air Hello Kitty Business Class Tokyo to Taipei
- Review: EVA Air The Star Lounge Taipei
- Review: Taipei Airport Hello Kitty Gate
- Review: EVA Air Hello Kitty Royal Laurel Class Taipei to Los Angeles
UPDATE: With the merger of US Airways and American in 2013, this location is now an Admiral’s Club. For more information, see this post.
The flight from Chicago to Charlotte was your typical domestic US Airways flight. The flight attendants were mildly chipper, drinks were served in party cups, and we were served “snacks” that you’d easily find at your nearest stale vending machine.
Our flight landed at the B concourse a few minutes after 3PM, and our connection to Paris was scheduled to depart at 4:50PM. We headed to the US Airways Club located between concourses C & D, which is the largest club in Charlotte.
Charlotte airport terminal
US Airways Club entrance
The entryway is pretty “grand” compared to most domestic airlines’ lounge entrances, and we were issued two “Envoy drink tickets” each, valid for “premium” drinks. The accounting on them fascinated me, since it wasn’t as easy as them just handing us the vouchers, but rather they had to hand-write the date on the vouchers and record our names, flight numbers, and seats on a form to confirm these vouchers were issued.
US Airways Club entrance
US Airways Club drink vouchers
The US Airways Club feels rather country club-ish compared to most US lounges, with arched ceilings and even a “dome.” It was rather crowded, so I ended up just grabbing a cubicle so I could get a bit of work done.
US Airways Club seating
US Airways Club seating
US Airways Club seating
US Airways Club seating
The snack selection was fairly basic, consisting of chips, Biscoffs, cheese, crackers, whole fruit, and the least appetizing bowl of olives I’ve ever seen.
US Airways Club snack selection
US Airways Club snack selection
On the plus side they do have an impressive selection of packaged teas/coffee.
US Airways Club tea/coffee
There was also soup — specifically a “summer corn and sweet chile bisque.” Don’t worry, it sounds much better than it tasted. 😉
US Airways Club soup
At about 4:10PM we headed to our departure gate, D10.
Charlotte airport terminal
Most of the international flights leave from the very end of the D concourse, and in this case the US Airways flight to Paris and the Lufthansa flight to Munich were leaving from adjacent gates right around the same time. So the gate area was a bit of a zoo.
Charlotte airport D concourse
Charlotte airport D concourse
We had our passports checked one more time at the gate, and boarding was called at 4:25PM, starting with Envoy Class.
D10, our departure gate
Our plane to Paris
I was very curious to see what was awaiting us on my first flight in US Airways Envoy…
After having flown one sector tatl on AA Business, I certainly wouldn't bother again...what's with these drink vouchers? and no real food? Oh c'mon!
Fly business on any European, middle eastern or asian airlines and you get treated like a real business class passenger.
"Our plane" - did you enlist somebody else on this crazy journey???
@ Peter -- YES!
Did you have plane envy given the LH flight to Munich was leaving from an adjacent gate?
;-)
My mistake, that wasn't the Admirals Club, that was the Flagship Lounge.
@ Robert Hanson -- So "basic" alcoholic drinks are free at both American and US Airways lounges, it's the "premium" alcoholic drinks that they charge for (and that you can redeem the vouchers for).
Flying AA ORD to LHR in the Admirals Club early September this year, we got our drinks without needing any vouchers. If you asked, they would give you a voucher for food items from the menu, but the drinks were gratis. And the vouchers were already date stamped, so they just handed them to you, no accounting that I saw.
@ ptahcha -- I've always gotten two drink vouchers at American clubs as well.
It would be nice if it didn't literally take the agent over two minutes to issue the vouchers, in my opinion.
I've always thought the corn and chili bisque tasted fine! I don't have much experience with Admirals clubs or Skylounges, but I've always found the food/snacks in the US club to be on par with, if not a bit better than, the United clubs I've been in.
You get two drink vouchers at the Admirals club if you are flying internationally.
I really don't see why every little gesture is being scrutinized. For example, accounting for vouchers is a good thing, since each of them is worth $10-12. Also, you get 2, which is double of what AA lounge person would offer you.
And i can't figure out why you thought the olives were not appetizing - looks like olives to me. What would be your suggestion on how can to better? Perhaps with a $3 price tag like they do at Admirals Club?
I got the Envoy drink tickets when I flew PHL-CDG as well, so I guess it's not just a CLT thing.
The most devastating thing about US Airways Clubs is that they recently took Milano cookies off their repertoire. I used to eat those things faster than Pepperidge Farm could produce them.
The drink tickets must be a new feature. Never been issued those on my Envoy trips, but it's been close to a year since I've flown them.
Their tomato soup is actually just fine. Never had the corn bisque.
And the best feature of that lounge - actual lockers, with locks, that are large enough for a rollaboard. I always wind up there long enough that I wander around, go outside, and so forth. Nice to be able to leave my bags.
Not really feeling the love for US on this TR...
@mark - Frugal Travel Guy was at the Chicago Seminars when Ben was doing his ATW "adventure." Rick has more hair than the guy in the photo. :)
"we were issued two “Envoy drink tickets” each"
How generous of them.
Is that Frugal Travel Guy in the second picture inside the Club (all the way to the right)? Why didn't you mention you bumped into him?