In July, American Airlines said its new Terminal C club at Dallas Fort Worth would be the biggest Admirals Club in its network. Less than three months later, American gave that title to a club it plans to build in Charlotte. Neither one has an opening date.
DFW is back in the spotlight because of a new update from the airline. On Oct. 15, American posted the latest episode of its Forever Forward at DFW video series. In it, Chief Customer Officer Heather Garboden covers new lounge spaces, Flagship check-in and the digital tools American offers premium customers at its largest hub. The written post adds no new dates or sizes. The details still come from American's July 20 announcement, so here is what it promised and what has changed since.
The 37,000-square-foot club in Terminal C
American says the new Admirals Club will sit in the redesigned Terminal C, near the Terminal C Skylink station. It will cover 37,000 square feet. In July, the airline called it "the largest Admirals Club lounge in American's network."
The release promises a mix of seating, plus separate areas for work and for rest. It also lists the food and drink upgrades American has been adding across its clubs:
- chef-inspired menu items
- more all-day food, including a better charcuterie selection
- specialty cocktails, spirits, wines and local favorites
- Champagne Bollinger and Lavazza coffee
What the release leaves out matters too. It gives no opening date and no seat count. It also does not say what will happen to the current Terminal C Admirals Club near gate C20 once the new one opens. That club seats about 200, has a full bar and no showers, and rates 3.8 out of 5 on Lounge Frog.
Charlotte takes the "largest" title
On Oct. 6, American announced a new Admirals Club in Charlotte. The airline says it will cover more than 40,000 square feet in the airport's Atrium, on the mezzanine level. American called it "the largest Admirals Club lounge in its network." Construction starts this year, and there is no opening date for that club either.
So on paper, the DFW club has already been bumped to second place. That is not a knock on DFW. Charlotte is American's second-largest hub, with more than 650 peak daily flights. DFW is the biggest. American says it runs more than 930 peak daily departures there and handles more than 30% of its daily connecting customers at DFW. For flyers, the size race matters less than whether there are enough seats where the gates are.
Flagship check-in in Terminal D
The other big piece is American's first Flagship check-in at DFW. It will sit near the D30 security checkpoint in Terminal D. American says eligible customers will get a private check-in area, help from American staff and easy access to security screening.
In July, American said it would open "later this year." The Oct. 15 post does not give a date, and American has not announced that it is open. American did not spell out who counts as eligible in either release.
A grab-and-go room for Terminal F
The third project is a Provisions by Admirals Club space in DFW's future Terminal F. American describes it as a grab-and-go room with fresh food, drinks and travel essentials. It is the first lounge planned for Terminal F, and American says it will share more about later phases as its plans develop.
Provisions rooms are not full clubs. They are built for a quick stop on the way to the gate, not a long layover.
Who can get in
The Oct. 6 release lists the ways into an Admirals Club for domestic travel:
- a paid Admirals Club membership
- qualifying oneworld status
- the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Legend Mastercard
- one of four 24-hour passes a year for Citi AAdvantage Globe and Citi Strata Elite cardholders
- a One-Day Pass, which costs $79 or 7,900 AAdvantage miles
Until the new clubs open, Lounge Frog lists five Admirals Clubs at DFW, one in each terminal. Lounge Frog's best-rated is the Terminal D club, which has four showers and rates 4.8. Long-haul premium flyers can use the Flagship Lounge, which has eight showers. Our guide to Admirals Club access at DFW lists every club and the ways in.
My take
The case for this project rests on location, not on square feet. Terminal C is being redesigned, and a large club near its Skylink station could help connecting flyers who might otherwise ride the train to Terminal D for the higher-rated club there. The case against getting excited is simple: American has now made two "largest club" claims in three months without an opening date for either. Until a date appears, I'd plan DFW connections around the lounges that are open today.
For the full picture, see our 10 best lounges at DFW.
