The American Airlines Admirals Club in Denver is chic and represents a huge leap forward in design and quality compared to the prior iteration of this lounge.
American Airlines Admirals Club Denver Review (DEN)
My review yesterday of the San Francisco Admirals Club reminded me that I never posted a full review of American’s new lounge in Denver (I posted a teaser about it).
Location + Hours + Access
The lounge is located airside (past security) in Concourse C, near gate 32 and is open daily from 4:30 am to 11:30 pm. Take an escalator or elevator up to the mezzanine level (one level above the departure gates) to access the lounge.
Access is reserved for:
- Admirals Club members
- Qualifying first and business class passengers, including those traveling same-day on American or another oneworld member to:
- Asia
- Australia
- Canada
- Caribbean
- Central America
- Europe
- Mexico
- Middle East
- New Zealand
- South America
- AAdvantage Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro, or Platinum members traveling internationally in any cabin of service
- oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members from other oneworld carriers (on any oneworld itinerary in any cabin of service)
- Admirals Club day pass holders
- Citi / AAdvantage Executive Card authorized users
- Active-duty military traveling in uniform with military ID
International first class and oneworld elite customers are allowed one guest (a child over two counts as a guest). Admirals Club members or members of the military may bring in their “immediate family” (spouse, domestic partner and/or children under 18) or two guests.
What struck me most was the high quality of the design elements and furniture. For example, when you walk in, the stone countertop has the American logo carved out and behind it is a black backlit logo. The color scheme is so much better than the previous red and blue.
I must also mention how lovely the staff were–very gracious yet also very proud of their new lounge.
Seating
As you walk past reception, you’ll come to a fireplace and a large seating area with chairs and couches. Wood beams are positioned over windows looking out to the concourse below. The dark couches and chairs accent the room so nicely and they are also very comfortable.
Walk further into the lounge and you’ll notice nice wood accents to further highlight the mountain lodge theme (very similar to what United has done in its new Denver lounges). The dining room includes tables with chairs, booths, and a bar. Again, there are thoughtful details like the artwork in each booth. Along the window, you can sit and watch planes arriving and departing below.
Food + Drink
Food has greatly improved. I happened to be there during the transition from breakfast to lunch and loved the tacos, salads, and charcuterie board.
Breakfast (which was being rolled away as I arrived) included berries, yogurt, bircher muesli, cereal, and hardboiled eggs (I’m sure there were hot options as well like eggs and oatmeal, but that was gone already).
In addition to the tacos (chipotle chicken), there were back bean sliders, salads (slaw and spinach), soups (broccoli cheddar and chicken tortilla), and a charcuterie board.
Coffee, tea, soft drinks, and water were self-serve.
There’s also an expanded selection of beer, wine, and cocktails that are complementary and still a menu from which you can order heartier meals and premium drinks:
Bar:
Restrooms
Perhaps the only miss in this lounge is that I did not see any showers. The bathrooms are beautiful, though.
Computer + Printer
Even in this new lounge, AA is still offering a desktop computer (Apple iMac) and printer facility, which is something we tend not to appreciate until we suddenly need it. I am thankful that this amenity persists in a wireless age.
Kid’s Room
A small room for children was available.
CONCLUSION
American Airlines did a great job on its new Denver lounge and the new Admirals Club design elements (which we also see at Washington National and Newark) mark a great new chapter in the style and evolution of Admirals Clubs. As an outstation lounge, this is very solid.
Gorgeous facility. There are now 3 in the Admiral’s Club system that feature the new look (DCA, EWR, and DEN).
This morning at the main club in CLT the new entrance counter backdrop is up (across the lobby from the existing desk). Nothing like the new design… looks like ticket counters from the time of re-branding to current AA.
You’re right on the desktop computer and printer. Never see anyone using it, and don’t usually need it… but the one or two times that I did need it, that use pretty much paid for the Admirals Club card annual fee.
Hopefully the Club at DFW Terminal C lives up to these standards once that terminal has its overdue renovation
Looks good. Hopefully more of their lounges will continue to be updated with this look.
Am curious Matthew about your thoughts on the new Skyclub at ORD. I’d argue it might be the best or second best lounge there now.
So, now that AA has done full renovations at Star Alliance hubs, what are the chances that they’re actually going to deal with their own hubs? As mentioned, CLT is a disgrace and DFW really needs refreshes on theirs. ORD…oh, my goodness. UA and DL has blasted off ahead of them so far that it’s almost pathetic.
I’m going to cover that disgraceful CLT club this week, which I recently visited. It can’t get any worse — at least they are working on it.
Wow! The admirals club at DEN used to be such a joke with the shared bathrooms outside the lounge and being incredibly crowded if there were guests for an outgoing BA flight. A few years ago I had a very awkward situation where I had to join a VC and the only available area was the large quiet room to the right when you entered the old lounge. I got reprimanded by the only individual in the area for talking in the quiet room but I had literally no choice but to take the meeting in that space. I’m very happy to see AA take steps to upgrade their lounge experience at DEN. Thank you for posting!
Only issue is that it’s still quite small and is easily overcrowded. That said the associates are fantastic!