American Express has debuted the first of its new lounge concept, Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge, in Las Vegas. The lounge is small, with a capacity of just 33 seats, and is designed to accommodate passengers looking for a quick stop instead of a lengthier visit. This property will complement the existing Centurion Lounge at the airport.
The lounge is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily and is located by Gate D1 in Concourse D. While it maintains standard Centurion Lounge access requirements, visitors may only access the lounge within 90 minutes of departure. This rather forcibly keeps passengers moving in and out of the space to avoid long lines. Meanwhile, passengers will still have access to the main Centurion Lounge.
“Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge was born out of the fact that a significant portion of Centurion Lounge visitors stay for an hour or less,” said Audrey Hendley, president, American Express Travel. “This is not only an exciting return to LAS, but a new approach we created for those travelers looking for an upscale and efficient respite — even when they have a short window before boarding their flight.”
Although visits are intended to be kept short, travelers can still enjoy quality food and beverages found in other Centurion Lounges. Amex will offer restaurant-style ordering from a bar or table via QR code for efficiency, featuring a rotating menu.
In addition to food and beverages, Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge will include private bathrooms, complimentary Wi-Fi, and power outlets and USB ports throughout the space.
The customer feedback on the 90-minute rule and the lounge’s small space will be interesting to hear. Given the boarding times for U.S. carriers (mainline flights) tend to begin 35–50 minutes prior to departure, this effectively means passengers will have about 45 minutes to enjoy the lounge.
Crowding and long lines are a recurring theme at Centurion Lounges. While Sidecar in Las Vegas can accommodate only 33 travelers, the new “quick stop” concept targeting short-visit travelers perhaps could become a blueprint for future lounges both within Amex’s existing Centurion network and for new spaces in the future.
All photos by American Express.
