American Airlines Joins the Grab-and-Go Trend with Provisions by Admirals Club

At a time when lounge overcrowding remains a hot-button issue, American Airlines is taking a swing at the “grab-and-go” lounge trend that has permeated across the industry in recent years.

Provisions by Admirals Club, the first-of-its-kind space for American, is set to debut later this summer at their hub at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) in Concourse A next to gate A1. The lounge, designed for “speed, simplicity, and convenience,” is a crafted concept made for flyers on the go and those who have limited time on the ground at the airport. 

Photo: Courtesy of American Airlines

“We are constantly evolving our lounge strategy to meet the needs of our customers,” said Heather Garboden, American’s Chief Customer Officer. “This new concept provides a needed respite for our customers traveling through one of our biggest hubs. Whether they’re looking for a quick snack or help on their travel journey, they can find what they need at the Provisions by Admirals Club lounge.”

Initial renderings of the lounge show an open-space concept, with grab-and-go food and drink areas accompanied by standalone high-top tables. Seating options are limited to a few high-top chairs adjacent to floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the tarmac, and furniture as a whole will be limited in order to better support quick visits and high-volume traffic. 

Access to Provisions will mirror the same entry policies that are in place for standard Admirals Clubs, which include:

• Annual Admirals Club membership holders
• AAdvantage Platinum (or higher) members traveling on same-day long-haul international flights 
• Non-AAdvantage oneworld Emerald or Sapphire members
• One-time passes are available for $79 each or 7,900 AAdvantage miles

The “Grab-and-Go” Trend Marches On

What was initially a temporary solution for passengers during renovations or the construction of full-service lounges, the grab-and-go lounge concept is slowly becoming a permanent fixture throughout the industry to alleviate the ever-present capacity constraints of main clubs. 

United Airlines launched its first permanent Club Fly location at its Denver (DEN) hub in 2022, and opened its second earlier this year at Houston (IAH). Delta followed suit in 2023 by opening up grab-and-go areas within two Sky Club locations at Atlanta (ATL) and New York (JFK), and has since hinted that an expansion of this concept could soon be on the horizon.

The market-style, grab-and-go club features a variety of non-alcoholic drinks, premium snacks and even a place to order a favorite barista-made coffee beverage. Photo: Courtesy of United Airlines

Provisions by Admirals Club is just the latest addition to this trend that appears to have yielded good results for American’s two biggest competitors. 

Credit Card lounges have leaned into this trend as well, with Capital One lounges featuring grab-and-go areas and American Express announcing their new Sidecar by Centurion Lounge concept debuting in 2026 (which won’t exactly be “grab-and-go” per se, but rather a time-constrained speakeasy lounge outpost intended for those who are short on time).

Between the grab-and-go trend, main club expansions, and tightening access policies, it’s no secret that lounge capacity constraints and overcrowding issues remain top of mind for passengers and operators alike. We’ll see how these trends and innovations continue to shape the lounge experience moving forward.