# Speakeasy-Inspired Airport Lounges Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge Refreshes Travelers Pre-Flight By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2026-03-07 | World Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sidecar-by-the-centurion-lounge References: [americanexpress](https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/newsroom/articles/travel-and-dining/american-express-opens-first-ever-sidecar-by-the-centurion--loun.html)  American Express officially opened the doors to Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge, a new [airport lounge concept](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-upgrade-lounge) designed for solo travelers and small groups with limited time. This [speakeasy-inspired lounge](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/barsys-speakeasy) is where eligible card members will find elevated bites and drinks, plus premium amenities. “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](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/grab-and-go-lounge). "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.” Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge makes American Express the only credit card issuer with two lounges at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.1/10 - Popularity: 56% | Activity: 59% | Freshness: 67% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [World](https://www.trendhunter.com/world) > [Travel](https://www.trendhunter.com/travel) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Micro-lounge Experiences:** Smaller, purpose-built lounge footprints catering to travelers with under-an-hour dwell times enable higher throughput and ancillary revenue per square foot. - **Speakeasy-style Hospitality:** Nostalgic, clandestine design motifs create differentiated brand intimacy that attracts premium demographics seeking exclusivity in transient settings. - **Time-efficient Luxury Travel:** Condensed service models prioritize curated, high-quality offerings delivered within tight time windows, redefining guest expectations for pre-flight experiences. ### Where This Applies - **Airport Hospitality:** Modular, reservation-driven lounge models have potential to optimize gate-area real estate and monetize short-stay customer segments. - **Credit Card Services:** Co-branded physical spaces act as experiential benefits that deepen member loyalty and support tiered subscription economics. - **Food and Beverage Retail:** Compressed-service menus and premium grab-and-go formats present opportunities to increase spend per traveler during limited dwell periods. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Electric Air Taxi Services](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/joby-air-taxi.md) - [Airport Retail Media Networks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/whsmith-north-america.md) - [Automated Slider Kiosks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/white-castle-kiosk.md) - [Altitude-Distilled Spirit Ranges](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/elevated-spirits.md) - [Airport Broadcast Audio Services](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/broadcast-audio-technology.md) - [Customizable Ramen Libraries](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ramen-library.md) - [Travel Gear Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/alpha-collection-1.md) - [Customer-Centric Airline Upgrades](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hawaiian-airlines-unveils.md) - [Science-Inspired Pop-Ups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/atoms-popup-store.md)