Enter the itty-bitty airport lounge

American Express

Why not pregame your middle seat assignment by hanging out in another small enclosure first? It may sound counterintuitive, but some credit card companies and airlines are responding to widespread overcrowding at airport clubs with tinier lounges that aren’t even designed for lounging. American Express opened its first one, called Sidecar, in Las Vegas yesterday. True to its name, Sidecar is a miniature companion to AmEx’s flagship Centurion Lounge, which also has a location at Sin City’s airport and costs AmEx Platinum cardholders $895/year to access. But Centurion has become notorious for long lines, so the company hopes to appease its masses with a bougie, pit-stop-focused alternative: The new lounge is 1,500 square feet (vs. the nearby Centurion’s 13,000 square feet), and you can’t enter until 90 minutes before departure. There are also only 33 seats. What it lacks in amenities—no buffets, showers, family rooms, or lounger-style seats—it makes up for with lobster rolls, black garlic aioli, and other menu frills. Lounges may be having their tiny-home moment. Last year, American Airlines opened its first 10-seat, grab-and-go version of its flagship Admirals Club, free to access for holders of its $595-per-year credit card. JetBlue also recently launched its first airport lounge with a 140-person capacity to minimize overcrowding—though that’s quite the party compared with Sidecar.