Amex's network of Centurion Lounges is considered to be one of the best out there. I wanted to cover everything you need to know about these lounges, from the basics to where they are located.
What are Amex Centurion Lounges?
Premium credit cards offer lounge access as a perk. Credit card companies have started to build networks of lounges as an exclusive perk for cardmembers, and this comes in the form of a Priority Pass membership.
Amex's network of lounges is the largest network of lounges run by a credit card company, and the lounges are pretty high quality. Hot food, complimentary beer, wine, and cocktails, and lots of other awesome amenities can be found in Amex Centurion Lounges. It is one of the perks that people value the most.
Capital One and Chase are two credit card issuers that are trying to catch up in this area.
Amex Centurion Lounge access
Let's start by talking about everything you need to know about the lounge. How many guests can you bring with you to the lounge, and which credit card do you need to access it?
Amex Centurion Lounge access credit cards
Those who have any of the following cards can access the lounge, but there are restrictions on each card.
Day passes for additional guests can be purchased for $50 for those with Amex Platinum or Amex Centurion cards. Amex Platinum authorized users have the same lounge access perks as primary cardmembers, so they can access lounges and even bring guests.
Amex Centurion Lounge access restrictions
There are some terms to be aware of when accessing the lounge.
- You need a same day boarding pass to access Centurion Lounges, and in the case of Delta Reserve cardmembers, the boarding pass needs to be for travel on Delta
- You can access Centurion Lounges up to three hours before departure, unless you’re connecting, in which case you can access earlier
- You can’t access Centurion Lounges on arrival, or with a standby or non-revenue standby ticket
- If you’re guesting people into Centurion Lounges, you need to stay with them the entire time they’re in the lounge
Amex Centurion Lounge guesting privilege changes
The guesting policy for the Centurion Lounge will be changed next year.
- These changes kick in as of February 1, 2023
- Both primary and additional cardmembers on the Amex Platinum will continue to receive lounge access
- Those with the Amex Platinum will be charged a $50 fee for each guest they bring into Centurion Lounges
- Amex Platinum cardmembers who spend at least $75,000 per year on the card will continue to receive complimentary lounge access for two guests
- The Centurion Lounge guesting policy will remain unchanged for those with the Centurion Card
Amex Centurion Lounge locations
The network of Amex lounges keeps growing. Let's take a look at the current and future locations of the Amex Centurion Lounge.
Current Amex Centurion Lounge locations
There are 15 Amex Centurion Lounges at the following airports.
- Charlotte (CLT) — 13,000 square feet, located between Concourses D & E
- Dallas (DFW) — 12,000 square feet, located in Terminal D
- Denver (DEN) — 14,500 square feet, located in Concourse C
- Hong Kong (HKG) — 8,000 square feet, located in Terminal 1 (temporarily closed)
- Houston (IAH) — 8,500 square feet, located in Terminal D
- Las Vegas (LAS) — 13,000 square feet, located in Concourse D
- London (LHR) — 7,000 square feet, located in Terminal 3
- Los Angeles (LAX) — 14,000 square feet, located in Tom Bradley International Terminal (temporarily closed)
- Miami (MIA) — 12,000 square feet, located in Concourse D
- New York (JFK) — 15,000 square feet, located in Terminal 4
- New York (LGA) — 10,000 square feet, located in Terminal B
- Philadelphia (PHL) — 6,000 square feet, located in Terminal A
- Phoenix (PHX) — 5,000 square feet, located in Terminal 4
- San Francisco (SFO) — 8,500 square feet, located in Terminal 3
- Seattle (SEA) — 4,500 square feet, located in Concourse B
Future Amex Centurion Lounge locations
There are more lounges planned for the following airports.
- Atlanta (ATL) — while details are very limited in terms of the size or timeline, a Centurion Lounge is planned for Atlanta
- Newark (EWR) — an 18,000 square foot lounge is planned for Terminal A, and it’s expected that this could be opened around August 2023, give or take
- Washington (DCA) — a lounge is planned for Terminal B, and it could open as soon as late 2022
- Historically Amex International Lounges haven’t been branded as Centurion Lounges, but that will be changing; specifically, in the coming months Amex lounges in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, India, and Mexico, will be rebranded as Centurion Lounges
Two Amex lounges in the US are getting expansions.
- San Francisco (SFO) — the Amex Centurion Lounge San Francisco is expected to be expanded to 16,000 square feet by late 2022
- Seattle (SEA) — the Amex Centurion Lounge Seattle will be getting a new location, and will be much larger, at nearly 14,000 square feet
Amex Centurion Lounge food, drinks, and amenities
There is a consistent food and beverage offering. The general offerings are the same, even though they have their own flair with a celebrity chef. Food and drinks are free in the lounges.
There are drinks at the Centurion Lounges.
- There’s a selection of complimentary alcoholic drinks, including signature cocktails, beer, and wine
- There are also soft drinks, coffee, and water; for those who are coffee snobs, unfortunately there’s no cold brew or barista-made espresso drinks (unlike at the Capital One Lounge DFW)
The food at Centurion Lounges is as follows:
- First breakfast is served; often around opening time there’s first a continental breakfast, and then a warm breakfast is usually served around 30-60 minutes after opening, give or take
- For the remainder of the day there’s a lunch & dinner menu, including several hot options
- Food is typically served from a buffet, so there’s no a la carte dining
- Centurion Lounge menus are different at each location, though menus at a particular lounge don’t tend to rotate a whole lot
Some of the lounges feature unique amenities. For example:
- The Dallas (DFW) Centurion Lounge has an Exhale Spa, though that has been closed for much of the pandemic
- The Houston (IAH) Centurion Lounge has a wellness area in partnership with Calm, offering Calm content, neck warmers, and a health and wellness cart with healthy beverage choices
- The New York (JFK) Centurion Lounge has a speakeasy, where you can enjoy your favorite cocktail
Amex Centurion Lounge crowding
The Amex Platinum lounge is quite popular because it is far superior to what you would typically find in a US airline lounge. If you ask me, I would say that the lounge is mostly a victim of their own success.
Even though I'm eligible for entry, I don't like Amex lounges. I value a quiet environment from which to work over a superior food and drink selection, and I usually bring snacks with me when traveling as well.
When the new guesting policy is put in place, hopefully crowding will become less of a problem. A new crowding tracker was recently introduced by Amex. You can see a live look at how busy a lounge is with one of the following descriptions displayed.
- Not busy
- A little busy
- Very busy
- Almost full
This tracker can be accessed through the Amex app, and you can find out how to check crowding here.
Bottom line
Travelers love Amex Centurion Lounges because they offer great food and drinks, as well as some awesome amenities. Those with the Amex Platinum Card can access the lounges at 15 airports. The above is a rundown of the access requirements for these lounges. Let me know if I missed anything.
What do you think about Amex Centurion Lounges? Do you love them or avoid them?
