American Express has the largest lounge network of any credit card provider, and the Centurion Lounges are the crown jewel in their collection. Located in major cities, they provide a relaxing experience that is almost unmatched (with the occasional exception of the First Class lounges of some airlines at their home airports). There are currently nine locations, with another six scheduled to open by the end of 2020.
The Centurion Lounges feature open bars, a food buffet with dishes designed by local celebrity chefs, cocktails created by mixologist Jim Meehan and wines selected by expert Anthony Giglio, work areas, family areas, Wi-Fi, plus showers and complimentary spas in some locations. They are open to Platinum and Centurion cardholders, regardless of where in the world your card is issued.
They have become so popular, in fact, that overcrowding has become a problem and Amex has put some restrictions in place. Access is now restricted to three hours before your flight’s departure (connecting passengers are exempt from this rule); you are required to present your card, a government-issued ID, and your boarding pass. Members may bring in two guests free of charge, and they must purchase a $50 day pass for each additional guest. These are day of departure lounges, and arriving passengers are not admitted.
Here are the details on the nine current locations:
Dallas (DFW):
Location: Terminal D on the mezzanine, opposite Gate D12.
Size: 12,500 square feet.
Hours: 5:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
Special Amenities: Cuisine designed by James Beard award-winning chef Dean Fearing, plus shower suites, a spa, conference rooms, semi-private workspaces and large, flat-screen TVs, arrayed in two separate wings.
Hong Kong (HKG):
Location: Terminal 1, inside security (use escalator near Gate 60).
Size: 8,000 square feet.
Hours: 5:30 a.m.-12:30 a.m.
Special Amenities: Meeting rooms; shower suite.
Houston (IAH):
Location: Terminal D (use elevators near Gate D6, down to mezzanine level).
Size: 8,500 square feet.
Hours: 5:30 a.m.-9 p.m.
Special Amenities: Tranquility area; dedicated work area; shower suite.
Las Vegas (LAS):
Location: Concourse D, opposite Gate D1.
Size: 8,000 square feet
Hours: 5:30 a.m.-11 a.m.
Special Amenities: Cuisine designed by Cédric Vongerichten; conference suite, shower suite, semi-private workplaces and large, flat-screen TVs.
Miami (MIA):
Location: Concourse D, near Gate D12, on the fourth floor.
Size: 12,300 square feet.
Hours: 5:00 a.m.-10 p.m.
Special Amenities: Cuisine designed by James Beard award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein; semi-private workspaces, large, flat-screen TVs, two bars, shower suite and complimentary spa.
New York Laguardia (LGA):
Location: Terminal B, before security, on the upper level.
Size: 5,350 square feet.
Hours: Sunday through Friday, 5:30 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday, 5:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
Special Amenities: Cuisine designed by Cédric Vongerichten; semi-private workspaces.
Philadelphia (PHL):
Location: Terminal A, West, near Gate A14.
Size: 6.300 square feet
Hours: 5:00 a.m.-9 p.m.
Special Amenities: Cuisine designed by Michael Solomonov, winner of four James Beard awards; personal workspaces; shower suite.
San Francisco (SFO):
Location: Terminal 3, near Gate 74.
Size: 8,200 square feet.
Hours: 5:00 a.m.-11 p.m.
Special Amenities: Cuisine designed by James Beard award-winning chef Daniel Patterson; semi-private workspaces, open kitchen, wine tasting area, shower suite.
Seattle (SEA):
Location: Concourse B, opposite Gate B3.
Size: 4,500 square feet.
Hours: 5 a.m.-10 p.m.
Special Amenities: Healthy snacks; large, flat-screen TVs; shower suite.
Here’s what we know about the six lounges that are scheduled to open:
Charlotte (CLT):
Opening Scheduled: 2020.
Location: Central atrium, between Concourses D and E.
Size: 13,000 square feet.
Amenities Planned: Semi-private workspaces; shower suite.
Denver (DEN):
Opening Scheduled: 2020.
Location: Concourse C.
Size: 14,650 square feet.
Amenities Planned: Tranquility area; semi-private workspaces; large, flat-screen TVs; beer and wine tasting area; shower suite; spa and wellness services.
London Heathrow (LHR):
Scheduled Opening: First half of 2020.
Location: Terminal 3.
Size: 7,000 square feet.
Amenities Planned: Private workspaces; shower suites.
Los Angeles (LAX):
Opening Scheduled: 2020.
Location: Tom Bradley International Terminal
Size: 13,000+ square feet.
Amenities Planned: Enhanced tranquility area; spa.
New York Kennedy (JFK):
Opening Scheduled: 2020.
Location: Terminal 4.
Size: 15,000 square feet on two levels.
Amenities Planned: Shower suites.
Phoenix (PHX):
Opening Scheduled: November, 2019.
Location: Terminal 4.
Size: 9,500 square feet.
Amenities Planned: Personal workspaces; shower suite.
There’s considerable speculation about where American Express is heading with the Centurion lounges, and where they will ultimately fit into Amex’s global lounge collection. One theory is that Amex will eventually drop Priority Pass in favor of their own expanded group of proprietary lounges. This seems unlikely: even though only 28 Priority Pass lounges are located in the U.S., there are still over 1,200 worldwide. Retail space in airports is expensive. It’s true that the Platinum and Centurion cards are substantial profit centers for American Express, but not profitable enough to compete with Priority Pass. Either way, by the end of 2020, 13 out of 15 Centurion lounges will be in the U.S.—a boon for the American road warrior.
[Image: Flickr/ Dion Hinchcliffe]
Source: frugal travel guy