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For frequent travelers, there may be no greater airport oasis than an airport lounge — and more specifically, an American Express Centurion Lounge. Centurion Lounge locations cover a number of hub cities for domestic US airlines, with some additional locations like Las Vegas in popular vacation spots. While business travelers have different needs from leisure travelers, the Centurion Lounges cater to both groups.
There are now 15 total Centurion Lounges lounges around the world, with a few new additions on the horizon. Among the newest members of the portfolio include New York’s JFK airport, which opened for the first time in Oct. 2020; Denver; Hong Kong; and London Heathrow. Additionally, a brand-new location in New York’s LaGuardia airport recently replaced the previous one in the now-demolished old Terminal B.
Amex is also in the process of rebranding its international lounges as Centurion Lounges, as well as several Escape Lounges as Centurion Lounge partners. However, that process is ongoing and those lounges may not yet reflect the full Centurion Lounge experience.
To help combat the issue of overcrowding, the issuer is utilizing a contactless mobile check-in tool. Upon check-in via the American Express app, guests can reserve their spot in the lounge in case there’s a queue — though you’ll still need to show your ID and boarding pass at the front desk.
Ultimately, what you’ll find in each Centurion Lounge varies based on location. In the aftermath of the downturn in travel caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, some amenities at Centurion Lounges have been slow to return. But, if you have access to Centurion Lounges, you can typically look forward to a relaxing place to spend some time before your flight.
How to access the Amex Centurion Lounges
Access to the Centurion Lounges is one of the key benefits of both The Platinum Card® from American Express (see rates and fees) and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (see rates and fees) as well as the invitation-only Amex Centurion cards. These personal and business luxury cards carry high annual fees and are geared toward road warriors and small-business owners.
You can also access the Centurion Lounges with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, but you must be traveling on a Delta flight on the same day you enter the lounge in order to be admitted with one of the Delta credit cards.
As a general rule, Amex Platinum and Delta Reserve cardmembers can access the Centurion Lounges up to three hours prior to departure of their first flight, and at any time between connecting flight itineraries of 24 hours or less. Only invite-only Centurion cardmembers can use Centurion Lounges upon arrival at their final destination.
You may find the enforcement of the three-hour rule selective based on crowds. Smaller Centurion Lounges are frequently overcrowded and more restrictive on entry requirements, while bigger lounges with more space can be more generous with time.
Amex Platinum and Business Platinum card members are currently entitled to bring two complimentary guests or immediate family (spouse or domestic partner, and children under 18) into a Centurion Lounge with them, and may purchase access for additional guests at a rate of $50 per guest, per visit (subject to capacity). Note that these rules are changing as of Feb. 1, 2023, when the guest policy will become much more restrictive. As of February, Amex Platinum and Business Platinum card holders will be charged $50 for each guest or $30 for children aged 2 through 17. You can earn complimentary guest access for up to two guests by spending $75,000 on your card in a calendar year. Delta Reserve card holders must pay $50 per guest, up to two guests.
For large families, the best deal right now may be to get an Amex Platinum card and then add authorized user cards to the account. You’ll pay a fee of $175 to add up to three authorized users (see rates and fees), but each of those users get Centurion Lounge access of their own. So if your family travels often, the cost could easily be worth it.
Amex Centurion Lounge locations
American Express Centurion Lounges can cover you in some of the largest international airports in the world, though the Centurion Lounge footprint itself is mostly focused in the United States. These are the full-fledged current Centurion Lounges and announced future locations, not including the international Amex lounges that are in the process of being rebranded as Centurion Lounges.
Here’s a detailed look at each Centurion Lounge, including where you can find them in each airport.
Charlotte (CLT)
Lounge status: Open — click here for current operating hours.
Where to find it: Between concourses D and E on the mezzanine level.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport is a major domestic hub for American Airlines. There are some international flights, but the airport serves primarily to move tens of thousands of passengers around the US for American.
So aside from the Centurion Lounge, you won’t find much in the way of premium lounges in Charlotte. American’s own Admirals Clubs, while sizable, tend to be crowded, making the Centurion Lounge at Charlotte by far the most upscale option for travelers.
The Charlotte Centurion Lounge originally opened for the first time in Feb. 2020, so crowds were a bit hard to gauge before the pandemic temporarily closed everything down. But this is one of the larger Centurion Lounges at more than 13,000 square feet.
Still, many of the seating options in the lounge aren’t suited for long stretches with a laptop. There’s a large common table if driving a desk is on your list, though you may find the seating in the cafe a bit more conducive to working. Phone rooms can provide privacy and a quiet place to dial into a conference call.
Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)
Lounge status: Open — click here for current operating hours.
Where to find it: Terminal D, across from gate D12.
The Dallas/Fort Worth Centurion Lounge location saw a renovation a few years ago, bringing it up to date with the rest of the network. There are plenty of semi-private seating options with small desks and power sources if you need a place to work in between flights.
The DFW lounge has plenty of food and drink options, and you should be able to find a seat even when it’s busy. At the buffet, you’ll find locally inspired fare by James Beard award winner and Dallas-based chef Dean Fearing.
The lounge also has shower suites as well as spa services to take advantage of while you await departure.
Denver (DEN)
Lounge status: Open — click here for current operating hours.
Where to find it: Concourse C, just past gate C46 on the mezzanine level.
The new Denver location opened in 2021, and it’s one of the larger Centurion Lounges, covering more than 14,000 square feet. Features include geometric ceiling installations that mimic the mountainous Denver area, a mural of the Rocky Mountains and a two-sided living wall visible from within the lounge and from the concourse below.
According to the issuer, this lounge was the first in the network to include a live-action cooking station with a daily rotating menu of breakfast and lunch items, where guests can get dishes prepared à la carte and customized to their personal preferences.
The lounge also offers a variety of locally inspired amenities, including American Express’s first-ever Craft Beer Bar, which offers rotating selections of some of Colorado’s best local brews; a locally sourced Italian-inspired menu curated by award-winning chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson; and more.
Visitors to the lounge will find a game room with a variety of options, including pool and shuffleboard tables, as well as custom, large-scale classics such as Connect Four and Checkers.
Hong Kong (HKG)
Lounge status: Open — click here for current operating hours.
Where to find it: Terminal 1, near gate 60 on Level 7.
The Hong Kong Centurion Lounge was the first Amex Centurion Lounge outside the United States, and it faces a lot of competition from Cathay Pacific’s world-renowned Hong Kong lounges. It’s also currently the only Centurion Lounge to feature a “lounge within a lounge” exclusively for Amex Centurion card members.
This lounge is known to get crowded quickly, so be prepared to table stalk a bit to find the right spot, as the space is less geared toward the business traveler who needs a desk to get some work done. A massive bar welcomes weary travelers in need of a drink, as well as a substantial buffet. Shower services are limited when they’re available, so put your name on the list early.
Houston (IAH)
Lounge status: Open — click here for current operating hours.
Where to find it: Terminal D, elevators near gate D6.
The Houston Centurion Lounge is generally on the quieter side. While the airport normally hosts plenty of international flights, the spread-out nature of the terminals probably dissuades some travelers from making the hike over to the D Terminal to visit this lounge.
You can usually find a quiet place to work in this lounge, and food and beverage offerings are solid, on par with the rest of the Centurion Lounges (it’s an area where they consistently shine). While there’s no spa in this lounge, there is a shower that you can book during your visit.
Inside the space, you’ll find pretty much everything else you’d hope for in a lounge experience, from dedicated work areas to phone rooms, a tranquility area and food and beverage options. With the possible exception of United’s Polaris Lounge, this is the best lounge at IAH.
Las Vegas (LAS)
Lounge status: Open — click here for current operating hours.
Where to find it: Concourse D, opposite gate D1.
While Vegas may be filled with every VIP experience imaginable, McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas isn’t exactly swimming in upscale lounges. In fact, you won’t find many lounges at all. That means the Centurion Lounge here is easily the best option, especially since it was expanded and refreshed in 2021.
This Centurion Lounge location features some semi-private workspaces, as well as an expanded dining and bar area. In total, the lounge grew by 50% — expanding from 9,000 square feet to more than 13,400 square feet — with the renovation.
The new space features multi-purpose areas, private telephone rooms, newly designed workspace areas and a new reception. Of course, you’ll also find a dedicated buffet area with a seasonally inspired menu designed by James Beard Award nominee chef Kim Canteenwalla.
At the back of the new expansion, there’s a dedicated private lounge. The only sure way to get a seat here is to carry the Centurion Card, as it’s reserved exclusively for these VIP members.
London Heathrow (LHR)
Lounge status: Open — click here for operating hours.
Where to find it: Terminal 3, post-security, Level 2.
American Express opened its newest international Centurion Lounge in Oct. 2021 inside of London Heathrow’s Terminal 3. At just over 7,000 square feet, it’s on the smaller side, but it feels spacious enough with seating areas split across several rooms, including a dedicated dining space, lounge area and work area.
There are power outlets at just about every seat in the lounge, so your devices will stay connected (just note that these are UK-style outlets, meaning you’ll want a power adapter).
As far as food options in the lounge, you can expect the standard Centurion Lounge-style buffet with rotating seasonal options. The menu is curated by Michelin-starred chef Assaf Granit of the restaurant Coal Office in London. According to Amex, “Granit’s menu ties back to London’s rich multicultural heritage through signature dishes from his top restaurants across the globe.”
The one major drawback to the lounge is that there is no natural light. Don’t expect sweeping views of the tarmac, but instead, just the artificial light from within the lounge. That being said, the designers of the lounge worked to ensure the space is welcoming and bright. It’s a good space to spend some time before your next Heathrow Terminal 3 flight.
Los Angeles (LAX)
Lounge status: Open — click here for operating hours.
Where to find it: Tom Bradley International Terminal, entrance on the departures level right after security, then take the elevators two floors down.
At nearly 14,000 square feet, this is a spacious lounge, but in person, it doesn’t feel huge because the space is cut into many smaller rooms, which may make finding a seat easier. As with other Centurion Lounges, the LAX location features private workspaces for business travelers who need a spot to put down their laptop and get some work done before their flight.
Premium wine selections at the LAX Centurion are curated by wine director Anthony Giglio, and there are specialty cocktails partially inspired by L.A.’s cocktail culture by Centurion Lounge mixologist Jim Meehan.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given its location, the LAX Centurion Lounge focuses on wellness, with two tranquility rooms to assist travelers arriving in a new time zone. The location also features spa services by Exhale as well as two showers.
Miami (MIA)
Lounge status: Open — click here for current operating hours.
Where to find it: In Concourse D, elevator near gate D12, 4th floor.
American Express completed an expansion of this lounge in 2019, which was incredibly welcome, as the Miami lounge had notoriously struggled with overcrowding.
However, the vast majority of added space is in bar seating and the dining room. While sitting in the bar area and watching the planes taxi back and forth is a relaxing way to kill some time, you may have to settle for a chair in the dining room if you need to get work done.
There is one shower suite available, though there can be a wait in periods of high demand. However, it’s especially handy to have if you just got off a long flight from South America. And if you’re stressed from a long flight, the complimentary spa service should be your first stop.
New York John F. Kennedy (JFK)
Lounge status: Open — click here for current operating hours.
Where to find it: Terminal 4, Departures level, to the far left of the TSA checkpoint past the escalators.
At over 15,000 square feet, the JFK location is the largest Centurion Lounge in the world, and it’s also the first one that has two complete floors open to guests. The main seating areas are relatively narrow but very long, with all types of different seats, couches and tables available.
There are two bars in the JFK Centurion Lounge — one on each floor — and two buffet areas as well. You’ll also find a large number of individual rooms here — six in total — that provide private space for solo travelers or a couple on a first-come, first served basis.
But the lounge’s biggest New York-style surprise is hidden behind the copper-paneled wall at the far end of the bottom floor. The lounge’s “1850” speakeasy is now easier to find since a large metal handle was installed to better reveal its previously concealed door. Inside, you’ll discover a third bar and seating area that serve a rotating set of cocktails created as a nod to some of the city’s greatest bars.
Related: Read CNN Underscored’s review of the Amex Centurion Lounge at JFK.
New York LaGuardia (LGA)
Lounge status: Open — click here for current operating hours.
Where to find it: Terminal B, level 4, just before the pedestrian bridge to Gates 40-59.
Located beyond security in the airport’s newly rebuilt Terminal B, the relocated LaGuardia lounge is double the size of the old one, adding much-needed workstations, a multipurpose room and bright natural-light views from its perch up on the departure gates level of the terminal below.
Unique to this location is a small study space designed in partnership with New York City independent bookstore McNally Jackson, who curated the lounge’s collection of New York City-inspired books. The books are also available for purchase at McNally Jackson Books in Terminal B.
The executive chef and mixologist have been retained from the old LaGuardia lounge, so you can still enjoy French toast with market strawberry jam and fried chicken with honey lemongrass glaze in the new location. There’s no spa in the new LaGuardia Centurion Lounge, but there is one shower room.
Related: Read CNN Underscored’s review of the new Amex Centurion Lounge at LaGuardia.
Philadelphia (PHL)
Lounge status: Open — click here for current operating hours.
Where to find it: Terminal A West, near gate A14.
The Philadelphia Centurion Lounge is a bit on the smaller side, but there’s still a good chance you’ll be able to find a workspace on your next layover. As with all the other Centurion Lounge locations, the bar and signature food items really do shine, along with some comfortable couches in the dining area.
There are no spa services at this location, though there is a shower room. There are also phone rooms if you need a quiet place for a conference call, and workspaces spread across the space for getting some work done ahead of your flight.
Phoenix (PHX)
Lounge status: Open — click here for current operating hours.
Where to find it: Terminal 4 across from gate B22 on upper level.
The Phoenix lounge is a small haven in a large airport. While it’s not the smallest Centurion Lounge, you won’t find tons of space to spread out. That being said, as one of the newer lounges (it opened on Jan. 6, 2020), it’s just as enjoyable as the others.
The signature bar area has plenty of room to go along with its great libations. But in a bit of an odd twist, there’s a shared space of sorts with the neighboring Escape Lounge, which is used when the Centurion Lounge gets crowded. There are no spa services and only one shower is shared between the two lounges.
The good news is that seats are plentiful, and the layout lends itself to people being able to find a quiet place to work. You won’t find a phone room for quiet calls, but one of the nooks near the front of the lounge may suffice. The Phoenix Centurion Lounge clearly leads the way for premium lounges at PHX.
San Francisco (SFO)
Lounge status: Open — click here for current operating hours.
Where to find it: Terminal 3, near gate F1.
There are plenty of premium lounge offerings at SFO, and the Centurion Lounge holds its own. As is typical with the rest of the Centurion Lounges, you’ll find a great food and wine spread at the SFO lounge, including a wine wall in the dining area and an open kitchen alongside the buffet.
What truly sets the SFO Centurion Lounge apart is the variety of high-quality food and wine offerings, frequently rotated through the seasons. Also unique to the SFO lounge is a wine-tasting area that you should definitely block some time for.
There are plenty of areas in this lounge to find a place to work, and you won’t suffer from a lack of comfortable chairs, workspaces or power outlets. There’s also a single shower available, though you’ll want to reserve it early as the waitlist can be lengthy during times of high demand.
Seattle (SEA)
Lounge status: Closed — note that this lounge location is closed from Jan. 29, 2023, in anticipation of the new lounge opening on the mezzanine level of the Central Terminal.
Where to find it: Concourse B, opposite gate B3.
Seattle’s Centurion Lounge is tiny. In fact, it’s so small that it used to be referred to as the “Centurion Studio.” A small expansion a few years ago helped, but this lounge is extremely prone to overcrowding.
There are no spa services in such a small space and there is one shower. But you’ll find the food and beverage options totally up to par with Centurion Lounge standards.
The one upside is that a handful of smaller areas that may make it easier to find a quiet spot to work. But with just over 100 seats, don’t be surprised to find the Seattle lounge full during peak business hours, especially with the current capacity restrictions.
Note that American Express will be opening a new, much larger Centurion Lounge in the coming weeks. It will total nearly 14,000 square feet in size — a much larger space for travelers to spread out.
Upcoming Centurion Lounge expansions
American Express expects to open a new lounge at Washington, DC’s Reagan National Airport later this year, and a new lounge is also planned for Atlanta and scheduled to open to the public in 2024.
Additionally, the issuer plans to open a Centurion Lounge at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), though details on the expected opening date remain vague.
Want to access the Centurion Lounges? Use one of these Amex cards.
Learn more about The Platinum Card from American Express.
Learn more about The Business Platinum Card from American Express.
Learn more about the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card.
Learn more about the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card.
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