Amex Centurion lounges offer complimentary food, cocktails, and a comfortable place to relax before a flight
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- If you have an Amex Platinum or Centurion card, you can access Amex Centurion lounges.
- Delta Reserve and Delta Reserve Business cardholders can access Centurion lounges when flying Delta.
- Centurion Lounges provide comfortable seating, premium food and drinks, and semi-private work areas.
- Read Business Insider's guide to the best premium credit cards.
There are many reasons to open
You can earn thousands of dollars in annual statement credits and valuable Amex Membership Rewards points, and it isn't difficult to offset
For many frequent travelers, the single best card perk is access to airport lounges — particularly, access to Amex Centurion lounges. These are among the highest quality in the world, with amenities you won't find at the vast majority of other lounges. Here's everything you need to know about them.
What are American Express Centurion Lounges?
American Express operates its own network of lounges exclusively for premium Amex cardholders. Walking through the doors feels like being whisked into a completely different world than the loud, busy airport terminals with dirty bathrooms and other unpleasantries.
Lounges feature complimentary food, drinks, internet, and other luxury amenities at more than a dozen U.S. airports, and in select international destinations like London (LHR) and Hong Kong (HKG). More locations are currently in the works at some of the busiest airports business travelers are likely to visit.
There are also a number of Escape Lounges, the Centurion Studio Partner, in domestic airports such as Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Oakland (OAK), and Sacramento (SMF).
Each Centurion Lounge has slightly different offerings. But all lounges have member services that can double as a travel concierge for your current and future trips. All locations have semi-private work areas and a computer bar with printer, fax, and copier access as well as TV, magazines, and newspapers. Some lounges offer spa services, wine tasting areas, conference rooms, shower suites, family areas, and luggage lockers.
How to access Amex Centurion Lounges
If you have
Most cardholders have to pay $50 per adult guest, and $30 for anyone between the age of 2 to 17. Children under 2 are free. Cardholders who spend $75,000 on their card within a calendar year can bring up to two additional guests for free.
You can also access Centurion Lounges if you have one of the following Delta credit cards and are flying with Delta that day:
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card —Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card annual feeDelta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card —Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card annual fee
You can only access the Amex Centurion Lounges when you're flying Delta, and you'll need to pay $50 per guest.
Current Reserve cardholders can enjoy unlimited visits through January 2025. Reserve cardholders will have to spend $75,000 on the card in 2024 in order to maintain unlimited access after February 1, 2025.
Food, drinks, and other Centurion Lounge amenities
The culinary experience at Centurion Lounges is top-notch worldwide, especially compared to other U.S. airport lounges. The food, cocktails, and wine are a step above most other lounges — some by a long shot.
Menus are designed and inspired by award-winning executive chefs. Dishes change seasonally and are filled with flavor. Dishes are typically refreshed on a regular basis. There are meat and vegetarian options, and even some good choices for kids in most lounges.
All drinks are included at the bar — and you aren't getting bottom-shelf liquor. You can enjoy signature cocktails, premium spirits, and a curated wine list.
Remember, these perks aren't free; you pay for it through your annual fee to American Express, so make sure to take full advantage!
Where to find an Amex Centurion Lounge
Domestic locations
- Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (Concourse E) — open as of February 14, 2024
- Charlotte Douglas International Airport (between Concourse D and E)
- Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (Terminal D)
- Denver International Airport (Concourse C)
- Intercontinental Houston Airport (Terminal D)
- Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (Concourse D)
- Los Angeles International Airport (Tom Bradley International Terminal)
- Miami International Airport (Concourse D)
- John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York)
- Newark Liberty International Airport (Terminal A) — slated for 2026
- New York LaGuardia Airport (Terminal B, pre-security)
- Philadelphia International Airport (Terminal A)
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (Terminal 4)
- San Francisco International Airport (Terminal 3)
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Concourse B)
- Washington, DC Ronald Reagan National Airport (Terminal B) — coming soon
International locations
- Hong Kong International Airport (Terminal 1)
- London Heathrow Airport (Terminal 3)
- Stockholm Arlanda Airport (Terminal 5)
- Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (Terminal 2)
- Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport (Terminal 3)
- Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini International Airport (Terminal B)
- Sao Paulo–Guarulhos International Airport (Terminal 3)
- Melbourne Airport (Terminal 2)
- Mexico City International Airport (Terminals 1 and 2)
- Monterrey General Mariano Escobedo International Airport (Terminals A and B)
- Sydney Airport (Terminal 1)
Centurion Studios (Escape Lounges)
- Hartford Bradley International Airport (Terminal A)
- Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport (Concourse B)
- John Glenn Columbus International Airport (Concourse B)
- Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (Terminal 3)
- Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (Concourse B)
- Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (Terminal 1)
- Oakland International Airport (Terminal 1)
- Palm Beach International Airport (Concourse B)
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (Terminals 3 and 4)
- Rhode Island T.F. Green Airport (Main Terminal)
- Reno-Tahoe International Airport (Concourse B-C corridor)
- Sacramento International Airport (Terminals A and B)
For a full listing of lounges you can access with
Get a little more relaxation on the go
Travel can be tiring and stressful, but it doesn't have to be an all-around bad experience. Even if you're not flying in a first or business-class seat, you can get a first-class experience on the ground in an Amex Centurion Lounge. If you travel frequently, particularly through any of the airports where you can find a Centurion Lounge, securing a ticket for admission with
Amex Centurion Lounges Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Where can I find Centurion Lounges?
There are 14 Centurion Lounges in the U.S. and 11 international locations, with several more to come. There are also "lite" Centurion Lounges, called Centurion Studios or Escape Lounges. These are not full-fledged Centurion Lounges, but they deliver the ambiance and upscale nature of the Centurion name.
Does my Amex get me into Centurion Lounges?
You can only get into a Centurion Lounge if you have an Amex Platinum or an Amex Centurion credit card. The Amex Delta Reserve cards offer limited access for cardholders flying on Delta that day who paid for their travel with that credit card.
Is everything free in Centurion Lounges?
Everything is complimentary inside the Amex Centurion Lounge, including food, drinks, and any amenities such as spa treatments or shower access. But feel free to tip your bartender or masseuse for good service as you please.
Can I bring a guest into the Centurion Lounge?
Platinum cardholders pay $50 per adult guest, and $30 per child between the ages of 2 to 17. Children under 2 are free. If you spend $75,000 on your Amex Platinum card, you can bring two guests for free on any visit.
Which airport lounges can I access with Amex Platinum?
Amex Platinum cards offer the most comprehensive airport lounge access of any credit card on the market. With these cards, you can enter 1,500+ lounges from networks such as:
- Amex Centurion Lounges (widely considered to be the best airport lounges in the U.S.)
- Priority Pass (enrollment required, access to more than 1,500 airport lounges worldwide)
- Delta Sky Club lounges (only when you have a same-day Delta boarding pass)
- Escape Lounge – The Centurion Studio Partner
- Plaza Premium lounges
- Lufthansa lounges (when flying Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, or SWISS)