Everything You Need to Know About AmEx Centurion Lounges

Do you have The Platinum Card® from American Express, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, the Centurion® Card from American Express, Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card?

If so, there’s a top-shelf cocktail, premium snacks and a comfortable lounge with free Wi-Fi and other luxuries waiting for you at more than a dozen airports.

AmEx recently announced plans to open its next lounge at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in 2023. A Centurion Lounge at Washington D.C.’s Reagan National Airport (DCA) is expected to open in late 2022 and there are plans to expand its existing lounges in Seattle (SEA) and San Francisco (SFO). AmE’x latest additions to its Centurion Lounge include lounges in London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) and New York’s Laguardia Airport, both opened in 2021.

Cardholders also have access to AmEx’s Global Lounge Collection, which includes more than 1,300 lounges across 140 countries.

Although the network includes Centurion Lounges, International American Express Lounges, Delta Sky Club and Priority Pass Select lounges (enrollment required), you'll find Centurion Lounges are the swankiest. These locations offer custom drinks created by a nationally renowned mixologist, a member services desk that can help with travel plans and semi-private workspaces — some locations even have shower suites, a spa and a wine-tasting area.

» Learn more: 5 reasons you should be using airport lounges

Centurion Lounge access is exclusively available to holders of the cards listed above (premium American Express cards and premium Delta credit cards), as well as Centurion members. (Centurion membership is a privilege reserved for folks who spend somewhere in the six figures on an American Express card in a prior year and either got an invitation to join or requested access for their high spending). You can’t purchase a membership or a day pass to Centurion Lounges; they're for cardholders and members only.

To get in, present your eligible credit card, your boarding pass for travel that day and a photo ID. Certain cardholders can bring up to two guests for free and additional guests for $50 per person (more on exceptions to that policy below). Pets are allowed in carriers, service animals are allowed on a leash or harness and admittance for emotional support animals varies from lounge to lounge.

In addition to those who hold the Centurion® Card from American Express, other AmEx cards that offer Centurion Lounge access, not surprisingly, carry steep annual fees. They include:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express has a $695 annual fee and the following welcome bonus: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has a $695 annual fee. Its welcome bonus is as follows: Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Platinum Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

• The American Express Corporate Platinum Card has a $395 annual fee.

• The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card has a $550 annual fee and the following welcome bonus: Earn 50,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months. Terms Apply.

• The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card has a $550 annual fee and this welcome bonus: Earn 70,000 Bonus Miles after spending $5,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

Holders of The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express need to pay $50 for each guest ($30 for children aged 2 through 17) unless they meet an annual spend requirement of $75,000 each calendar year. If the spend requirement is met, two complimentary guests will be allowed.

Want to get into a Centurion Lounge but forgot the card? You're in luck: You may be able to do mobile check-in instead, which requires the AmEx mobile app rather than your physical card.

» Learn more: Best premium credit cards right now

All Centurion Lounges come with some basic perks, including gourmet snacks, a premium bar, high-speed Wi-Fi, power stations, large flat-screen TVs and are staffed. Some lounges come with extras, including hot meals.

There are nearly two dozen airports where you’ll find designated Centurion Lounges. But AmEx also operates 10 other lounges worldwide called Escape Lounges that offer similar amenities, and more Centurion Lounges are slated to open soon in Washington D.C. and Atlanta.

Here are the details for the Centurion Lounges. Note that due to the coronavirus pandemic, some lounges are closed. For lounges scheduled to reopen, we’ve included a note below; however, the usual hours of operation are listed below for all lounges.

U.S. cities with Centurion Lounge locations

1. Seattle-Tacoma (SEA). Concourse B, across from Gate B3. Open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Snacks, premium bar, showers.

2. San Francisco (SFO). Terminal 3, near Gate 74. Open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fresh seasonal cuisine, family room, wine-tasting area, shower suites.

3. Las Vegas (LAS). Concourse D, opposite Gate D1. Open 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fresh seasonal fare, family room, conference space, shower suites.

4. Dallas-Ft. Worth (DFW). Terminal D, across from Gate 12. Open 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fresh seasonal cuisine, spa, family room, shower suites, conference space.

5. Houston (IAH). Terminal D, access via elevators near Gate D6. Open 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Locally inspired cuisine, family room, shower suites and, as of January 2022, a new wellness space opened in partnership with meditation and relaxation app Calm. The wellness room includes access to Calm content, a selection of healthy beverages and lounge chairs with complimentary neck warmers to help travelers de-stress.

6. Miami (MIA). Concourse D, fourth floor near Gate D12. Open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fresh seasonal cuisine, family room, shower suites, spa.

7. Philadelphia (PHL). Terminal A West, near Gate A14. Open 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Locally inspired cuisine, shower suites.

8. New York-LaGuardia (LGA). Terminal B, pre-security on the third floor. Open 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Friday and 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday. Fresh seasonal cuisine.

9. Los Angeles (LAX). Terminal TBIT, which is accessible from Terminals 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Lounge is on Level 2 and is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

10. Phoenix (PHX). Terminal 4 across from Gate B22 on the upper level. Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

11. Charlotte (CLT). Located at the intersection of Concourses D & E, mezzanine level. The lounge is accessible airside to all gates at the airport and is open 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

12. New York-JFK (JFK). The lounge is in Terminal 4 and is open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time. This is the largest of all lounges at more than 15,000 square feet, including two floors and six unique rooms, each inspired by a different New York City landmark or design era.

13. Denver (DEN). The lounge is located post-security in Concourse C, on the mezzanine and is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Passengers from Concourse A, B and C are able to access the lounge by taking a train from Concourse C. This lounge covers more than 14,000 square feet. It includes a Craft Beer Bar, a locally sourced Italian-influenced menu and the decor is inspired by the Rocky Mountains.

International cities with Centurion Lounge locations