American Express offers some of the best airport lounge benefits of any credit card both in the USA and the UK via their Platinum, Business Platinum Card, and Centurion Cards. These cards give you lounge access to Amex’s network of Centurion Lounges, which are part of the American Express Global Lounge Collection. Platinum card members are now restricted to two guests per card, although additional day passes can be purchased.
Airspace Lounges, Escape Lounges, Priority Pass Select lounges, Delta Sky Clubs when flying Delta, and international American Express Lounges are also included in the American Express Global Lounge Collection. The Eurostar lounges are included as part of this network of lounges too. American Express additionally operates its own airport lounges and is expanding that network within the U.S.
American Express Centurion Lounges include:
- Charlotte
- Dallas/Fort Worth (Terminal D served by American Airlines and international departures)
- Denver (To open soon)
- Hong Kong
- Houston (Terminal D)
- Las Vegas (Concourse D, served by United Airlines)
- London Heathrow (To open soon)
- Los Angeles
- Miami (North Terminal Concourse D, served by American Airlines)
- New York LaGuardia American Express Lounge which I have reviewed (Terminal B, Landside)
- Phoenix (Terminal 4)
- Seattle
- San Francisco (Terminal 3 Concourse F, served by United Airlines)
The Centurion Studio is similar to the Centurion Lounge network but in a more boutique setting and is available in Seattle (Concourse B, served by Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and Virgin America).
The Centurion Lounges are complimentary for the Platinum, Business Platinum Card or Centurion Card holders (other American Express Cardholders must pay $50 USD per person). Platinum card members are permitted to bring two guests per card to the Centurion Clubs (restricted to one guest at the Centurion Studio). At the same time, access to the Platinum Lounges is limited to one companion. Additional guests may be permitted for a fee.
These lounges tend to be much better than domestic U.S. lounges, but Centurion Lounges are so popular that they can suffer from overcrowding at peak times… A different gourmet chef designs menus for each Centurion Lounge. This means that the food and drinks are excellent and specific to the location of the lounge.
For example, in Dallas-Fort Worth, you can enjoy Tacos and a Texas Toast cocktail (sparkling wine, whiskey, sherry, maple syrup mixed). Decent sitting areas are usually much nicer than the equivalent airline lounge or Priority Pass lounge. The Centurion Lounges, with the exception of LaGuardia, also have shower suites.
American Express also operates international lounges, including Centurion Clubs in Mexico City (MEX) (T1, T1 Platinum, T2), Buenos Aires (EZE), Rio De Janeiro (SDU), and Sao Paulo (CGH), as well as the Platinum Lounges in Mumbai (BOM) and Delhi (DEL).
1. American Express Centurion Lounge, Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Centurion Lounge (pictured above) is hugely impressive. If you don’t have access to The Wing or The Pier by Cathay Pacific, I highly recommend trying out the excellent American Express Centurion Lounge Hong Kong. On my last trip to this lounge, I was invited to visit the exclusive Centurion card (the legendary black card!) area. The picture (above) is of the main bar in the American Express Centurion Lounge.
This AMEX lounge is located up the escalator just before Gate 60. It is opposite the United Airlines lounge. The entrance of the lounge is consistent with other American Express Centurion Lounges, a foliage wall behind the marble check-in desk. A narrow walkway leads to the main area of the lounge. On the right side of this narrow walkway are two meeting rooms come business centers with work desks and desktops with printers.
At the end of the walkway are two short chairs and a cute painting of a dog sitting on a chest with the words American Express. Turning right at this point leads to the lounge’s central area, where a beautiful metal frame houses the large bar in the center of this space.
There are high wireframe bar stools at the bar and various other seating options around the lounge. As the lounge is on a higher level, there is a balcony feeling to the area, as the sides of the lounge overlook the airport. Comfortable low lounging chairs are placed near the railings here.
At the far end of this area is the buffet spread and a few smaller dining tables. There is a good mix of Western and Asian options in this buffet. To the left side of this dining area is a small check-in counter and glass door, which leads to the Centurion area, while the right side of the dining area leads to the bathrooms and shower area.
I hung around in the regular area and got a few drinks from the bar. The bar has a great list of signature cocktails curated by renowned mixologist Jim Meehan and a wine list curated by renowned wine expert Anthony Giglio.
The Centurion area is an exclusive area comprised of 2 compartments. The first has two rows of white marble tables with blue chairs lining both sides of the wall. A wireframe separates the tables. The other compartment also incorporates dining tables lining both sides of the wall but in different styles.
The difference between the Centurion area and the lounge’s regular area is that the Centurion area features a sit-down dining menu instead of a buffet. The menu consists of Western and Asian options designed by the chefs from Yan Toh Heen, the 2 Michelin star Cantonese restaurant at the Intercontinental hotel in Hong Kong.
We tried various dishes on the menu. We ordered a Vietnamese salad, the Asian mushroom and black chicken soup, and the Asian combination starter, which had some fried dumplings and rolls. They also served the higher-end GH Mumm Grand Cordon champagne in the centurion area instead of GH Mumm Cordon Rouge champagne served in the regular area of the lounge.
For the main course, we tried the pan-fried salmon, the truffle risotto, the honey barbecued pork, and wok-fried beef shoulder with spicy sauce. The servings were generous (more truffles than I expected, for a lounge!), and the flavors were delicious. The service was also superb, with the waitresses continually checking up on us and refilling our drinks. We had egg tarts and a plate of fruits with sorbet for our dessert.
The internet speed is excellent throughout, and the Centurion area is particularly peaceful. This lounge is on par with the best airport lounges at the Hong Kong airport, such as the Cathay ones, and is definitely better than the Plaza Premium ones.
2. American Express Centurion Lounge, Dallas Fort Worth
The American Express Centurion Lounge near gate D12 in Terminal D is probably the best airport lounge in Dallas DFW, although it can be crowded. If you have The Platinum Card® from American Express, you can access this lounge for free, plus two free guests.
This lounge in Dallas is particularly noteworthy as it offers complimentary 15-minute spa treatments on arrival alongside a luxury shower suite. Expect the usual perks; high-speed Wi-Fi, a premium bar, two dedicated workspaces, along with unlimited Tex-Mex cuisine designed by award-winning chef Dean Fearing.
The menu is fairly delicious; breakfast includes vanilla french toast, seasonal mixed berries, brown sugar creme fraiche, egg frittata, roasted tomatoes, mushrooms, asparagus, asiago cheese, Texas Migas, chorizo, tortilla strips, sweet onions, tomatoes, Brazos Valley white cheddar, home-fried potatoes, and red chili sauce. Additional breakfast items, including yogurt, cereals, bread, and fresh fruit, will also be available in the lounge.
The lunch & dinner is equally expansive and includes Texas mole, chicken with jalapeno cream corn, roasted chicken, sage, caramelized shallot brown butter, mashed sweet potato, wild kale arugula salad, Texas goat cheese, watermelon radish, sundried cherries, pine nuts, apple sherry vinaigrette, blackberry buckle, and brown sugar crème fraîche.
3. American Express Centurion Lounge, Miami
The Miami lounge is gorgeous with fun lighting, wooden ceilings, stylish seating, and fabulous views of the planes. It is located in Concourse D, near Gate D12, on the 4th floor, and is accessible via the SkyTrain within the D Concourse. If you are coming from another terminal, you must re-enter through security with either a connecting or an onward boarding pass.
We think the American Express Centurion Lounge is the best airport lounge in Miami Airport overall. If you are flying in First, you may prefer to take advantage of Flagship Dining in the American, but if you are traveling in Business Class or less, you will find it hard to beat the quality of this lounge.
The food and drinks are great too! They say, “Dine in decadence with cuisine designed by James Beard Award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein. Savor locally-inspired dishes like Braised Chicken Thighs and Corn Soup with Roast Poblanos.”
Miami-inspired menus are available in the lounge. Breakfast features items like lemon ricotta pancakes, creamy lemon curd, fresh raspberries, shakshuka, roast chilies, peppers, tomatoes, swiss chard, sweet potato, maple, chicken apple sausage hash, chorizo, and kale quiche. Additional breakfast items, including yogurt, cereals, bread, and fresh fruit, are also available.
For lunch and dinner, you can expect minty pea soup, basil crème Fraiche, snap peas, pea greens, watermelon greek salad, arugula, feta, cucumbers, braised chicken thighs, pizza spices, tomatoes, fennel, confit potatoes, vanilla Panna cottas, strawberry-basil compote.
An assortment of snacks, including fruits, chips, and cookies, are also available. A limited selection of soups and salads are available at certain times too. There are also complimentary Miami-inspired cocktails and wines served by a barman.
As outlined above, this lounge is stylish, plus it features complimentary spa treatments, including manicures and chair massages. If that’s not enough, there’s a well-appointed shower suite to freshen up.
4. American Express Centurion Lounge, Phoenix Airport
This is a great lounge that gets loads of sunshine and has great views. It is definitely one of the best airport lounges at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.
At the entrance of this lounge is the usual plant-covered wall that you get at the entrance to many Amex Centurion lounges. The look is greys and blues with a glass wall with a view to one end. There are lots of exciting light installations and ceiling paraphernalia, which makes this lounge feel very classy. There are sofas, high stools, cafe-style seating, and there’s a stylish bar at one end.
This lounge shares one shower suite with the Escape Lounge next door, which is nice, but as there is only one, there can be a wait to use it. Bar drinks are excellent, with cocktails served up by the bartender.
Breakfast includes a wide range of items, including oatmeal with cinnamon, reasons, brown sugar. Eggs & chorizo. Buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup. Papas del dia. muesli, assorted dry cereal, pastries, Greek yogurt & granola.
After breakfast, a buffet is served with hot and cold items, including cheese and meat charcuterie, bread, tortilla soup, paella rice, mixed grains, cortada salad, roasted cauliflower, el chino, sauteed broccolini, bistec al carbon (flat iron steak), roasted spaghetti and pollo asada.
There are also cookies, cake, and brownies. All the food is beautifully presented and a step above airline food in most airline lounges around the world. This food is chef-prepared, and it shows.
5. American Express Centurion Lounge, San Francisco
The Centurion Lounge in San Francisco can be accessed post-security in Terminal 3 or from International Terminal. All terminals are not connected post-security at SFO. If you are flying out of another terminal, you may be able to use your boarding pass to enter through T3 security. After visiting the Lounge, you will need to exit through security, take the AirTrain or walk to your terminal and re-enter through security. Obviously, this is horribly inconvenient, but you might find this lounge is worth the effort of going in and out through security.
The Centurion Lounge at SFO is open from 5:00 am – 11:00 pm every day, and it offers a beautiful space. The lounge provides complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, a computer bar, and semi-private workspaces. The seating is stylish, and there are lots of seating options, although this lounge can get overly crowded.
The Napa Valley wine tasting area is a really nice and unique feature if you would like to try some Californian wines.
Food is mostly a la carte, and the menu offers Californian-inspired cuisine designed by James Beard Award-nominated chef Ravi Kapur.
Breakfast includes Scrambled Cage-Free Eggs, Garlic Confit, Herb Fines, Egg Frittata, Chevre, Baby Spinach, Pancakes, Banana Foster, Rum Caramel, Home-Fried Potatoes or Caramelized Onions, and Scallion.
The lunch & dinner offer includes farro salad, roasted broccolini, pickled red onion, feta cheese, dijon vinaigrette, Persian cucumber salad, Thai basil, mint, toasted sunflower seeds, fish sauce vinaigrette, roasted chicken, greek yogurt with cilantro glazed, roasted cauliflower, curried golden raisins, pan-seared baby carrots, picholine olives, capers, preserved Meyer lemon, salsa verde, curried red lentil stew, mushroom, coconut milk, madras curry, tofu, baby spinach, Korean chili flakes, kimchi & pork soup.
Snacks, including cookies, fresh fruit, popcorn, and sandwiches, are also available in the Centurion Lounge.
For drinks, you can enjoy some great beers or spirits, or you can enjoy a cocktail developed by one of the nation’s top mixologists, Jim Meehan, or explore wines handpicked by renowned wine authority Anthony Giglio.
6. American Express Centurion Lounge, LAX
The LAX Centurion Airport Lounge is located in the Tom Bradley International terminal, connected to American’s Terminal 4. You can access Terminal 5 from this lounge, which is also used by American Airlines. From there, you can walk inside security to terminal 6, then 7, and 8.
This Centurion Airport Lounge is 13,693 ft², with a spa, family room, and showers in addition to a buffet and cocktails. There’s a tranquillity area offering both brightly-lit and dimly-lit quiet areas to help global travelers adjust to new time zones as they travel.
7. American Express Centurion Lounge, Las Vegas Airport
The American Express Centurion Lounge is the best airport lounge at Las Vegas Airport. This American Express Centurion Lounge is located in Terminal 1 in the Concourse near gate D1. This area is usually served by Air Canada, Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, and Delta Air Lines.
The Centurion Lounge in Las Vegas is superb, with the usual wall of vegetation at the entrance. Inside, the lounge feels like a luxury hotel with artwork on the walls, a mix of dark wood and carpeted flooring, and lots of stylish seating. This Centurion Lounge also offers brilliant views of the planes and runway through floor-to-ceiling windows.
In addition, there is complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, large, flat-screen televisions, a family room, magazines and newspapers, semi-private workspaces, and a conference room (reservable). There is also a shower suite with a bathroom, which you can reserve, plus printing and copying services.
The full buffet is particularly good. Kim Canteenwalla, a James Beard Award-nominated chef, sources all ingredients locally when possible. The food is exceptional when compared to other airport lounges.
Breakfast includes Biscuits, Honey Salt Frittata, Chilaquiles, Monkey Bread, Corned Beef Hash, and Banana Pancakes.
Beyond breakfast, you will be able to choose from lunch and dinner items like lemon chicken salad, Elizabeth’s Caesar salad, grain power salad, turkey meatballs, vegetable curry, meatloaf, honey salt mac with cheese, and brookie (brownie and chocolate chip cookie combo).
The menu rotates, so the offerings may differ slightly from the list above when you use this fabulous lounge. You can also enjoy a handcrafted cocktail or an alcoholic drink of your choice for free, or select from a vast range of soft drinks in this lounge too.
8. American Express Centurion Lounge, Seattle-Tacoma
The American Express Centurion Lounge, Seattle-Tacoma, is located in Concourse B, opposite Gate B3. The Lounge is accessible from any security checkpoint.
The look is super smart with floor-to-ceiling windows on one side, and lots of classy but brightly colored seating, including lime green seating, which actually works (even though it sounds a little lurid). Following in the footsteps of all Centurion lounges, the American Express team has created a superb-looking lounge in Seattle. This lounge also provides high-speed Wi-Fi and outlets near every seat.
For food, you can experience the “tastes of Seattle” with a curated collection of locally inspired light bites. Delight in a bowl of small-batch, signature granola, or satisfy a sweet tooth with a taste of artisan baked goods.
Healthy Snacks are served throughout the day and include Ellenos Real Greek Yogurt, Lowrider Bakery, Marsee and Pinks Baked Goods, and an assortment of bread from Macrina Bakery. A selection of hot and cold options are available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
For drinks, enjoy a cocktail developed by one of the nation’s top mixologists, Jim Meehan, or explore wines handpicked by renowned wine authority Anthony Giglio.
9. American Express Centurion Lounge T3, London Heathrow
American Express has a new lounge in London, which is past security at Heathrow T3. This is American Express’ first Centurion Lounge in Europe and is due to open within the next few months. While we have placed this lounge in position eight, we expect it to be one of the best Centurion Lounges in the world, but we have not reviewed it yet, hence our choice of position eight in this listing.
London’s distinctive combination of history and modernity serves as inspiration for the interior, spanning approximately 7,000 ft². In addition to the existing amenities found across Centurion Lounge locations, such as complimentary food and beverages from top chefs and mixologists, premium showers, access to high-speed Wi-Fi, and private noise-buffering workstations, the lounge will feature specially curated amenities influenced by British hospitality, culture, and style.
This will undoubtedly be the best American Express Centurion Lounge for most British travelers. This lounge will also undoubtedly be one of the best airport lounges in London Heathrow Terminal 3.
10. American Express Centurion Lounge, JFK Terminal 4
The undoubtedly excellent American Express Centurion lounge will be opening at JFK in a matter of months. The lounge will be located in Terminal 4. It will be on two levels, with a total of about 15,000 ft², which will make it one of Amex’s largest Centurion Lounges.
While we expect this lounge to be great, we have not yet reviewed it. This is why we have placed this lounge in position ten.
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