entrance to the Amex Centurion Lounge at LAX.

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American Express Centurion Lounge Guide

December 7, 2023

8 min read

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If you like a swanky airline lounge that puts the rest of an airport to shame, you’re gonna love American Express Centurion Lounges—as long as you’re good with the concept of first-come, first-served.

What is the American Express Centurion® Lounge Network?

The American Express Centurion Lounge was first introduced in 2013 to compete with international airline lounges. These posh, departure-only lounges have become so popular that (credit-card-dependent) access is limited to three hours before your same-day departure time.

Centurion Lounge amenities vary, with some including perks like tarmac views, conference and phone rooms, Exhale-branded spas, and unique relaxation rooms.

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Every Centurion lounge includes a member services desk, locally-inspired cuisine (usually designed by a popular local chef), a family room or area, high-speed wi-fi, a computer bar and print-fax-copy services, and magazines and newspapers.

Cocktail menus for all Centurion Lounges are designed by New York City mixologist Jim Sheehan (of New York City’s Please Don’t Tell), and the wine program is curated by Food & Wine writer and sommelier Anthony Giglio. Swanky, right?

Here's what you need to know.

How to access the Amex Centurion Lounge

Only cardmembers of the following American Express credit cards can receive (complimentary) access to Centurion Lounges:

card_name
card_name
card_name
card_name
Centurion® Card from American Express (aka The Amex Black Card)

Credit card type	Annual fee	Welcome offer
card_name card_name	annual_fees (See Rates and Fees)	bonus_miles_full
card_name card_name	annual_fees (See Rates and Fees)	bonus_miles_full
card_name card_name	annual_fees (See Rates and Fees)	bonus_miles_full
card_name card_name	annual_fees (See Rates and Fees)	bonus_miles_full

Delta SkyMiles Reserve® Credit Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card members may access the Centurion Lounge only when flying a same-day Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight.

Amex Centurion Lounge guest policy

Guest policies for Amex Platinum and Business Platinum cardholders:

$50 apiece for each guest ($30 each for children aged 2 through 17, with proof of age).
If you spend $75,000 or more on the card annually, you qualify for complimentary access for two guests at all US Centurion Lounge locations.

Guest policies for Delta Reserve cards:

$50 apiece for each guest ($30 each for children aged 2 through 17, with proof of age).

Note that all guests can only enter and remain in Centurion Lounges while they’re accompanied by the cardmembers that provided them access.

Waitlist procedures at Centurion Lounges

Capacity limits at Centurion Lounges vary according to state and local governments as well as health authorities, so you might have to wait to gain entrance to one. In this case, staff at your lounge’s member desk will ask for your name and cell number, and you’ll get a text when it’s your turn to enter the lounge.

Airports with Centurion Lounges

US airports:

International airports:

Centurion Lounges in US airports

Atlanta (ATL)

Location: Post-security in Concourse E, directly beside Gate E11
Hours: 6 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)

Location: Intersection of Concourses D and E (mezzanine level)
Hours: 5:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.

Accessible airside to all gates at CLT, this 13,000 square-foot Amex lounge has floor-to-ceiling windows offering great views of the tarmac. The Southern-leaning cuisine by renowned local chef Joe Kindred is some of the best in the airport. There’s plenty of comfy seating, lots of USB and power ports, the ceilings and flooring have been well padded for sound control, and three dedicated phone rooms feature some of the lounge’s coolest decor, each one designed to reflect the shoreline, mountains, or flora of North Carolina.

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)

Location: Terminal D (opposite Gate D12)
Hours: 5:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.

What this Texas-sized lounge lacks in natural light, it makes up for in amenities. There’s tons of seating, from couches to comfy cubes and chaise lounges. Laptop-friendly chair setups have small side tables, and you’ll find a conference room, three phone rooms, and a couple of common computers. The Southwestern cuisine is created by acclaimed Dallas chef Dean Fearing, and you can enjoy it at plenty of dining tables or a dozen seats at the bar. Storage lockers are a welcome perk, as are the three showers, soundproof family room, and Exhale Spa offering 15-minute treatments.

Denver International Airport (DEN)

Location: Concourse C (just past Gate C46). Accessible to all gates in Concourses A, B, and C.
Hours: 5 a.m. - 10 p.m.

A whopping 14,650 square feet, the outside of this enormous lounge is emblazoned with a living wall you can spot from across the concourse. Inside are dedicated work, family, and dining areas, two showers, and only one phone room. Unique amongst the Centurion’s lounges is a game room that includes a pool table, and a Colorado-centric craft beer bar. Northern Italian-inspired cuisine by Denver chef Lachlan MacKinnon-Patterson (of Frasca Food and Wine), with a menu that includes some all-veggie dishes and gluten-free carbs. All of DEN’s concourses are connected post-security, so the lounge is relatively convenient to any gate via the airport train.

Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)

Location: Terminal D
Hours: 6 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Well hidden behind Terminal D’s duty-free shop, this 8,500-square-foot lounge is convenient to Terminal D or E departures; terminal A, B, and C departures will likely need to take IAH’s inter-terminal train. Multiple seating areas include pillow-padded cubes and a few comfy chaise lounges. There’s a soundproofed family room, a shower, and a hot/cold buffet with Chinese-inspired cuisine by chef Jason Yu of Houston’s Theodore Rex. In January 2022, the lounge debuted a new relaxation room offering complimentary access to Calm-branded meditation and sleep-focused content.

Las Vegas McCarran/Harry Reid International Airport (LAS)

Location: Concourse D (across from Gate D1). Accessible from Terminal 1 or 3.
Hours: 5 a.m. - 11 p.m.

This first-ever Centurion Lounge underwent expansion in 2021, going from 9,000 to 13,400 square feet. There’s a soundproofed family room and a conference space, as well as copious amounts of seating for lounging, semi-private working, and dining. Upscale comfort-food cuisine is by Vegas chef Kim Canteenwalla (Honey Salt, Andiron Steak & Sea), and rather than the Franke coffee machines found in most Centurion Lounges, this outpost uses an arguably swankier Eversys SA setup.

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

Location: Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT, entrance on Level 4). Accessible to Terminals 4-8 by walkway; accessible to Terminals 2 and 3 by airside bus.
Hours: 6 a.m. - 10 p.m.

LAX’s TBIT, where the lounge is located, is accessible airside from Terminals 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. Zig-zag seating configurations invite social distancing, and though there are no phone or conference rooms, the noise-buffering workstations may just help you focus. Cuisine is by locally treasured chef/baker Nancy Silverton of La Brea Bakery, Mozza, and more. In addition to an Exhale Spa, there are two wellness rooms, dubbed Sunrise and Moonrise, that use light exposure and color to help you adjust to wakefulness or rest.

Miami International Airport (MIA)

Location: Terminal D (near gate D12)
Hours: 5 a.m. - 10 p.m.

This 12,300 square-foot lounge has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the American Airlines gates, as well as a family room and Exhale Spa. In addition to a dedicated cold buffet,

there’s delicious Latin-influenced cuisine by famed Miami chef/restaurateur/caterer Michelle Bernstein. Note that unless you’re departing from Terminal D (where the lounge is) or E, you’ll have to take a second trip through security.

New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

Location: Terminal 4
Hours: 5 a.m. - 10 p.m.

At 15,000 square feet spread over two levels, the JFK lounge is huge. Amenities include a one-of-a-kind Equinox-branded stretching/relaxation gym, family-friendly TV room, floor-to-ceiling tarmac views, and six phone booths. Three bar areas include a Prohibition-era-themed speakeasy, and the two buffets serve farm-to-table cuisine created by chef Ignacio Mattos (of Manhattan’s Estela). Set post-security in Terminal 4, a hub for Delta and a bunch of international carriers; if you’re departing from a different terminal, leave time to re-clear security there before your flight.

New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA)

Location: Terminal B (one level above security, before the Eastern Concourse pedestrian bridge)
Hours: 5 a.m. - 10 p.m. Sun-Fri; 5 a.m - 9 p.m. Sat.

Set in LGA’s Central Terminal, this lounge is an island of calm amidst the airport’s ongoing $8 billion overhaul. That said, anyone not departing from Terminal B (such as Delta’s Terminal C and D fliers) will need to contend with LGA’s infamous time-eating road traffic on an airport shuttle bus. Relaxation areas are lined with couches and cushioned chairs, and counter seating abounds, with a long wall of tarmac-view stools and 11 others at the bar. The Indonesian-French menu by chef Cedric Vongerichten (of Manhattan’s Wayan) presently offers the best food you’ll find at LGA.

Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)

Location: Terminal A West (near Gate A14)
Hours: 5:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.

You’ll find both community and semi-private workspaces in this 6,300-square-foot lounge, as well as a shower room, a conference table, and lots of natural light through floor-to-ceiling windows. The dining area includes half-booths and high-top tables, and the delicious Israeli cuisine menu is the handiwork of Philly’s famed chef Michael Solomonov, owner of Zahav.

Good news: even if you’re departing from another terminal, you can still walk to this Terminal A lounge without having to re-do security.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)

Location: Terminal 4 (upper level, across from Gate B22)
Hours: 6 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Though this is one of Centurion’s smaller lounges, it still spans the width of PHX’s international Terminal 4, and the adjacent Escape Lounge offers flexible overflow space. Seating ranges from almost-private relaxation pods to cushy couches, co-working tables, and a tarmac-view dining room full of long counters and 2-tops. Locally-sourced Mexican cuisine is created by chef/owner Doug Robson (Gallo Blanco, Otro Cafe). Each terminal at PHX has their own security, so unless you’re leaving from Terminal 4, factor in extra time to go through security twice.

San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

Location: Terminal 3, (accessible for Terminal 2, 3, and International Terminal G)
Hours: 5 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Expect a crowd during the early-morning rush hour on weekdays, especially around the buffet and the one shower. There’s a kick-ass wine-dispenser wall (because duh, Napa and Sonoma) where a coupon gets you five tastes; a tiny, full-service cocktail bar has just four seats; and the Indian-influenced cuisine is designed by on-the-rise Bay Area chef Ravi Kapur. Convenient for United flyers (Terminal 3 is their hub), but less so for Delta flyers who’ll have to schlep from Terminal 1. Can be used without re-clearing security if you’re flying from Concourse F or G.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)

Location: Concourse B (across from Gate B3)
Hours: 5 a.m. - 10 p.m.

The smallest of Centurion’s U.S. lounges (3,100 square feet) and the only one without a food menu designed by a popular local chef, SEA’s instead offers a rotation of desserts, sandwiches, and healthy snacks with Seattle-sourced ingredients. The four semi-private cube seats don’t have power outlets, but there are lots of other seating areas where power is plentiful. There’s a single shower, tarmac-view seating by the bar, and the lounge itself is accessible from any security checkpoint at SEA.

New Centurion Lounges planned

New Centurion Lounges are planned for Washington, D.C.’s Reagan/National Airport (DCA) and Newark Liberty International Aiport (EWR).

Frequently asked questions

Is everything free at Centurion lounges?

Yup, everything is free at Amex lounges. But be sure to factor in the annual fees of the American Express cards required to enter.

Are Centurion lounges worth it?

Yes, because even in the US, these lounges rival the best international airline lounges. They enable you to start off a flight experience in a sleekly-designed space that provides quality food and drink, as well as access to power outlets, comfortable seating, TV, reading material, office services, clean restrooms, and possibly more. (Just know that everything in these lounges is first-come, first-served, and you’re unlikely to be the only person in one.)

Do you tip at Centurion lounges?

Tipping is accepted and appreciated, but not expected.

Can I enter a Centurion Lounge after my flight lands?

No, because these are departure-only lounges. To gain access, you’ll need to show (in addition to your credit card and ID) your onward boarding pass, and it’ll need to have an originally-scheduled departure time that’s within three hours of your arrival time at the lounge. If you’re an all-access Centurion cardmember, though, you can enter a Centurion Lounge anytime it’s open, regardless of whether you’ve just landed or have yet to depart.

Can you pay to enter an Amex Lounge?

Nope, unless you’re the accompanied guest of a cardmember of one of the above-listed credit cards.

See Rates and Fees for the card_name

Melanie Wynne

Freelance Writer

Passionate about travel, wine, and words, Melanie has visited 67 countries. She grew up in Washington, D.C., went to NYU Film School, spent 23 years in LA, returned to D.C. for a bit, learned to make wine in Sonoma County, and is now in Richmond, VA. The former Travel Editor for The Points Guy, she's written for Condé Nast Traveler, National Geographic Traveler, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, and more.

Published December 7, 2023

Last updated August 29, 2024