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.

Introduction to Amex Centurion Lounges

There are many reasons to open The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express — two of the most premium travel cards on the market.

You can earn thousands of dollars in annual statement credits and valuable Amex Membership Rewards points, and it isn't difficult to offset $695 annual fee by utilizing even a fraction of card benefits each year.

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 Amex Centurion Lounges?

Airport lounges give travelers a chance to relax before — or between — flights in peace, quiet, and comfort. 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.

American Express operates its own network of lounges exclusively for premium Amex cardholders. Amex Centurion Lounges offer 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.

Each Centurion Lounge offers slightly different perks, but all locations offer member services that can double as travel concierges for your current and future trips. Every Centurion Lounge has 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.

Amex cardholders also have access to Escape Lounges in domestic airports such as Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Oakland (OAK), and Sacramento (SMF).

How to access Amex Centurion Lounges

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Apply now

On American Express's website

Rates & Fees

Insider’s Rating

Insider's Ratings are decided by our editorial team. The rating system considers various factors and evaluates cards against others of the same type so you can pick a card that is a good fit for your goals.

4.4/5

Perks

Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 per calendar year) and on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Earn 1X Points on other purchases.

Annual Fee

See Rates and Fees

$695

Intro APR

N/A

Regular APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Intro Offer

80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points

Recommended Credit

Good to Excellent

Pros

• Long list of travel benefits, including airport lounge access and complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott (enrollment required)
• Annual statement credits with Saks and Uber

Cons

• Bonus categories leave something to be desired
• One of the highest annual fees among premium travel cards

Insider’s Take

If you want as many premium travel perks as possible, The Platinum Card® from American Express could be the right card for you. The annual fee is high, but you get a long list of benefits such as airport lounge access, travel statement credits, complimentary hotel elite status, and more.

Amex Platinum Card review

Product Details

• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 year period for TSA PreCheck® application fee for a 5-year plan only (through a TSA PreCheck® official enrollment provider), when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

Show Pros, Cons, and More

You can access Amex Centurion Lounges through eligible American Express cards. 

You have complimentary access to any Centurion Lounge if you have The Platinum Card® from American Express, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, or the Amex Centurion Card.

Most cardholders must pay $50 per adult guest, and $30 per child between ages 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 — $650 annual fee
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card — $650 annual fee

Cardholders 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. Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card cardholders who want to maintain unlimited access after February 1, 2025, will have to spend $75,000 on the card in 2024. 

Dining and beverage offerings

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 who rotate dishes seasonally. Most lounges offer meat, vegetarian, and even child-friendly choices for all travelers while many other items are labeled for allergens such as gluten, dairy, and nuts. The kitchen staff bring out fresh food on a consistent basis.

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 them through your annual fee to American Express, so take full advantage of your benefits. 

Locations of Amex Centurion Lounges

For a full listing of lounges you can access with The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, you can also view Amex's lounge search tool here.

Enhancing your travel with Centurion Lounge access

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 The Platinum Card® from American Express may be a great idea.

Amex Centurion Lounges frequently asked questions 

Visit the American Express website or the Amex Mobile app for a current list of Centurion Lounge locations and upcoming openings.

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.

Eric Rosenberg

Freelance Writer

Eric Rosenberg is a finance, travel, and technology writer in Ventura, California. He is a former bank manager and corporate finance and accounting professional who left his day job in 2016 to take his online side hustle full-time. He has in-depth experience writing about banking, credit cards, investing, and other financial topics, and is an avid travel hacker. When away from the keyboard, Eric enjoys exploring the world, flying small airplanes, discovering new craft beers, and spending time with his wife and little girls. You can connect with him at Personal Profitability or EricRosenberg.com.

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Joseph Hostetler, CEPF

Credit cards reporter

Joseph Hostetler was a credit cards reporter for Insider who also covered helpful miles and points tricks. He is also a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF). Joseph has more than six years of experience writing professionally about credit cards, previously authoring and editing for The Points Guy and Million Mile Secrets. 

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