Card News: Major Changes to the AMEX Centurion Lounge Guest Policy

To me, an airport is a happy place. I love to travel and explore the world, and an airport is the first place where it comes to reality. However, it could be miserable during peak travel time, as it easily becomes chaotic. The best place to escape the hectic environment is to visit an airport lounge, but when you don’t have a membership, you may unwillingly resort to the general boarding area or an overpriced airport cafe. Most premium travel credit cards now come with some airport lounge access (e.g., Priority Pass), but in my opinion, the American Express (AMEX) Centurion Lounge is the best lounge in class. The guest policy for the AMEX Centurion Lounge has been generous, but it will undergo significant changes effective February 1, 2023. Let’s take a look at what the changes entail:

• Why the AMEX Centurion Lounge? 

• Centurion Lounge Access & Current Guest Policy

• New Changes to the AMEX Centurion Lounge Guest Policy

• The Best Solution to Gain Access to Centurion Lounges

• Summary

The AMEX Centurion Lounge is my go-to premium airport lounge.

Why the AMEX Centurion Lounge? 

The AMEX Centurion Lounge is a premium airport lounge. At the time of writing this article, there are 13 locations in the U.S. and a few international locations around the globe. Additional lounges will open in the near future—Denver International Airport in Colorado and LaGuardia International Airport in New York—and Centurion Lounges are known for collaborating dining menus with award-winning chefs and integrating pop-ups and noteworthy services like massage and shoe-cleaning. 

You won’t need to pay for overpriced airport food when you can get high-quality food at AMEX Centurion Lounges.

Centurion Lounge Access & Current Guest Policy

You can enter the lounge three hours before your flight’s departure, and you will need to be a card member of certain AMEX credit cards to gain entry to the lounge. These cards are:

• AMEX Platinum and its variations (e.g., AMEX Charles Schwab Platinum, AMEX Morgan Stanley Platinum, etc.)

• AMEX Business Platinum

• AMEX Delta Reserve

• AMEX Delta Reserve Business

• AMEX Centurion

• AMEX Centurion Business

The AMEX Centurion card is the invite-only AMEX Black card, and Centurion members may bring immediate family members or two guests free of charge. The Delta Reserve cardholders must be traveling on a same-day Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight and may bring up to two guests but must pay $50 per guest. Card members of the AMEX Platinum card variations may bring up to two guests at no charge, but this exclusive benefit will end soon. 

AMEX Centurion Lounges sometimes do collaborations with local and international events like US Open in 2022.

New Changes to the AMEX Centurion Lounge Guest Policy

Effective February 1, 2023, AMEX will change the guest policy for Centurion Lounges. Since Centurion members are high spenders, AMEX will continue to grant the same benefit. Delta Reserve card members will not experience any changes to the perk, and the $50 per-visit rate will remain in place. However, AMEX Platinum and Platinum Business card members will no longer be able to take advantage of complimentary admission of up to two guests, and instead, a $50 per-visit rate will apply to guests (and $30 per visit for children ages between 2 and 17). In order to avoid paying for guest passes, AMEX Platinum and Platinum Business card members can spend at least $75,000 on the card each calendar year to unlock the previously granted ability to bring up to two guests for free. These changes are likely due to the capacity overflow at some Centurion Lounges, leading to long queues and overcrowding in the lounge.

The Best Solution to Gain Access to AMEX Centurion Lounges

For most people, it would be difficult to meet the $75,000 yearly spending requirement, and if you have been relying on your travel partner’s benefit, the best approach would be to acquire the AMEX Platinum card. Though the annual fee is $695, it comes with numerous benefits that significantly outweigh the hefty annual fee. On the other hand, if your travel partner or a family member has the AMEX Platinum or Platinum Business card, you can be an authorized user of the card to enjoy access to Centurion Lounges. It will cost $175 per year to add up to three authorized users, so if you are an existing cardholder in a family of four, it makes sense to bring everyone on board. For AMEX Platinum Business cardholders, it costs $350 per year to add authorized users so it may not be worth it. 

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Summary

The AMEX Centurion Lounge is one of the best premium airport lounges worldwide. Card members of luxury AMEX credit cards like the AMEX Platinum card and the AMEX Delta Reserve card can access the lounge. In order to regulate its exclusivity and reduce overcrowding, AMEX will change its guest policy effective February 1, 2023. The AMEX Platinum card members will now need to spend at least $75,000 in a calendar year to continue enjoying complimentary admission for up to two guests or must pay $50 per guest. The best workaround solution is to become a card member by either applying for the AMEX Platinum card or being an authorized user. The AMEX Platinum card has numerous benefits and perks, and I suggest applying for it if you see its value in elevating your travel experiences.