Bad news, no more free guests in American Express centurion lounges
Update #2. American Express confirmed the contract change, so now the news is official at 100% Pending [...]
Update #2. American Express confirmed the contract change, so now the news is official at 100%
While waiting for London to see the opening of the first Centurion Lounge in Europe, comes a cold shower for all American Express Platinum (or Centurion) users. The company has changed its lounge access policies; as of Feb. 1, 2023, a guest's entry will no longer be free but charged.
In this article:
Centurion Lounge, what changes
- The holders of platinum card main and supplementary will continue to receive access to the lounge
- A fee of $50 will be charged for each guest who brings into the Centurion Lounges
- Amex Platinum cardholders who spend at least $ 75,000 per year will continue to receive free lounge access for two guests
- This change does not affect Centurion cardholders, who can therefore continue to host fellow travelers free of charge
Why this choice
This, at present, is a change that mainly affects the U.S. market, where almost all of Amex's direct lounges are located. In detail they are at:
- Charlotte CLT
- Dallas DFW
- Houston IAH
- Las Vegas LAS
- Los Angeles LAX
- Miami MIA
- New York JFK
- New York LGA
- Philadelphia PHL
- Phoenix PHX
- San Francisco SFO
- Seattle SEA
- Hong Kong HKG
It is likely that what prompted this decision was the need to reduce lounge accessibility. Before the crisis, in fact, they were often full, and even now, with the First pale signs of recovery in U.S. traffic, also aided by access restrictions, long lines are seen outside the reception desks.
The main problem is for those traveling with children: they will be forced to pay or not be allowed into the lounge, and this is definitely not good news.
Of course at the moment for us "Europeans" it doesn't have much of an impact, but in the case of vacationing in the U.S. it was a no small benefit. If you don't have elite status or travel in business, these lounges were a cut above all other independent lounges.
