Yesterday he opened a new Centurion Lounge, and I happened to be walking by.

Talk about being in the right place, at the right time. Tuesday afternoon I read the news of the opening of the new Centurion Lounge at theDCA airport, a.k.a. the Ronald Reagan And last night I left from this very airport heading home.

The city airport in the city that houses the White House and the Capitol is used for short- to medium-haul flights by many carriers, including low-cost carriers, while IAD is the one dedicated to intercontinental flights and one of United's hubs. To date, it had one major flaw: there was no independent lounge, only those owned by the companies, One of these I have also already reviewed.

Unfortunately, however, things did not go as planned as my itinerary to the Silvio Berlusconi in Milan was ruined and so I found myself having to rush to catch an alternate flight to North Carolina without being able to spend much time in the lounge.

New Centurion Lounge at DCA: essential info

Announced in 2021, it was to open in the following year, but as is often the case (not only in Italy) the project has been delayed, and so only today, 3 years after it was announced, was it opened.

The new Centurion Lounge at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington (DCA) is located in Terminal 2, beyond the South Security Checkpoint. With an area of nearly 1,100 square meters.

The advantage is that since the two terminals are connected it will be possible to visit it, even if you fly on a carrier departing from T1.

The lounge, equipped with floor-to-ceiling windows that let in natural light and offer views of the terminal and the Potomac River, Is open Sunday through Friday from 5:00 to 9:00 pm.

Some "unique" features of this lounge are:

For the first time ever in a Centurion Lounge, guests can enjoy a Menu curated by three award-winning chefs : Michelle Bernstein, Ravi Kapur and Michael Solomonov, chefs who have created menus for Centurion Lounges in Miami, San Francisco and Philadelphia.

As well as a free full bar, guests can enjoy special cocktails designed by the Centurion Lounge bartender Jim Meehan, including Haku Hanami, inspired by Washington cherry blossoms, and Ambrosia Spritz, There is also a selection of wines chosen by Centurion Lounge sommelier and wine director Anthony Giglio.

Drawing inspiration from the history and rich culture of Washington, D.C., the lounge includes. Artwork by established and emerging local artists. It will be a true art gallery, and among the many works one will be featured in the central dining room. A stunning ceiling sculpture composed of 260 lanterns to reflect the original boundary markers used to delineate the city when it was founded in 1791.

This is the 29th Centurion Lounge to open its doors, unfortunately for us Europeans in the old continent it is only 1.5. That of London at T3 is a true Centurion Lounge, while the one in Stockholm is a "recovered" lounge. The openings do not stop; indeed, we recently wrote from the New lounge coming to Japan, the first in the nation of the Rising Sun.

My first impressions

I started several times from this small, but busy airport, and passing by here on the opening day of the lounge was really a stroke of luck.

The absence of an independent lounge, where to enter with Priority Pass was the real flaw of this airport, certainly not a very popular airport for Italian travelers, given that ITA Airways, as all European carriers fly to IAD, but it is widely used on the road trip for those leaving after visiting DC to destinations such as Niagara, Chicago or Miami.

It is large, but not very large, and I anticipate long lines at the entrance during the hot times of the day.

There is an area reserved for Centurion holders that is quite secluded from the rest of the hall; there are small rooms where you can isolate yourself together with fellow travelers.

There is no view of the runway, only of the terminal, but still, the environment is not too dark (the photos do not count since I visited it practically at closing time).

In terms of content and aesthetics, it is the classic Centurion, with the style that can be found in all those recently opened.

In conclusion

I would really see a Centurion Lounge at Silvio Berlusconi of Milan, would be a great way to revive a situation that's a little bit dull in Italy's second intercontinental airport. While we wait to see whether or not a Centurion Lounge will arrive in Italy, all that remains is to make the most of the opportunity that all Platinum cardholders have to enter one of the 29 lounges scattered around the world for free, with a companion.

• Centurion lounge