American Express changes Centurion Lounge access rules: what changes as of July 8, 2026
American Express has announced an update to its Centurion Lounge access rules, which will take effect July 8, 2026. [...]
American Express announced an update of the rules of access to Centurion Lounges, which will come into effect as of July 8, 2026.
In this article:
An intervention that was born with a clear objective: try to curb overcrowding, long one of the main problems of these "premium" lounges. This is not the first modification that has been made, e.g. U.S. Platinum cardholders must spend a minimum of $75k each year to have the opportunity to bring a guest to a Centurion lounge.
The new rules
The changes concern two specific aspects:
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Guests on the same flight. Guests of the cardholder shall travel on the same flight Of the cardmember. It will no longer be possible to invite people who leave on different flights.
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Time limit on stopovers.In the case of layover, access to the lounge will be allowed Up to a maximum of 5 hours before the departure of the next flight. Previously, the 3-hour limit was not actually applied to same-day stopovers, although some lounges already imposed similar restrictions.
According to the findings, one of the reasons that hastened this decision would also be a social trend-particularly on TikTok-that encouraged unknown people to join lounges, simply by "offering" access.
The real impact for Italian travelers
However, one key detail should be remembered: in Italy there is no Centurion Lounge. In Europe at the moment, the only operational one is in London, while Amsterdam is expected soon. This means that, for most Italian travelers, the change will have a very limited impact.
In conclusion
In summary, it's not a big drama. Those who use Centurion Lounges on a regular basis and consistent with the spirit of the service will hardly notice the difference.
If these rules serve even in part to make the experience less crowded and more livable, all the better.
