Centurion Lounge Review 2026: All Locations

There are airport lounges, and there are Centurion Lounges. The difference is bigger than you would expect. If you have only ever been to Priority Pass lounges, stepping into a Centurion Lounge is entering a different world. And if you mostly fly within Europe, you may not know this world at all.

Over the past few years, I have visited several Centurion Lounges across different continents, plus numerous airline lounges in business and first class. Here is my honest assessment: where the Centurion Lounges stand out, where they disappoint, and how to make the best use of them.

What Centurion Lounges Are

Centurion Lounges are operated by American Express itself. Not by an airline, not by a third-party provider like Plaza Premium or No1 Lounges. Amex designed the spaces, the food is curated by well-known chefs, the cocktails are handcrafted. It is Amex's own hospitality product, and you can tell.

As of 2026, there are over 20 Centurion Lounges, almost exclusively in the US. Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, New York JFK, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Philadelphia, Seattle, Charlotte, Phoenix, Denver, Las Vegas, and more. Plus a location in Hong Kong and one at London Heathrow (labeled as a Centurion Lounge but effectively a smaller, dedicated area).

In Europe, there is no standalone Centurion Lounge in the American sense. That is the most important limitation for European cardholders. More on that later.

Why They Are Different

The difference from a typical Priority Pass lounge is immediately clear when you walk in. No plastic buffet with dried-out sandwiches. No cheap-looking carpet. No line at the soft drink dispenser.

Instead: a thoughtfully designed space with distinct zones. Work areas with power outlets and a quiet atmosphere. Seating groups for conversation. A bar with a bartender mixing cocktails. A buffet that deserves the name. And usually an atmosphere that feels more like a good hotel lobby than a waiting room.

The food is the biggest differentiator. American Express works with regional chefs who design the menus individually for each location. In Dallas, Dean Fearing curated the menu. In San Francisco, the inspiration comes from California cuisine. These are not fine dining dishes, but it is real food, freshly prepared, with seasonal rotations.

The cocktails are equally noteworthy. No gin and tonic from a bottle, but handcrafted cocktails with fresh ingredients. Many locations also offer a wine selection that exceeds what you would expect in a lounge.

My Experiences: Four Locations, Honestly Reviewed

Not all Centurion Lounges are created equal. Quality varies enormously, and that is rarely said this openly. Here are my honest impressions from the locations I have actually visited.

Mexico City -- the Highlight

Outstanding. The Centurion Lounge in Mexico City is the best I have experienced, and the gap to the rest is significant.

The food was excellent. Not lounge food that you rate as "pretty good for an airport," but genuinely good. That alone would have justified the visit.

What makes Mexico City special: it took me a while to realize that the lounge has a completely separate entrance and area. The regular Platinum lounge next to it was full, overcrowded, and stocked with basic food only. The Centurion Lounge, by contrast, was a different world. Quieter, better equipped, better food, fewer people. Exactly what you imagine when you hear the Centurion promise.

If you are flying through Mexico City and have access: definitely seek out the separate Centurion area. It is worth it.

Sao Paulo -- the Hidden Section

Very good. The Centurion Lounge in Sao Paulo follows a similar concept to Mexico City: a special area that sets itself apart from the general lounge.

Specifically, there is a dedicated section behind the bar. You walk through the regular lounge and then enter the Centurion-only area. This section is quieter, more exclusive, and better appointed than the general lounge space.

The quality is high. Not quite at the level of Mexico City, but clearly above what you get in most airport lounges. If you are flying to or through Sao Paulo, it is worth taking the time.

New York JFK -- Disappointing

This has to be said honestly: New York was disappointing. A few chairs in a dark corner, nothing special about it.

JFK has the reputation of being one of the flagship Centurion Lounge locations. The reality did not convince me. Maybe it is the high expectations you bring to a flagship location, but the visit delivered little of what you imagine a Centurion Lounge to be.

Compared to what Mexico City or Sao Paulo offer, New York falls clearly short. If you only know the JFK lounge, you do not have the full picture of what Centurion Lounges can be.

New Delhi -- Just a Separate Room

Just a few chairs in a separate room at the end. Nothing special.

The Centurion Lounge in New Delhi is essentially a partitioned area with minimal amenities. No special food, no special atmosphere, no reason to plan a visit around it. You sit there because you have access, not because it is worth it.

Honestly, I would have been just as comfortable in the regular airline lounge. The Centurion name alone does not make a good lounge.

The Crowding Problem

I have to be honest about this, because it increasingly affects the lounge experience. The Centurion Lounges are victims of their own success.

When the lounges opened in 2013, access was limited to Centurion cardholders and Platinum cardholders. The cardholder base was manageable, the lounges were oases of calm. Since then, American Express has sold millions of Platinum cards. And all those cardholders have access.

The result: especially at the major hubs, the lounges are overcrowded during peak hours. American Express has responded by tightening access rules since 2023.

Current rules (as of 2026): Platinum cardholders may only enter the lounge within three hours of their departure. Guests for Platinum holders are only permitted for a fee (50 US dollars per guest), unless they have the Centurion Card. Children under 2 are free; older children count as guests.

For Centurion cardholders, the rules are less strict. You can bring guests free of charge (typically two), and the time restriction does not apply.

Has this helped? Partially. The lounges are not quite as overcrowded as in 2022 and 2023, but on peak days, especially before holidays and during vacation season, the difference is slim.

How They Compare

Versus Priority Pass Lounges

There is no real comparison. Priority Pass lounges vary enormously: some are acceptable, many are disappointing. Plastic chairs, stale sandwiches, overcrowded rooms. There are exceptions. Some Priority Pass lounges in Asia are excellent. But on average, Centurion Lounges operate in an entirely different category.

The food is the most obvious difference. In a typical Priority Pass lounge, you get a buffet with standard fare. In a Centurion Lounge, you get a curated menu with freshly prepared dishes. That alone transforms the experience.

Versus Airline Business Class Lounges

This is where the comparison gets more interesting. Good airline lounges, such as the Lufthansa Business Lounge in Frankfurt, the Qatar Airways lounge in Doha, or the Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge, also offer a high standard. In some respects, particularly showers, sleeping areas, and business amenities, airline lounges are often better equipped.

When it comes to food, I give the edge to Centurion Lounges. Airline lounges have larger buffets, but the quality per dish is often higher at Centurion Lounges. The cocktails are significantly better at Centurion Lounges. That is not even a contest.

Atmosphere is a matter of taste. Airline lounges are more functional, more efficient. Centurion Lounges feel more like a bar-restaurant. I prefer the latter when I have time. When I need to quickly shower and work, the airline lounge is more practical.

Versus First Class Lounges

Here, the Centurion Lounges do not stand a chance. The Lufthansa First Class Lounge in Frankfurt, the Emirates First Class Lounge in Dubai, the Singapore Airlines Private Room: that is a different world. More space, more service, fewer people, better food (yes, better than Centurion Lounges), showers, sometimes sleeping rooms, and personal attention.

But: First Class lounges require a first class ticket or the highest frequent flyer status. The Centurion Lounge is accessible with a credit card. For what it is, it is remarkably good.

The European Gap

This is the elephant in the room for European cardholders. There is no Centurion Lounge in Europe in the American sense. At London Heathrow, there is a Centurion area, but it is significantly smaller and less elaborate than the US locations.

For European Centurion cardholders, this means: you benefit from the lounge network primarily when flying to or within the US. In Europe, you are reliant on Priority Pass, airline lounges, or separate lounge programs.

What are the best alternatives in Europe?

Lufthansa Business and Senator Lounges (Frankfurt, Munich). Solid, efficient, good buffet. Senator access requires Star Alliance Gold, which many Centurion cardholders hold through other channels. Not exciting, but reliable.

British Airways Galleries Lounges (Heathrow). Good for long-haul flights, decent food, adequate bar. Access via business class ticket or Oneworld status.

Turkish Airlines Lounge Istanbul. Often called the best business class lounge in the world. The size is impressive, the food is outstanding, the amenities are first-rate. Access via business class ticket or Star Alliance Gold.

The Aspire Lounges and No1 Lounges (various European airports). Accessible via Priority Pass. Quality varies widely, but some locations, such as the No1 Lounge at Gatwick, are surprisingly good.

None of these reach the level of a good Centurion Lounge. But they fill the gap, if imperfectly.

For Centurion cardholders in Germany, access to the Lufthansa First Class Lounge is one of the most valuable perks. With the Centurion Card and a ticket on a Lufthansa-operated flight, you get access to the First Class Lounge, even if you are flying Economy. This only works on flights with an LH flight number, not on Swiss, Austrian, or Brussels Airlines. In Frankfurt and Munich, the Lufthansa First Class Lounge ranks among the best airline lounges in the world.

I would like to see American Express bring the Centurion Lounge concept to Europe. Frankfurt, London, Paris, Amsterdam would be natural choices. Whether that will happen is unclear. Rumors have been circulating for years, but little has materialized.

Tips for Frequent Visitors

After many lounge visits, I have noticed a few patterns that make the difference between a good experience and a frustrating one.

Timing is everything. Most Centurion Lounges are fullest between 7 and 9 AM and between 3 and 6 PM. Mornings because of business travelers, afternoons because of long-haul flights to Europe and Asia. If you have flexibility, go outside those windows.

Eat in the lounge, not at the gate. This sounds obvious but is often ignored. The Centurion Lounges have better food than 90 percent of airport restaurants. Take advantage of that. A proper lunch in the lounge saves you an overpriced sandwich at the gate.

Use the bar right. The cocktails are complimentary and good. But the bartender usually has recommendations beyond the menu. Ask about the cocktail of the day or have something mixed that is not on the list. Most bartenders at Centurion Lounges are experienced enough to accommodate.

Route connections through Centurion Lounge airports. If you have the choice between a layover in Charlotte and one in Atlanta, pick Charlotte. The Centurion Lounge turns a layover from an ordeal into a pleasant stay. I have partly selected my connecting airports in the US based on where there is a Centurion Lounge.

Bring headphones. The lounges are good, but not soundproof. Especially as they fill up, noise-canceling headphones help enormously. A good spot in the corner with headphones is better than a seat in the middle without.

Know the terminal layout. Some Centurion Lounges are inconveniently located, for example in a different terminal than your gate. At JFK, you may need to take the AirTrain to get from your gate to the lounge and back. Plan for that. Nothing is more frustrating than having twenty minutes in the lounge because you underestimated the walk.

The Future of Centurion Lounges

American Express continues to invest in the lounge network. New locations are opening, existing ones are being expanded. The company has recognized that the lounges are one of the strongest arguments for the Platinum and Centurion cards.

The challenge remains balancing exclusivity with reach. The more Platinum cards Amex sells, the more crowded the lounges become. The access restrictions are an attempt to manage the problem, but they do not solve it fundamentally.

For Centurion cardholders, the situation is more comfortable than for Platinum customers. No time restrictions, complimentary guests, and in practice, preferential treatment when things get tight. But the underlying issue affects us too: when the lounge is full, it is full, regardless of which card you hold.

My Conclusion

The Centurion Lounges are the best thing American Express offers in the lounge space. But quality varies enormously. Mexico City was outstanding, Sao Paulo very good. New York and New Delhi did not convince me.

If you only know the US locations or the smaller international lounges, you may have an incomplete picture. The best Centurion Lounges, particularly in Latin America, offer an experience that surpasses what most airline business class lounges deliver. The weaker locations are barely more than a separate waiting area with Centurion branding.

The limitations are real: no location in continental Europe, crowding issues at major hubs, and a quality level that depends heavily on the specific location.

For me as a European cardholder, the Centurion Lounges are a welcome bonus when traveling. They are not a reason to get the Centurion Card. But when I know there is a good Centurion Lounge at my next airport, like Mexico City or Sao Paulo, I am happy to plan time for it. At other locations, I skip the detour.