This certainly wouldn't be the first time that the issuer added a coupon to its $695-annual-fee Platinum Card® from American Express (see rates and fees). The coupon could be added as an Amex Offer, which gives travelers a rebate after spending a certain amount with qualifying merchants. This would act similarly to the Priority Pass Select membership included with other premium cards, except Amex could tailor it for its most exclusive cards. Perhaps Amex could partner with a nearby restaurant or coffee shop to offer cardmembers a discount (or complimentary) food and drinks. If offering to-go food and beverages isn't possible at this moment, another alternative is to offer a voucher for airport concession for those who tried entering, but couldn't be accommodated. While it'd be great if Amex could open more outposts and expand its existing ones, the reality is that space in airports isn't readily available. It's always a bummer when you trek to the lounge, only to be turned away due to overcrowding. Hopefully, Amex will embrace this trend in the coming years as a way to provide some value to cardholders even when space inside the lounge isn't available. So far, Capital One's Dallas/Fort Worth lounge has one of the most extensive to-go offerings we've seen.īut, United might give the issuer a run for its money when it opens the first-ever "United Club Lite" in Denver, which will exclusively offer to-go goodies. This can help minimize crowding in the lounge, and is sure to be a welcome move for those with tight connections. Now, we're seeing more and more spaces offer takeaway snacks and drinks. For years, airport lounges have required that all food and drinks be consumed within the premises. The pandemic is changing how lounge operators view to-go offerings. This move might require reserving some space in the lounge for those redeeming fast passes, but it's a move that many will likely appreciate during their most important visits. That way, the Centurion Lounge would be there when you absolutely needed it. To keep cardmembers happy, perhaps Amex could offer a handful of "fast passes" each year to guarantee entry into the lounge within a prescribed, say 15 minute, window. Whether it's a special trip or it's been a long travel day, there are times when lounge access is more valuable than others. Sometimes, you might really want to get into the Centurion Lounge. That won't make more space appear, but it does improve the experience with transparency and efficiency. (In fact, Amex already uses the Resy integration for access to the Centurio Suite at the U.S. Resy does a great job of integrating with a restaurant's live availability, and it likely wouldn't take too long to add a similar feature across the Centurion Lounge network. In fact, Amex could borrow some of the back-end technology from Resy, the restaurant-management platform that the issuer purchased in 2019. Lounge crowding pre-pandemic (Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy) Now, when you're passing through airports with Amex lounges, you can get a sense for how crowded the space is before making the trek across the terminals.īut, the implementation could use some work.įor one, there are only five qualitative descriptors for lounge capacity, ranging from “not busy” to “a little busy” to “very busy” to “almost full." Last year, we broke the news that Amex added live capacity indicators for Centurion Lounges to its mobile app.
#AMERICAN EXPRESS CENTURION LOUNGE SEATTLE ABOUT FREE#
Get the latest points, miles and travel news by signing up for TPG’s free daily newsletter. But with Chase and Capital One getting in the game as well, now's the time for Amex to double down on its efforts to enhance the Centurion Lounge - and it can start with these eight suggestions. The issuer has the upper hand, for now, when it comes to credit card-branded airport lounges. While the experience vastly differs based on when you're traveling and which outpost you're visiting, it's clear that Amex has some room to improve its lounge offering.
What was once a quiet oasis in the bustling airport has turned into a place that some are actively avoiding.īetween waitlists and limited operating hours, many cardmembers of Amex's premium cards (and TPG staff alike) have complained in recent months about the Centurion Lounge. It's been getting harder to enjoy the American Express Centurion Lounge network.
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