American Express has today announced a major expansion to its Centurion Lounge network. I’ve already covered how the Centurion Lounge planned for Newark (EWR) will be bigger than previously announced, but that’s only the beginning.
We’re also going to see a second Centurion Lounge open at an airport that already has one, plus two existing Centurion Lounges expanded. Let’s go over the details…
London Heathrow gets second Amex Centurion Lounge
American Express plans to open a second Centurion Lounge at London Heathrow Airport (LHR), in Terminal 5, complementing the existing lounge in Terminal 3. The new lounge will be roughly 9,000 square feet, and is supposed to open in 2028.
Details are limited, but the lounge is expected to feature premium food and beverage offerings, a variety of seating and dedicated work areas, a VIP area, and “design inspired by London’s cultures, histories, and the River Thames.”
Terminal 5 is of course home to British Airways, so this will be one of the only non-oneworld lounges in the terminal. At just 9,000 square feet, expect that this lounge could get quite busy.
Philadelphia gets expanded Amex Centurion Lounge
American Express plans to expand its Centurion Lounge at Philadelphia Airport (PHL). The lounge will double in size, from its current 6,000 square feet, to two stories totaling more than 12,000 square feet. The lounge will temporarily close for renovations on October 16, 2026, and it’s expected to fully reopen by the end of 2027.
The expanded lounge is expected to feature “design inspired by Philadelphia’s history, creative energy, and craftsmanship, alongside work from local artists.” Beyond that, the lounge is expected to have a Blue Roast by American Express Coffee and Wellness Bar.
Houston gets expanded Amex Centurion Lounge
American Express plans to expand its Centurion Lounge at Houston Intercontinental Airport (IAH). The lounge will nearly triple in size, from 8,000 square feet to more than 23,000 square feet, making it one of the largest Centurion Lounges in the network. The expanded lounge is expected to open in 2028 — there’s no indication of the existing lounge closing, so I’m not sure what exactly is going on there, but I’ll report back when I hear more.
New offerings will include a specialty dining experience inspired by Houston’s culinary scene, Blue Roast by American Express, a second full service bar, expanded seating, and additional restrooms and showers. As Amex describes it, “with a design influenced by the surrounding landscape and coastal influence, the reimagined space will celebrate Houston’s vibrant culture, culinary scene, and enduring connection to space exploration.”
Bottom line
There are huge upgrades coming to the Amex Centurion Lounge network. We’re going to see a second Centurion Lounge open at London Heathrow, as well as significantly expanded Centurion Lounges in Houston and Philadelphia. These are all awesome changes, especially when paired with the new Centurion Lounge Newark.
What do you make of these Centurion Lounge updates?
in PHL they are taking over the BA lounge which is currently under the existing AMEX lounge. The BA lounge is already closed. Is BA going to open a new lounge? Currently there is just a sign saying BA customers can use the AA flagship lounge which is going to be bonkers crowded now. That lounge is tiny.
The Amex lounge in Houston was the first airport lounge of any kind I ever visited. At the time I was blown away! I proceeded to visit it many times for a few years. It was so nice to get a "free" hot meal as I was primarily an economy traveler.
However, I soon discovered that it was actually really modest compared to the best lounges. The primary issue was that it was just...
The Amex lounge in Houston was the first airport lounge of any kind I ever visited. At the time I was blown away! I proceeded to visit it many times for a few years. It was so nice to get a "free" hot meal as I was primarily an economy traveler.
However, I soon discovered that it was actually really modest compared to the best lounges. The primary issue was that it was just so tiny, and as time went on it got more and more crowded as more people got the Platinum card. The crowding got so bad I eventually was forced to just ignore it whenever passing through.
Good to see it expanding so much. It desperately needs it.
Impressive plans. If only the lounge experience actually matched the images.