Phoenix Likely Getting An Amex Centurion Lounge

Let's see how long it'll be until ORD gets a Centurion lounge. Pretty sure that every AA and UA hub except EWR have one or is getting one at this point.

That location is really out of the way for anyone connecting on AA.

Is there an update on the opening dates for the previously announced Centurian Lounges? Specifically, JFK and DIA should be opening soon based on the initial timelines.

@Matt - I've been wondering too, and asked on the AskLucky forum with no responses. I have a fair amount of travel through JFK T4 this spring and was hoping that the Centurion would be ready.

Hope it's bigger than the one in SFO. The lounge at SFO is always crowded, dirty and a downright dump.

This is going to be rough being pointless during construction 🙁 . The space is way too small to encompass both lounges - hardly big enough for a proper Amex lounge if they took the whole space. There’s a wasted “landing” area at the top of the elevator which could be utilized, along with the bathrooms which are currently outside of the lounges (there’s actually a family restroom here with a SHOWER that can be used by anyone in the terminal - crazy huh?). On the plus side the space has tarmac views.

@travel4b - if you connect on AA you could potentially land and depart at a gate right next to the lounge, as I did on Monday.

@chub - With the upcoming Global Terminal project, not sure if we will see much investment into O’Hare.

On the other hand, I think there is still space at the former Flagship Lounge at the end of K, and it will still be about 10 years for the Global Terminal to be completed.

@Lucky - While on the subject of Escape Lounges, it looks like they opened a new one at Greenville-Spartanburg in October.

@lucky — Further to @chub’s comment, it would be interesting if you considered doing a post about which big airports in the U.S. do *not* have Centurion Lounges and where we might see them added. Of the top 25 airports by passenger boarding, it looks like the only places that don’t have AmEx lounges are: ATL, ORD, EWR, MCO, BOS, MSP, DTW, FLL, BWI, SLC, IAD, DCA.

Although they have a lot of passengers, MCO, BOS, FLL, BWI are not really major hubs (and I would think MCO/FLL are mostly low-yield markets, probably with a lower percentage of passengers with AmEx Platinum). AmEx seems mostly focused on hubs, so those might be less likely.

Obviously, ATL, DTW, MSP, and SLC are Delta hubs; while AmEx might put lounges in those locations like it’s doing as JFK Terminal 4, you’d sort of expect them to feel less of a need because cardholders in those cities are probably loyal Delta flies and they could get Delta club access with their card.

EWR is huge, but mostly in Terminal C, which is owned and controlled by United. The terminals are not connected airside there, so there’s no way for AmEx to offer a lounge that would actually be useful to the vast majority of the fliers at EWR, since most fliers will be at Terminal C.

So is ORD the next most logical destination? Do United and American control the space there, or can a third party pick up lounge space that would be convenient for their passengers? Would be interesting to see @lucky’s thoughts on this.

Lounges in MEX, MTY, EZE, DEL, TLC, MEL and SYD are part of the American Express Lounges, and not Centurion.
https://thecenturionlounge.com

@John : regarding ORD, if they can find space at T-2 right past TSA security that'll be most ideal to serve both AA customers (T3) and UA ones (T1 and partially T2), not to mention most other domestic pax in T2. The absolute worst case would be placing it in T5, and benefiting no one.

DCA's layout makes it a huge challenge to put any meaningful lounge. As for MCO, it's not inconceivable for Amex to put one there considering there's one in LAS.

@lucky - maybe a follow up post on what the difference is between Centurion Lounges and "other" Amex lounges?

There seems to be a lot of confusion in what's normally a very sophisticated comment section, certain posters excluded...

I was in MEX two months ago and could have sworn it was a Centurion lounge. I definitely didn't notice any big differences between that one and other centurion Lounges. Other commenters are correct that it is in fact an "other" lounge. I found the map of Amex lounges but couldn't find what the actual difference is. Some insight would be much appreciated!

Ha - that was supposed to be on the Heathrow blog comments. Still applies...

@Peter, I made the same mistake.
My comment should be on the Heathrow post...

This is incredible news! As Lucky said, I actually wouldn't mind if it was just a large Escape lounge... anytime I'm flying out of the Bay Area I actually try to fly out of OAK because it's *never as crowded*, I don't have to clear security twice, and the food is still decent enough to substitute a meal for.

AND if Priority Pass gets shut out of the lounge scene at PHX T4, it's more and more likely that we'll get a restaurant or two instead... and I sure wouldn't mind if PP paid for my tab at Four Peaks haha

Just passing thru the centurion lounge yesterday for breakfast. It was very nice. Fair amount of people having breakfast. Staff was very attentive.

I'm really looking forward to Toronto getting a Centurion lounge soon!

Stoked. However its great for AA and if you want to walk for SWA. Next to the Club PHX there is a Huge room that is not being used. As one reader stated there is gobs of wasted space. Not sure why that can't be used as lounge space?
I was there about a month ago and The Club is actually two lounges. One is used by BA for their flight, the other for the rest. With a Skyclub coming in T3 and a Centurian lounge this makes life easier.

@dan, actually that’s been a lounge this year since around March, and is now part of the Club at PHX. It was used for the Condor flights to FRA and during the BA hours it’s available with priority pass (previously the lounge stopped accepting passengers after 15:00 unless on the BA flights).

The estimates of the total square footage though include this new lounge space as well as the existing Club with the two rooms (former BA club and first lounges) that are still used exclusively by BA from 15:30 until close.

My guess is it will be a Centurion Studio like Seattle if approved, given the size constraints. As to the other posts about the difference between Amex and Centurion lounges, it is driven by how AXP structures their business lines. The Centurion lounges (as we know them in the USA) are an initiative driven out of the U.S. card business. The non-US markets are their own P&Ls (with some centralized international support), so they would build their own lounges. That’s what we often see quality differences outside the US or there is more nuance in the standards (e.g. HKG lounge is different from US ones). Obviously the US business unit doesn’t have a monopoly on call them “Centurion Lounges” so the international business units do what they want. (And probably some of the international business units think its a confusing name since their Centurion Cardmembers are not the only ones that can access.)