American Express pioneered credit-card-branded airport lounges over a decade ago with its first-ever Centurion Lounge in Las Vegas.
Only passengers with the right AmEx credit card can enter, meaning luxury at the airport no longer requires airline loyalty or a first-class ticket.
AmEx's portfolio has since expanded to more than 40 locations worldwide — and the collection hosts some of the best lounges in the US.
Despite AmEx's reputation, I have always been a loyal Chase Sapphire Reserve credit cardholder, happily paying the $550 annual fee for travel benefits like Priority Pass lounge access and trip and rental car insurance. Chase (and Capital One) have opened their own branded airport lounges to compete.
However, my job means I'm flying a lot, and through my travels, I've taken notice of AmEx's comparatively bigger Centurion collection.
This was particuarly evident in places like Las Vegas and and Atlanta, where the Priority Pass lounges are commonly crowded and underwhelming. Some busy airports like Los Angeles and New Jersey's Newark Liberty don't even have Priority Pass — but LAX has Centurion, and Newark is getting one in 2026.
I wasn't totally convinced the $695 AmEx Platinum was worth looking more into until I visited a Centurion Lounge for the first time on Tuesday, but I now realize what I've been missing out on.
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