In January 2021 I reported that American Express would open a Centurion lounge at Washington National airport, near the southern end of the B concourse. The entire terminal, with the exception of the A concourse (“banjo”) is connected behind security, so this will be accessible to eligible passengers flying on most airlines (all except Southwest, Frontier, and Air Canada).
The lounge will be 11,500 square feet, offering American Express standard food, beverages, and shower suites and feature floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking airport operations.
It’s been more than two and a half years, though, and there’s mostly been crickets. Finally there’s progress on the lounge and while it’s recently been reported as opening this year I still wouldn’t be surprised to see it slip to early 2024.
- The space has been boarded up to conceal construction activity, and the boards advertise the coming lounge.
- The food service provider for the lounge, Compass USA, has applied for a Virginia ABC liquor license. Virginia passed emergency legislation earlier this year to allow financial institutions, “their subsidiaries or contractors” to obtain mixed-beverage carrier licenses.
American Express Centurion Lounge Charlotte
Bar at the American Express Centurion Lounge Charlotte
It surprised me to see showers as an amenity when American Express announced the lounge two years ago. Because of legal restrictions, there are very few flights over 1,250 miles to and from the airport. And because the airport has no customs facility, it can only support international routes with airports that offer U.S. immigration preclearance (such as several Canadian cities and Nassau, Bahamas).
Meanwhile Capital One should be opening its Jose Andres Group restaurant dining concept at the airport next year adjacent to the entrance of the D pier.
(HT: J.)
It’s Reagan National Airport. Have some respect. I’m not a Republican either. This is a matter of class and of not dying on your own hill.
@Geary – this has nothing to do with politics, I lived in DC before they renamed it Reagan. Just because politicians decide to call it something doesn’t change what the thing is. Do you call Atlanta airport “Hartsfield-Jackson”?
Here’s the backstory on how the airport got Reagan’s name.
https://viewfromthewing.com/how-washington-national-airport-got-ronald-reagans-name-on-it/
Not an aversion to the name Reagan here, I always called the downtown International Trade Center the Reagan building…
Gary what do you hear about the centurion opening in ATL?
Will this be the only lounge at DCA with shower suites once it opens? If so I wonder how much usage they’ll get.
@Geary stop making everything about politics. Get a life.
This is an aviation website and we’re here to read about the new Amex lounge…
I agree that having showers at a DCA lounge is a bit odd given the nature of the flights operated, but with the weather we’ve been having this week I need a shower after walking across the street, so there’d be no complaining here!
No other lounges in DCA with showers. Currently 3xAA, 1UA, 1DL.
Since you can’t go to lounge on arrival, shower likely isn’t needed. Say you did a red eye into DCA – like PHX-DCA on AA – you might want to get a shower, if you were going direct on a business activity. But you can’t get in the AmEx Lounge on arrival.