We need to talk about the decline in American Express Centurion lounges. They were once great. They aren’t any longer. They aren’t as good as they used to be, and both Capital One and Chase offerings are better. But even those lounges can get super crowded, too, and aren’t the oasis they’re cracked up to be.
It’s increasingly common to see reactions like this, because Centurion lounges used to be a high quality product but they’re stale design, the food isn’t very good, and yet they’re more crowded than ever. In 2018 I wrote that they’d gotten so busy that ‘nobody goes there anymore’.
Since then things got much worse as (1) American Express signed up so many more Platinum cardmembers, (2) they added access as a benefit of Delta premium credit cards, and (3) people started coming to the airport earlier because of the shift towards leisure travel and because of the high variance in TSA wait times.
I have no theory of mind for people who use the AmEx lounge at airports. I had the platinum card for years (I’ve since cancelled) and every time I used a lounge it was just horrendously overcrowded. Class conscious members of the PMC lining up like cattle so as to prove that…
— (@EudaimoniaEsq) March 20, 2026
And is there anything premium about passengers sleeping in the entryway when there’s nowhere to sit inside the lounge in Philadelphia?
Back when American Express negotiated their first lease at the Dallas – Fort Worth airport, American Airlines objected. Centurion lounges drove competition and raised the standard. Airline lounges upped their game. And we’ve learned that passengers actually choose their connecting cities based on lounge.
Amex lounge food was very good then. The Dean Fearing brisket in Dallas was delicious. The spaces had a premium feel, and the food even looked good.
When New York LaGuardia was opened in 2014 the partner chef was Cedric Vongerichten of Perry Street restaurant in New York (son of Jean Georges). San Francisco opened with Christopher Kostow, three Michelin star chef of Napa’s The Restaurant at Meadowood. The food was something their chef partners could be proud of.
Chef Christopher Kostow at San Francisco Centurion Lounge Opening Event
Since then they have closed the spas. The food is no longer good. The design has aged.
I don’t see beef much these days. Overcooked pasta in big vats just doesn’t have the same appeal as the premium buffets American Express offered when these lounges were new.
Card annual fees have gone up and you have less access – no more free guests (unless you spend $75,000 a year on the card, but that doesn’t get you entry priority), you can no longer enter more than 3 hours prior to flight – yet those changes didn’t reduce crowding because they kept minting more passengers with access.
Now we have Chase lounges and Capital One lounges and those are better! Ironically their premium cards have lower annual fees than Amex Platinum. I still keep my Platinum, because I get more value from the coupon book than the fee and it gives me access to these lounges and Delta’s lounges when I fly Delta. But I don’t use Centurion lounges often even when they’re an option.
I choose the American Airlines Admirals Club on Washington National’s E Concourse over the American Express Centurion lounge at that airport, even though both entail walks to American Airlines mainline gates.
American Airlines Admirals Club, DCA E Concourse
The food in many Delta lounges is better than in Centurion lounges. Of course, we see waits to get into the Delta lounges and now that Amex went to digital waitlists we stopped seeing those lines the way we used to.
Credit: TravelZork
Credit: TravelZork
The whole point of an airport lounge is not to wait in the terminal. There’s nothing luxury about queueing. Delta for years promoted the idea that ‘when everyone’s elite, nobody is.’ When there are so many cardmembers traveling through airports that there are lines to get into their lounges, the lounges cannot in any way be considered ‘elite’.
Credit card premium lounges are a victim of their own success, attracting more customers (which detracts from the experience) and driving up costs (which lead to cutbacks in the experience). And 13 years on even the design feels dated.
The story of Centurion lounges is an analog for modern society – where aspiration and upward mobility creates crowding at the top. Access has expanded, and that makes these spaces less elite. So the snobbish amongst us don’t like it.
However, there’s a market opportunity for lounges that are actually premium like the Capital One Landings in D.C. and at New York LaGuardia, or that have real access caps and prioritize entry for high-spend cardmembers. Amex already sets aside space in their lounges for Black Card cardmembers, but they’re still getting the same mid furnishings and food.
Agree completely. Went to Centurion on Thursday AM at LGA TB. Was, as usual, packed and food was not great. Only went there because Chase had a wait list. So sat there for 15-20 minutes until Chase opened up and then went next door. Night and day. Food at Chase LGA is terrific with all of the Joseph Leonard affiliated restaurants. Right now they have Sailor doing the food – it’s great. Crowd is better too (both in terms of it not feeling packed and in terms of, uh, vibe?).
I asked my wife how she valued the two lounge experiences. After both chuckling about how we might only go because it’s “free”, she put a value of $25 on Amex and $100-150 on Chase.
Amex/DL can rest on their laurels mostly due to lack of meaningful competition from UA/AA. Sort of works, sort of doesn’t work (DL clearly saw it was not completely working, hence the new D1 lounges). That said, Amex Plat is still the best card for most travelers simply because the lounge network is huge. But there’s a reason Chase can raise its fees and get away with it – more premium feeling lounges in HNWI locations.
Amex lounges have the appeal somewhere between an upscale nursing home and a gas station serving sushi
Thats why they deserve huge annual fees
Did I say their domestic airline partners suck unless one considers the subpar Delta a high value partner .Where you can have the privilege of flying LGA TO ATL for 50,000 miles in coach
Who knew sitting by the gate could feel so premium?
” somewhere between an upscale nursing home and a gas station serving sushi”
No more calls, folks! We’ve got a winnah!
Ah, I’m still a sucker for their pancakes…
Sigh. I see this a “repeat the old stories” day. You recycle some version of this story every month or so it seems. I guess we will get an article about how great the Citi Strata Elite and Bilt cards are later today.
Frankly I’m as lazy as you are. I keep planning to drop this blog as I get all my true airline and rewards info from others but haven’t done so yet.
The other trend is annual fees going up on premium cards. People will start to cull and the Platinum card isn’t competitive as the lowest earner with the worst lounges.
@Pat – I keep waiting for that to happen but so far the exact opposite seems (anecdotally) to be true. Also, while I hate the packed lounges, Amex Platinum offers a range of valuable benefits beyond that — especially pertaining to hotels and redemption opportunities.
live in los angeles and france. the lounge at lax has always been awful, low depressing ceiling height, crap for food but actually decent cocktails. the AF lounge on the other hand is amazing. this is the last year for our platinum cards, just no value in them anymore for us.
Safety first. In 2025, the American Express Centurion Lounge in Salt Lake City, Utah, racked up an impressive 38 critical and non-critical health violations from the Salt Lake County Health Department. Some violations cited were: There is no soap at each hand sink used by employees and there is no hand drying provision at the hand sink, and hand sinks in restrooms and kitchen with automatic mixing valve must reach 85-100 F within 30 seconds and must stay on for 15 seconds without needing to be reactivated, and the chemical dispenser for the mop sinks must have water supply line separate from any sink faucet. The health department documented that these critical violations were not corrected on-site during their inspection. If you are concerned about safety, take action and call the Salt Lake County Health Department at (385) 468-4100, Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM to report or inquire about violations.
On December 10, 2024, the American Express Centurion Lounge in Atlanta received a failing score of 69 from the Georgia Department of Public Health. Health inspectors found repeated insect violations in the main bar area, uncovered food, and open beverages on the countertop in the main kitchen. To help ensure safe conditions and prevent foodborne illness, immediately report any issues you notice to the local or state health department.
I remember being so excited stepping into the early days of the DFW Centurian lounge. Then when a club was announced for Philadelphia (my home airport). I have since been back to the DFW lounge a few times and the food is awful, club is not a premium feel. The Capital one lounge was so much nicer and better food options. (been more than a year) I have never liked the food at the Philadelphia lounge I usually use it as a place to reorganize after security and go to one of the available restaurants. I have my own reasons for wanting the Platinum card but it would never been a reason only for points or for lounge access, the cost is too high and I would never wait an hour to go into a lounge. If I could only have one card it would be one of the many chase options.
Let’s face it the cost here in the US drives everything! Unless your flying first class& that has a lounge
Most of the lounges overseas are much better! If u are flying premium there& have a higher lounge
It[s Amazing.
Much like first class out of the US is hit or miss… flying back first class can be amazing
@1990 – I get my pancakes from the machines in Alaska lounges
Only decent thing about the Centurion Lounges is the alcohol and cocktail menu. What amazes me is that according to AMEX, the average platinum card holder makes $400k+ per year (lies and posturing) and is worth $1 million (more lies and posturing).
I welcome the competition from other credit cards; more lounges, less crowding, one can only hope.
Something new I’ve noticed in the Centurion Lounges, people loading up on drinks and putting them in their thermos’. Dangerous mix, bringing your own alcohol on board, but here we are in 2026 when anyone can get a platinum card.
Years ago, I had an Amex Platinum card and lounge memberships for one reason: Customer Service. When traveling, they were great tools. Flight get canceled? You didn’t go to Customer service, you went to the lounge because the people there could help exponentially faster than getting on line and calling a toll free number. If your flight was the last of the day…You called Amex Travel, who could usually find you a nice hotel room before they were snatched elsewhere.
Today Amex has slashed its customer service, and continues to do so. It’s not the worst, but it’s certainly no better than others these days…
Can the lounge staff help you with travel issues? No, they are not trained or empowered to help even with Delta reservations. You can get all the pasta with red sauce you want if this works for you…
In many cases, the service outside the lounge is better these days.
If you are a person who holds a Centurion card, I cannot imagine you would bother ever visiting an Amex lounge. Maybe in CLT, maybe in PHX, but honestly, how often do Centurion cardholders pass through those airports?
At DFW this morning. After a pleasant stop at the Cap1 lounge we passed by the Centurion Club on the way to our gate. Line was out the door and down the hall. I haven’t been able to enter (without a long wait) since I can’t remember when. My Amex Platinum card is a cancellation candidate.
What a timely article. FLL Lounge was AWFUL this weekend. Employees at the front were rude and told a 30 mins wait. We left, 2 hours later we got the text welcoming us.
The problem is that there is no longer any kind of cost to get into the lounges. Twenty years ago, I used to pay hundreds of dollars for a Platinum card only for the lounge access (and Amex didn’t even have their own lounges back then). Now, there are so many rebates on the card that negate the annual fee that basically anyone can walk in (and all their companions can get a free with rebate card and walk in too). You can’t win if there are no losers, you can’t get ahead if everyone does, nobody is premium if everyone is, and nobody gets into the lounges if everyone gets in. These days the terminal is actually the premium space because you get all the seats to yourself and can pay for food you actually want to eat.
Meh. While most of the points are valid, the complaining and whining really isn’t.
1) Premium cards, especially the Amex Platinum, aren’t that expensive. The Amex Platinum is basically free for most cardholders. Chase Sapphire Reserve, Capital One Venture X, etc all cost less than a single airline ticket or hotel night in most cases (this is before considering their rebates). Can you really complain about lounges when you don’t pay for them? If these cards costs thousands of dollars, then you could complain.
2) The food has declined significantly in the Centurion Lounge, but it is still the credit card lounge that seems to consistently have the best free alcohol selection. SkyClubs have better food, for example, but you see people swiping their Delta Reserve cards for good alcohol all the time.
3) Sitting at the bar and talking to your fellow travelers is one of the simple pleasures of air travel. You can of course do this at airport restaurants, but I have had great conversations at lounge bars over the years. If you are just sitting down, headphones in and pretending to be important and busy while pecking away at your laptop, you are doing it wrong. Airports are the crossroads of humanity, talk to people.
4) Bathrooms and wi-fi access are still better in the lounge regardless of these other considerations
5) I, for one, like the more democratic aspect of lounge visitation. The “You can’t win if there are no losers” (quoted from a another reply) mentality is for the birds. Airplanes are modes of public transportation, airports are public transportation terminals, lounges are pay to enter spaces available to all that can pay. You are not elite because you are flying – you are a traveling member of the general public. Most people traveling in airports are focused on getting where they want to go while being productive or having fun while doing so, not causing trouble or being disruptive.
Apparently they now serve kosher food at the JFK and LGA lounges. It will be good to see how this compares with what’s available at the Sky Club. From what I read, the Centurion offerings could be better. I’ve lobbied for this as have others, it’s nice when vendors listen.
Centurion DEN has been better than Capital One DEN every time I’ve done them.
I’ve often chuckled at the empty black card only spaces in Centurion lounges. I suspect that nobody with the resources to get a black card would be caught dead in a Centurion lounge these days.
You guys are absolutely insane if you think the capital one or chase lounges are better. They serve gas station quality food in nice tiny plates that barely qualifies for a meal. I actually got the card because of funny articles like this and find myself enjoying the Amex lounges 100x better still. The fresh food cannot be found in the additive laiden trash you get at Capital One and American admirals clubs and chase. Yes, I still go to them…but only to test them out. You all can say Amex doesnt set the standard anymore but I wholeheartedly disagree completely. Maybe delta is better in US SOMETIMES. Btw also capital one lounges have been even harder for me to get in recently than Amex.
Correction: Chase lounges are the opposite of uncrowded. I have visited 3 and never once seen them packed to the gills like Amex. The problem, of course, is that they don’t have a waitlist, so the wait times can be even worse than Amex.
Amex food is awful. But you left out a few important points:
(1) Amex has a waitlist that you can join at any time. So you may be able to avoid the wait if you time it right (alas a roll of the dice depending on traffic and security checkpoints)
(2) Amex has a Plat card that offers a free AU (Morgan Stanley), so you don’t need to pay AU fees for everyone
(3) Amex Plat cards also provide access to DL lounges, so essentially you get a 241, which no other card provides (excepting the JPM Reserve)
All that said, the only reason to pay the absurd AF for the Amex Plat and to jump through all the idiotic monthly coupon book credit hoops is for Amex Lounge access – otherwise you might as well dump this card after the SUB because there are better travel cards.
Atlanta/AMEX lounge..food selection is slop..i have mentioned my dissatisfaction to AMEX several times..also.staff is not friendly either. I find Delta Sky club much better.. For the membership cost..it is so not worth it..
LHR might be the exception that I’ve been to – excellent food, excellent service, regardless of how busy. NRT looks similarly good. It’s the US lounges that are the problem. I also think many Americans are afraid to say the real reason these lounges are so bad – serving US military getting free cards therefore free access massively devalues the exclusivity of the lounge.
The only way it will get better is if cc drop lounge access or limit to a few per year. I actually would prefer to pay per entry if we go back to the old days of quiet lounges. No time nazi enforcements, lines to get in like the PP premium lounges. I’m tired of seeing people pile on plates of food like they haven’t eaten since Jimmy Carter was president.
3+ hour layover in MIA last Monday, got on AMEX Centurion wait list via app as soon as we recleared security. 1 hour and 40 minute wait before we were contacted. At that point we were an hour into a conversation with a nice couple from Bermuda in the AA Lounge across from Amex. Never left.
I agree with Anthony on points 3 and 4 it is why Gary is almost famous at airports. I have to share with Hal, those tables are reserved and we do use them. PHL are not frequently used but I see some of the clubs are. I still do not like the food at most if not all the clubs.
I’m not so sure about the snobbery part. I don’t much care if the place has more people and is therefore less exclusive. I just want a comfortable place to eat, drink, and relax – preferably with higher quality offerings. Your reasons for crowding and the virtual and actual lines are valid.
The basic problem is pretty simple. Airlines and credit card companies are providing access to more people but not increasing the capacity needed to provide a quality experience to all those eligible. They have, in effect, created an increased demand that exceeds the supply. This should not surprise us. It’s a lot easier to recruit new “premium” customers through these credit-card programs than it is to create airport lounge spaces. But the problem (if it really is a problem) should be self-correcting over time; either the airlines and credit-card companies will increase lounge space and services to meet demand, or increasing numbers of their customers will conclude the actual experience isn’t worth the cost of membership and demand will fall. Of course, it’s possible that the current situation, with long lines, crowding, and degraded services, represents the new equilibrium. This will depend largely on whether well-off consumers continue to pay high fees for “premium” credit cards and their benefits, despite the lounge experience not being much better than just sitting by the gate for a couple of hours.
The way people on those lines says it all — they’re mass-market!
Robert – the fact that lounge demand continues to increase indicates that lounge customers continue to value the *current* experience over waiting at the gate. It may not be the same set of lounge customers as it was 5-10 years ago, but that doesn’t really matter. And as pointed out many times, card membership isn’t all that expensive relative to the credits cards provide, the cost of travel in general, income levels of travelers, and the other benefits / uses of holding a credit card.
I cancelled my AMEX card two years ago over this mess. They had no apologies and offered no mitigations to my multiple complaints about their lounges. I have found Chase lounge at SAN to be very nice, as are some upgraded United lounges such as DEN. Never going back to AMEX!