I noted the other day that American Express is expanding the Houston Centurion lounge from 8,596 square feet to ~ 23,000 square feet in a project expected to take through 2028.
It looks like they will also be enlarging the Philadelphia Centurion lounge, probably their airport space that needs it the most. Commenter JB offers,
Surprised it hasn’t been reported yet, but PHL is also getting an expanded Centurion Lounge. Amex is taking over the BA Galleries Lounge below, which can’t happen soon enough with them being far eclipsed by the Sapphire Lounge!
American Express Centurion Lounge Philadelphia
American Express Centurion Lounge Philadelphia
So I went looking for verification of this and found a document describing the project.
AMEX PHL Lounge (2024-Present)
Airport & Terminal: Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) – Terminal A, West
Brief Scope:
Airport lounge expansion and renovation entailing renovation of existing lounge and
extension to additional lower-level space.
American Express Centurion Lounge Philadelphia
There’s been online rumors for awhile about British Airways giving up its lounge since it’s right by the new American Airlines Flagship Lounge.
The current Philadelphia Centurion lounge is just 6,300 square feet. Waits to get in wind up very long, especially before peak transatlantic departures in the evenings. The British Airways Galleries Lounge space would add another 5,665 square feet. So if Amex takes the entire BA space, the Centurion Lounge would grow to just under 12,000 square feet, almost doubling, but still only about 60% of the Chase Sapphire Lounge’s size.
Seems like a good idea; reduce overcrowding at Centurion. BA passengers may want to be at the new AA Flagship, anyway (however, then, there may be crowding there…)
That BA lounge was my Oasis with the new Flagship lounge over run with people since it opened and the Centurion being overcrowded on any of my long haul international flights out of PHL.
the BA lounge was always annoying – there’s only one BA flight out of Philadelphia anymore, and they rarely let oneworld elite members in if you were flying AA. It also closed down after the last flight on BA/Aer Lingus from Philly, so it really was open minimal hours. This would be a better use of the space.
What better way to honor the semiquincentennial than by American (Express) taking space from British (Airways) in Philadelphia. Let freedom ring!
@Peter — Take that, King George! Bah!
Used AA’s new Flagship Lounge at PHL twice last week. Both times it was packed (peaking at 3-4pm) with limited seating available, except at shared tables. BA’s lounge closing is not going to help.
@Peter @1990 – Ha-haaa!
I wonder if they’ll make it like JFK and only have one point of entry and exit on the top floor. I did enjoy doing a public service at JFK sitting next to the stairs and telling confused people how to get out.
The only way this works is if AA converts the A-West Admirals Club into an extension of the Flagship Lounge during peak hours., let’s say 1 to 8.
@L737 — On lounges, I love the multi-level JFK Centurion, especially the speak-easy on the lower level. Get at least one of those “1850” espresso martinis, if you’re into it!
More broadly, airports like PHL and CLT as needing a complete redo, like what they did to LGA.
@1990 — I shall put that on the list for my next visit!
@L737 — “Djambi, the chocolate icing!”