Amex is again making some minor changes to Centurion Lounge access.
Lounge overcrowding is a legitimate issue in just about every network across the US, from Delta Sky Clubs to Priority Pass. Centurion Lounges have been among the worst offenders over the last few years, with lounges in busy US airports often operating at capacity during peak times, and waits of more than one hour are common.
Amex has tweaked the access rules for Centurion Lounges a few times; the most significant change was removing guest access for American Express Platinum® and Business Platinum® cardholders, unless they spent $75,000 on their card within a calendar year.
Amex has announced two additional minor changes to Centurion Lounge access, both taking effect July 8th (one of the more random “in effect” dates that I’ve seen):
- Guests will have to be on the same flight as the cardmember that they are entering with (this applies to Platinum cardholders who have spent enough to have guest access)
- Cardholders on connecting flights will be able to access the lounge only within five hours of their departure time, unlike the current policy, which doesn’t specify a limit on layovers.
Quick Thoughts
These are both pretty minor changes. I do know of a few people who spend $75k on their Platinum card and use it for business meetings or time with colleagues at the airport, and I can imagine this change making it somewhat less attractive to make the effort to spend towards guest access.
The layover restriction doesn’t seem to be terribly onerous. Already, folks on outbound flights can only access the lounges 3 hours prior to departure. This extends the limit by two hours, even though it is more restrictive than the current policy.
(h/t:TPG)
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Whatever, I was expecting a limited number of visits each year similar to what the Canadian plat card got recently.
Chase Sapphire lounges allow Zero extra minutes for connecting flights. Today at LAS I was at the Sapphire lounge and they confirmed that. Amex should have the same policy. I also went to the Centurion lounge LAS today. I prefer the Sapphire lounges to Cap1 and Amex. Sapphires should drop Priority Pass.
I can see why they’re doing it, but kind of a bummer for me. When I’ve done one day turns out of an airport with a lounge, it’s meant that I can use it as an arrival’s lounge as well.
The 5 hour limit is definitely a negative. I have intentionally booked 8 hour layovers to use the clubs as my remote work area. Not the end of the world, but a downer. They should remove those restrictions if you meet the 250k amex business spend that unlocks the other bennies
Same, I’ve booked a couple of 6 to 8 hour connections at DFW. Lunch at the Centurion, dinner at the Capital One lounge!
Still workable, but not as good as it was of course.
Boo. Hiss. (meh, it’s probably fine.)