The next chapter of American Express lounges is here.
The card issuer has opened the doors to its newest Centurion Lounge — the largest ever — at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. At nearly 26,000 square feet, it’s nearly double the size of the next biggest Centurion Lounge at New York's JFK.
More importantly, it's arguably the most visually stunning in the entire 28-lounge portfolio.
The latest opening, near gate E11 in Atlanta’s international concourse, symbolizes a new era for Amex. A little over a decade has passed since the first-ever Centurion Lounge opened in Las Vegas. Since then, consumer preferences have evolved, and with thousands of additional premium Amex cardholders, more travelers have access. The competition — from the likes of Chase and Capital One— has also been fiercer than ever.
“Lounges have always been a physical manifestation of card membership, but this space [in Atlanta] is our next generation of what that looks like,” Audrey Hendley, president of American Express Travel, shared with Travel + Leisure while in the new lounge.
Indeed, the residential-inspired space — with soaring ceilings, lush greenery, and two outdoor terraces — feels like a significant evolution of Amex’s existing lounge design, one that has by and large remained the same for years. Instead of a cookie-cutter aesthetic replicated across the network, Amex continues to lean further into custom lounges that align with the cities they’re located in.
For the Atlanta location, the centerpiece is a 50-year-old olive tree and a dramatic, cascading custom light sculpture—a combination that greets guests as soon as they enter the canopy-like space. It’s a nod to Atlanta’s reputation as “the city in the forest” and its abundance of trees.
The star of the lounge, though, are the dual patios totaling 4,000 square feet. Each is complete with meticulously landscaped seating areas and heaters and fans for year-round use. On one terrace—in a space that spans nearly the entire length of the lounge — feature the action of the airfield and is an ideal spot for aviation aficionados. For more of an intimate and peaceful experience, however, travelers can take a momentary breather on the interior-facing (and zen-like) terrace.
“One of our main focuses in our lounges is on customer wellness, and here, we want to help bring the outside world in,” Hendley remarked.
Among other notable amenities, Amex will offer its first-ever whiskey bar, dubbed The Reserve by American Express. Besides a selection of classic and new American whiskeys, bartenders will serve a range of signature cocktails (and mocktails, including the Sir Charles Frosty Blue, a non-alcoholic concoction of grapefruit soda, Seedlip Spice 94, salt, and lime). The expansive buffet area features the cuisine of Chef Deborah VanTrece, a James Beard Award semifinalist and owner of three local Atlanta restaurants. Her customized global soul food menu includes specialties like black-eyed pea biryani, za'atar grilled chicken with green tomato chimichurri, and a “Twisted Soul Salad” with strawberry peppercorn vinaigrette.
In addition to the main buffet setup, Amex now offers several wellness stations throughout the lounge with gluten-free and vegan options, including protein bites, salads, smoothies, and immunity booster juice shots. One notable omission? A lack of grab-and-go options or a la carte ordering, as some other lounge competitors offer. Still, the food variety and quality are a noticeable step up from other Centurion Lounges.
Of course, the new Atlanta lounge includes numerous distinct seating areas including multiple communal desks, high-top tables, and comfortable loungers. Nearly all seats in the Centurion Lounge have access to power outlets, USB-C, and USB-A ports. For travelers looking to get some work done, there are four private phone booths and five built-in workstations, available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Centurion Lounge in Atlanta is located in the E concourse by gate E11 and is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.
American Express cardmembers with a Centurion or Platinum-branded card such as The Platinum Card from American Express or The Business Platinum Card from American Express have access to Centurion Lounges within three hours of flight departure. In addition, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card members can access the lounge when flying on a Delta flight.
Only the primary cardholder (and authorized users) have complimentary access to the lounge. Cardholder guests are charged a fee of $50.
Source: https://www.travelandleisure.com/chris-dong-7254869
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