You can access more than 1,200 airport lounges with the Amex Platinum - here are the best ones

Advertisement
You can access more than 1,200 airport lounges with the Amex Platinum - here are the best ones
Amex Centurion Lounge Miami

John Parra / Stringer / Getty Images

Advertisement

If you have the Amex Platinum, you can access Centurion Lounges like the location at Miami airport.

While the Platinum card from American Express comes with a lot of different benefits, one of the most enjoyable is airport lounge access. And we're not talking access to just a handful of lounges; cardholders can enter more than 1,200 lounges around the world.

In these comfortable, exclusive spaces, you can enjoy things like free drinks, snacks or heartier food, fast Wi-Fi, comfortable seats, and sometimes amenities like showers or spa treatments.

Even during busy travel periods when the lounges are more crowded, they make peaceful respites from the main terminal's frenetic pace. Whether you're having a few drinks with friends before heading off on an adventure together, or you're having a cup of coffee and answering a few e-mails before on the way to an out-of-town meeting, lounge access is an extremely valuable perk of the Platinum card - especially if you add up the value of all those free drinks and snacks.

Advertisement

In general, lounges are operated by any of a few different parties. Some are run by airlines, either for lounge members or just premium passengers. Others are opened and managed by third-party companies, which tend to sell day passes, and often grant access to premium-cabin passengers with contracting airlines or members of certain participating clubs or networks. Still others are run by airports or terminal management companies themselves.

There are a three groups of lounges that you can access with the Platinum card. Read on to see what they are, as well as some of the best in each category.

Click here to learn more about the Platinum Card from American Express »

Keep in mind that we're focusing on the rewards and perks that make these credit cards great options, not things like interest rates and late fees, which will far outweigh the value of any points or miles. It's important to practice financial discipline when using credit cards by paying your balances in full each month, making payments on time, and only spending what you can afford to pay back.

Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Personal Finance Insider team. We occasionally highlight financial products and services that can help you make smarter decisions with your money. We do not give investment advice or encourage you to adopt a certain investment strategy. If you take action based on one of our recommendations, we get a small share of the revenue from our commerce partners. This does not influence whether we feature a financial product or service. We operate independently from our advertising sales team.

Business Insider may receive a commission from The Points Guy Affiliate Network, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Advertisement

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

{{}}

Amex Centurion Lounges

Amex Centurion Lounges

Arguably the best lounges that you can access while flying domestically in the US, Centurion Lounges are some of the most luxurious and pleasant spaces to relax before — or even after — your flight.

These chic, thoughtfully designed spaces offer a wide range of amenities including complimentary cocktails and food created by award-winning mixologists and chefs, respectively, fast Wi-Fi, comfortable seating, tons of newspapers and magazines, tea and coffee, and private work areas to hold meetings or take calls. Some locations also feature shower suites and/or areas.

There are Centurion Lounges at eight airports around the US:

  • Dallas (DFW)
  • Houston (IAH)
  • Las Vegas (LAS)
  • New York (LGA)
  • Philadelphia (PHL)
  • Miami (MIA)
  • Seattle (SEA)
  • San Francisco (SFO)

There's also a Centurion Lounge in Hong Kong, and additional US locations are set to open in 2020— one each at New York-JFK, Los Angeles International Airport, Denver International Airport, and Phoenix International Airport, and Charlotte International Airport.

In addition, there are 11 "International American Express Lounge" locations at foreign airports, including in Mumbai, Delhi, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Sydney, and, most recently announced, Melbourne.

You can bring up to two guests or immediate family members in with you. If you're traveling with a big group and you're the only cardholder, you can purchase access for additional guests.

There's no one Centurion Lounge that is generally considered the "best," although the locations in Hong Kong and Philadelphia are the newest. San Francisco's is considered to be excellent (pictured above), and the lounge in Las Vegas has a great atmosphere, too.

The location in Seattle was recently renovated, and the Dallas-Fort Worth lounge is undergoing an expansion now. Even during the busy travel period before Thanksgiving, I found the La Guardia location to have plenty of seating and room.

Delta Sky Clubs

Delta Sky Clubs

American Express has a deep-running partnership with Delta Airlines, and one perk is that Platinum cardholders get access to Delta's Sky Club lounges whenever flying with the airline. With more than 30 locations, Sky Club lounges offer snacks, complimentary soft and alcoholic drinks, fast Wi-Fi, and spacious, comfortable seats so that you can relax before your flight. Some of the larger locations feature showers, too.

Depending on the airport, these lounges can vary in size by a lot — for example, the Tampa, Florida Sky Club is a lot smaller than the flagship locations in Delta's Atlanta hub — though they're generally all comfortable.

My personal favorite Sky Club is in Terminal 4 of New York's JFK airport. Not only is it spacious without feeling cavernous, but it also features a great food and drink selection, clean and well-stocked shower suites, and work areas where you can set up and be productive.

The best feature, though, is the "Sky Deck," a large outdoor porch with loungers and tables where you can enjoy a drink (or use the Wi-Fi) in the fresh air while watching planes take off and land. There's something so relaxing about being able to go outside, even when you're post-security in the terminal. The Sky Club in Atlanta at Concourse F also features an outdoor Sky Deck (pictured above).

Access is complimentary for cardholders when flying with Delta, and guest passes are available for a discount.

Advertisement

Over 1,200 lounges around the world through the Priority Pass network

Over 1,200 lounges around the world through the Priority Pass network

Delta Sky Clubs and the Centurion Lounge tend to be more useful when flying within the US (although both have expanded internationally), but you can still access lounges all around the world through Priority Pass, a network of more than 1,200 participating lounges (and a few spots like restaurants and spas) at airports around the world. The network includes some airline's lounges (like the Korean Air business class lounge at JFK), as well as spaces operated by third-party companies and airports.

Amex Platinum cardholders can enjoy an included Priority Pass Select membership, which grants access to you and up to two guests at a time (as long as there's room — Priority Pass lounges can get crowded). If you have an international version of the card, instead of the US version, be sure to double check the guest policy for your card's Priority Pass benefit.

Amenities vary by lounge, but typically feature free snacks, drinks, newspapers and magazines, showers, and more, all separate from the hustle and bustle of the main terminal. Recently, Priority Pass has even started adding airport restaurants and spas to the network. At these restaurants — including the Grain Store at London's Gatwick airport — you'll get a certain amount credited on the bill for you and each guest. At the Grain Store, for example, each guest is entitled to a £15 credit.

While it's hard to pick out the best from a pool of over 1,200, a few that stand out among frequent flyers are the Air China Lounge in Beijing, the Aspire Lounge at Zurich, and the Plaza Premium Lounges in Hong Kong and London Heathrow. I'm also partial to the No. 1 Lounge at London Gatwick, which you can fly out of on Norwegian Air Shuttle for great prices.

Click here to learn more about the Platinum Card from American Express »
Next StoryI consider my HSA to be my secret weapon for retirement savings, and I'm maxing it out before the year ends