Amex announces a new Centurion Lounge at Atlanta International Airport

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Rumors of a new Centurion Lounge at Atlanta’s primary airport have been doing the rounds for some time and Amex has even put out a few hints here and there, but it has taken until today for an official announcement to be put out – the Centurion Lounge at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport will open in 2023.

Atlanta’s Centurion Lounge

The new Centurion Lounge at Atlanta International Airport will be the largest lounge in the Centurion network and at approximately 26,000 sq ft, it will dwarf the current largest lounge – the New York JFK Centurion Lounge which measures approximately 15,000 sq ft – and the lounge that was due to take over that mantle – the San Francisco Centurion Lounge which will measure approximately 16,000 sq ft when its expansion is complete.

Amex hasn’t exactly gone overboard with the information provided today (hopefully more will be revealed in the coming months) but this is what we have been told so far:

• The new Atlanta Centurion Lounge will be centrally located between Atlanta’s domestic and international terminals in Concourse E.
• The new lounge will be accessible from every terminal through The Plane Train or by walking along the Transportation Mall.
• The lounge will have “multiple outdoor areas” which will include a garden terrace with “open tarmac views” – an AvGeeks idea of heaven!
• Inside, the lounge will offer the usual array of “travel essentials” such as private telephone rooms, shower suites, high-speed Wi-Fi, and private noise-buffering workspaces.
• The beverage and dining selections on offer will be “locally inspired” (every Centurion Lounge says the same thing!) and guests will have access to a “modern bourbon bar” and a Centurion Lounge mixologist.

Amex has also said that “additional local and unique amenities specific to the Centurion Lounge in Atlanta will be announced closer to opening” so we will have to wait a bit longer to get further details.

Who can access Amex Centurion Lounges?

Access is restricted to the holders of the following cards:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express (review)
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
• The Centurion Card® from American Express
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (review)
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card

Holders of various American Express Platinum Cards and Centurion Members can access the lounges together with up to two guests regardless of what airline they’re flying with*.

Delta Skymiles Reserve Cardholders (both varieties) can only access the Centurion Lounges when flying with Delta.

For flyers originating at an airport with a Centurion Lounge, access is granted a maximum of 3 hours before their scheduled departure time. For flyers connecting at an airport with a Centurion Lounge, that limitation is waived.

*From 1 February 2023, Amex Platinum cardholders will be charged $50 for each guest they bring into a Centurion Lounge unless they spend at least $75,000 per year on their card in which case they will continue to receive complimentary lounge access for two guests. There is no proposed change to the Centurion Card’s guess access privileges.

Bottom Line

At some point in 2023, we can expect American Express to open a new Centurion Lounge at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The new lounge will be over 70% larger than the current largest Centurion Lounge and as with all Centurion Lounges, will be decorated and modeled in a way that represents the local area.

Overall and considering Atlanta International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world (it was *the* busiest airport by passenger traffic before the pandemic), an Atlanta Centurion Lounge has long been overdue so it’s nice to see Amex finally confirming that a noticeable gap in it’s US lounge presence is being filled – something tells me that the Platinum Card’s take-up and retention rates in the Atlanta area may soon be on the rise 🙂