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Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Reviews
First look at the newly expanded Amex Centurion Lounge in Las Vegas
Zach Griff is a senior reporter at TPG. He writes travel and product reviews, deep dives into loyalty programs, news about the airline industry and more.
May 14, 2021 • 10 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
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Quick summary
The Las Vegas airport lounge recently completed a major expansion, increasing its size by nearly 50% to over 13,400 square feet.
New features include additional seating areas, updated furniture, more workstations, an expanded dining area and a second set of restrooms.
The lounge maintains its original location near Gate D1 and now accommodates up to 464 guests, improving comfort and reducing crowding.
Access policies remain unchanged, but guest entry will soon require a $50 fee per person.
What to consider
Guest entry will incur a $50 fee per person starting February 1, 2023.
Some amenities, such as the shower and self-serve buffet, remain limited due to ongoing pandemic restrictions.
A private section within the lounge is reserved exclusively for VIPs and select members, limiting access for most travelers.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed walkthrough of the new lounge layout, including specific seating options, dining upgrades and design enhancements.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Leading up to the pandemic, one of the biggest complaints with Amex Centurion Lounges was overcrowding at times. The issuer built lounges that premium cardholders actually want to visit and they were often full to capacity.
This month, the issuer completed the (much-needed) expansion of its first-ever Centurion Lounge in Las Vegas. The space has increased by 50%, going from nearly 9,000 square feet to more than 13,400 square feet, making it one of Amex's largest lounges to date.
(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
The outpost hasn't moved locations — it's still right across from Gate D1, a short walk from the boarding areas dedicated to Alaska, American, Delta, Frontier, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Sun Country, United and others.
Armed with The Platinum Card® from American Express, I visited the newly renovated lounge on Wednesday morning. Though it might look familiar from the outside, there's a lot to love about the new layout. Let's take a look inside.
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The first thing you'll notice when you enter the Las Vegas outpost is the brand-new reception area, decked out with Amex's signature green living wall, wood accents and bright lights.
(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
Turning left from the welcome desk brings you into the main area of the lounge, which is where you'll find the bulk of the expansion.
(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
There's a new rectangular hallway that connects the expanded area with the lounge's original footprint. Here you'll find three new seating areas.
(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
The first has just a few recliners and tables and could get quite noisy with all the foot traffic entering and leaving. This is also where you'll find a poster of the company's watchdog logo, with two chairs just below it.
(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
The second area features seven individual relaxing nooks on one wall and some couches on the other.
(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
The center of the room is decked out with a zig-zag couch, as well as an assortment of freestanding chairs, recliners and tables.
All of the furniture has been updated to reflect the issuer's latest design motifs that you'll find in some of its newest outposts in New York-JFK and Los Angeles.
(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
The third room at the end of the hallway has a six-person co-working table and six individual freestanding sofa seats, as well as a shared printer and library (that's since been digitalized due to the pandemic).
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(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
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Opposite this room is a new self-serve beverage station with an Eversys coffee machine, a pitcher of orange juice and Vivreau water tap.
(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
There's also a very small private lounge at the back of the new expansion, which is off-limits to most travelers. It's reserved for VIPs and select Centurion cardmembers — I couldn't even grab pictures of it.
In total, the expanded lounge can accommodate 464 visitors per local city ordinances, compared to 391 in the original space. Though this is just a roughly 20% increase, there's definitely more room to move around.
(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
Amex built two new phone booths in the expanded space. They're both located on opposite sides of a supporting pillar in the central artery of the lounge.
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(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
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(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
During the expansion, Amex repurposed the dedicated family room as a new multipurpose room — it's no longer reserved for families, nor does it have any children's toys inside.
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(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
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(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
The dining room also received a notable upgrade. It's much larger, with a mix of high-top and freestanding tables, as well as plenty of booth seating.
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Amex Platinum cardmembers can access Centurion lounges around the world. ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
The bar itself has also been renovated and modernized, though it still offers the Centurion Lounge classics, such as the signature Blue Door cocktail curated by renowned mixologist Jim Meehan.
(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
The buffet used to be adjacent to the bar, often leading to overcrowding as cardmembers grabbed food and drinks.
(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
Now, it's been relocated to a freestanding station in the corner of the lounge. Once the COVID-19 restrictions relax, the buffet will be self-service from two directions, helping to reduce congestion.
(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
For now, however, all food is plated and served by an Amex representative. During my morning visit, breakfast was on offer, featuring chocolate banana pancakes, biscuits and gravy, chicken apple sausage hash and more.
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Next to the buffet is another new unique seating installation — this one has multiple four-person dining tables arranged in a zig-zag configuration.
(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
In addition to the lounge's existing restrooms, the issuer built a second set of facilities just a few steps up from the buffet.
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(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
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The single shower room is still intact, though it's not currently operational due to pandemic restrictions.
The remainder of the lounge is located along the exterior perimeter of the space, with the large glass windows overlooking the ramp providing plenty of natural light.
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The American Express Centurion Lounge at Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport. (LAS). (Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
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This area was largely left untouched during the renovation. There were a few new pieces of furniture here, and aside from what appeared to be new upholstery, this part of the lounge will likely be the most familiar to returning travelers.
(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
One thing that hasn't changed during the expansion is the access policy. You need to have The Platinum Card® from American Express, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express or The Centurion® Card to access the Centurion Lounge.
(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card cardholders receive complimentary access to the Centurion Lounge when flying Delta with a ticket purchased on any American Express card issued in the U.S.
All in all, the new lounge is a massive improvement compared to the original.
In addition to the nearly 50% larger footprint, the look and feel of the space have been upgraded as well. There are two new phone booths, plenty of new workstations, an expanded bar and dining area, and a second set of restrooms. The furniture has also been modernized to align with Amex's latest brand standard.
(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
Only time will tell how crowded the expanded Las Vegas Centurion Lounge will get, but one thing's for sure: Returning visitors will notice the changes.
All photos by Zach Griff/The Points Guy
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.