Exclusive: Amex shutters Centurion Lounge spas to add seating, combat overcrowding

The American Express Centurion Lounge network will be a little less posh going forward.

That's because the issuer is shuttering all of the spas across its lounge network, a company spokesperson exclusively confirmed to TPG. When Amex first started opening lounges in 2013, the issuer paid special attention to amenities that would help attract cardmembers to use its lounges (and sign up for its pricey premium credit cards).

One such amenity is spas, which have historically been operated in partnership with Exhale. These spas were available nationwide at three Centurion Lounge locations: Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Miami International Airport (MIA) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

While airport lounge spas are undoubtedly a nice-to-have amenity, they do pose a friction point for flyers as demand for treatments almost always outstrips supply. In the Exhale Spas at the Centurion Lounges, there were usually two to four treatment therapists on staff, offering a limited set of nail treatments and chair massages. Unless you were the first to arrive on a given day, most cardmembers needed to wait a while for an appointment.

One solution to address the demand and supply imbalance could've been for Amex to reserve treatments in its spas for its invitation-only Centurion cardmembers.

But instead, the issuer will use the space occupied by the spas for additional seating. Amex didn't share how much more seating it expects to offer due to the spa closures, but I wouldn't necessarily expect it to make that much of a difference when it comes to overcrowding and waitlists. (After all, the spas never occupied more than a small room.)

That said, every little bit of seating counts, and hopefully, Amex will use the funds that it's recovering from the expenses related to the spa to increase the number of servers and quality of the food-and-beverage service across its network.

Amex confirmed the closure of its Centurion Lounge spas with the following statement:

As of this past Thursday, October 3rd, in order to add more seating areas and accommodate more eligible Card Members, American Express is closing the Exhale spas in the Centurion Lounges at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Miami International Airport, and Los Angeles International Airport.

Even though Amex only had spas in three of its Centurion Lounge outposts, the prestige and aura of luxury associated with the issuer's lounge network will undoubtedly take a hit with this news. After all, Amex's two big credit card lounge competitors continue to offer a slew of enticing, headline-grabbing amenities that trump Amex's offerings.

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This includes Peloton rooms in the Capital One Lounge and custom facials in the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club.

Related reading:

• The best credit cards for airport lounge access
• Guide to lounge access with the Amex Platinum and Business Platinum
• The do's and don'ts in an airport lounge
• Domestic lounges that are worth going out of your way for
• Which is the best American Express credit card for you?