Complimentary Centurion Lounge Access for Amex Platinum Cardholders
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Some great news for cardholders of the Platinum Card, Business Platinum and Mercedes-Benz Platinum cards from American Express traveling through Las Vega or Dallas - the Centurion Lounges at McCarran Internationl Airport and Dallas Fort Worth Airport are now allowing them access for free.
Mommy Points wrote about it this morning and an Amex rep on the American Express Community forum that: "Platinum Card Members now receive free access to the Centurion Lounge as part of their Card benefits. You may bring your spouse or domestic partner and children under 18 or 2 traveling companions as complimentary guests."
I have had the Platinum Card from American Express for a few years now and think it's one of the most valuable cards in my wallet thanks to the extensive array of perks and benefits the card comes with. I actually switched over from the personal Platinum Card to the Mercedes-Benz Platinum card which comes with all of the same benefits and an increased sign-up offer of 50,000 points after $3,000 spent within the first 3 months (though Amex has since restricted the ability to earn the bonus on one of the personal Platinum cards if you have already had the other, so if you are applying for a card now, you can only get the bonus on one or the other of these) including the lounge access benefit (which includes access to American, Delta and US Airways clubs in addition to Priority Pass Select membership) that the personal Platinum and Business Platinum cards confer.
Update: Beginning March 22, 2014, American Express Card Members will no longer have access to American Airlines Admiral Club and US Airways Club airport lounges through Airport Club Access / Airport Lounge Program. This means that Card Members will no longer be able to gain complimentary access to the American Airlines airport lounges (known as Admirals Club lounges) or the US Airways Club airport lounges as a benefit of their Platinum Card Membership. Cardmembers will continue to receive access to participating Delta Sky Club lounges, Priority Pass Select (enrollment is required), and Airspace lounges in JFK, CLE and BWI airports.
I wrote up a review of the Centurion Lounge in back in March when TPG reader Dave sent over some pictures and thoughts after his first visit. Originally, only Global Centurion Cardmembers were able to access the lounge for free and all other American Express cardmembers (who held a valid American Express credit or Charge card product) could purchase an access key at the lounges, space permitting. An access key cost $50 per person per day and cardmembers who purchased an access key could only be accompanied by their children under 18 years of age.
The new access terms state that Amex Platinum cardholders can bring their spouse or domestic partner and children under 18 into the lounge with them or 2 traveling companions as complimentary guests, which I think is pretty generous. I didn't think this lounge was necessarily worth the $50 access fee, but I would have checked it out the next time I was flying out of Las Vegas just to experience it for myself. Luckily, I hadn't made it over there yet and can now get in for free along with whoever I'm traveling with the next time I'm in Sin City, and I do think this provides an extra bit of value to carrying the Platinum card - in addition to other great benefits like Global Entry application fee reimbursement and the annual $200 airline fee credit - especially since Amex says that more Centurion Lounges are on the way, sand hopefully all will grant complimentary access to Platinum cardholders.
For more information on the Platinum Card from American Express and its benefits, check out these posts:
The Amex Platinum Card Review
Is the Amex Platinum Worth the $450 Annual Fee?
Maximizing the Amex Platinum $200 Annual Airline Rebate
Understanding the Amex Platinum Lounge Access Benefit
The Amex Platinum Fine Hotels & Resorts Program
My Experience Getting Refunded for the Global Entry Application Fee With My Amex Platinum Card