American Express has announced its largest-ever expansion of the Centurion Lounge network, touching four airports at once — and a couple of the results will set records when doors open in 2027 and 2028.
The headline project is a brand-new lounge at Newark Liberty International Airport. Opening in 2027, it will cover more than 30,000 square feet across two floors of Terminal A, making it the largest Centurion Lounge in the network when it debuts. Expect three distinct bars, menus built around New Jersey's food scene, and the brand's coffee concept, Blue Roast by American Express. Once it opens, Amex will be the only card issuer with its own lounges at all three major New York-area airports — a big deal for anyone flying out of JFK, LaGuardia or Newark.
London Heathrow gets a second Centurion Lounge too, this one in Terminal 5, slated for 2028. It will offer premium food and drink, a VIP area, varied seating and dedicated work zones — handy given how crowded the existing Heathrow lounge can get at peak times.
The other two projects are expansions rather than new builds. Philadelphia's lounge will double in size across two stories by 2027, while Houston's George Bush Intercontinental lounge will nearly triple to more than 23,000 square feet in 2028 — putting it among the biggest in the network. The Houston renovation brings specialty dining, a second full-service bar, Blue Roast coffee, expanded seating, and extra restrooms and showers.
Timing-wise, the announcement follows hot on the heels of Amex's first Centurion Lounge in continental Europe, which opened at Amsterdam Schiphol in September.
Why it matters: Centurion Lounge access is one of the more valuable perks on cards like the Platinum Card, and space at popular lounges has long been tight. More square footage at four busy hubs — plus a first-ever presence in every New York airport — means shorter waits and better odds of actually getting in before your flight. If your travel plans pass through Newark, Heathrow, Philadelphia or Houston between 2027 and 2028, it may be worth checking your card's lounge access before you fly.
Story via Global Traveler.
