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Earlier Friday, we learned when American Express would be opening its two latest Centurion Lounges, including the first overseas location, at Hong Kong International Airport. However that isn’t the only major development to note.
On October 2, Amex will be changing the access requirements — as of Monday, only cardmembers with a Centurion Card, The Platinum Card from American Express or The Business Platinum Card from American Express OPEN will be able to access Centurion Lounges. Eligible cardmembers will be able to bring two guests and purchase $50 day passes for additional guests.
Unfortunately that means that you won’t be able to access any Centurion Lounge with any other Amex cards — the $50 day pass option will only be available to guests of customers with one of the premium cards mentioned above.
As Amex explains:
As part of an ongoing commitment to giving Card Members the best experience while in the lounges, American Express is actually making changes to its Centurion Lounge access policy. Starting Monday, October 2, access to the Centurion Lounges will be an exclusive benefit for our premium customers – Platinum Card and Centurion Members. Other American Express Card Members will no longer be able to purchase day passes for the lounges.
The guest policy for Platinum Card and Centurion Members remains the same. Platinum Card Members can enter any Centurion Lounge with up to two guests, and Centurion Members may enter with up to two guests or immediate family at no additional charge. Platinum and Centurion Card Members can continue to purchase day passes for any additional guests.
We understand having a place to relax and recharge in the airport is essential to our Card Members, and we continue to evaluate ways to address any crowding concerns and provide a best in class experience for our Card Members.
For this reason, we are continuously exploring opportunities to expand upon our Centurion Lounge offerings to accommodate more Card Members, including the introduction of new locations, such as the upcoming Hong Kong and Philadelphia locations, and the expansion of our existing spaces, as we plan to do in Dallas.
Of course, that also means this is a great time to grab The Platinum Card from American Express or The Business Platinum Card from American Express OPEN. Both cards are offering elevated sign-up bonuses — 60,000 points after spending $5,000 in three months with the personal card, and up to 75,000 points with the biz — and include Centurion Lounge access, in addition to a slew of other benefits.
Source: thepointsguy.com