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Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.
If you enjoy visiting American Express Centurion Lounges, this is your reminder that bringing guests into the lounge with you will get more expensive from next month.
American Express has updated its terms and conditions to state that it will clamp down on its Centurion Lounge guest policy and that most cardmembers will no longer be allowed to bring in two friends or family members for free.
These changes will affect cardmembers with The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. To bring guests into the lounge with you, you’ll need to pay a per-visit fee or spend heavily on your card to earn guest privileges from Feb. 1.
These changes do not apply to Corporate Platinum and Centurion cardmembers.
Here’s what you should know about the change in guest policies at Centurion Lounges starting soon.
Related: The ultimate guide to American Express Centurion Lounges
A crowded Centurion Lounge at the San Francisco airport. ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY mex’s guest policy from February 2023
Starting Feb. 1, the price for bringing a guest into the lounge will be $50 for adults and $30 for children under 18. Children under two, however, can enter for free when accompanying an adult.
To qualify for complimentary guest privileges after Feb. 1, you’ll need to spend $75,000 on your Amex Platinum or Amex Business Platinum Card each calendar year. Thus, when these changes take place next month, your 2022 spending will be the deciding factor. If you didn’t spend at least $75,000 on your card last year, your ability to bring complimentary guests into Centurion Lounges is ending.
These spending requirements reset each calendar year. Complimentary guest access is usually processed within seven days of meeting the spending requirement, although it may take up to 12 weeks to become effective. American Express has a spending tracker so cardmembers can follow their progress toward guest privileges.
For many, this is unfortunate news to go along with shelling out $695 each year for the Platinum card (see rates and fees). However, some deep-pocketed or solo travelers may be thrilled by a reduction in lounge guests. By cutting free guests, Amex is seemingly working to reduce overcrowding.
Related: Amex adds live capacity indicators for Centurion Lounges
The Amex Centurion Lounge at JFK. ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY handy workaround
For those who can’t or won’t spend $75,000 per year on their Platinum card, a potential solution is adding authorized users to your Platinum card. In the terms listed above, authorized users won’t be subject to the $50-per-visit guest fee. You can add up to three Platinum authorized user cards to your primary personal Platinum account for a total fee of $175 per year (see rates and fees). Authorized users on the Business Platinum cost a whopping $350 per year (see rates and fees).
Children younger than 13 can’t be added as authorized users, so this is a noticeable devaluation for families who’ll now need to shell out $30 to bring their young kids into the lounges, some of which have dedicated family rooms.
Related: Is the Amex Platinum worth the annual fee?
Bottom line
From next month, Amex will charge guests $50 for adults and $30 for children aged 2-18 to access its lounges.
You can avoid this charge by spending $75,000 on your Amex Platinum or Amex Business Platinum Card each calendar year. Another alternative that Amex could consider is expanding the Platinum card’s up to $200 annual airline incidental fee credit (enrollment is required in advance) to cover guest fees at Centurion Lounges.
The new Centurion Lounge guesting policy comes as Amex is working hard to expand and renovate its existing network of 15 outposts. New locations are planned for Washington National (DCA), Newark Liberty (EWR) and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL) airports. Expansions are underway in San Francisco (SFO) and Seattle (SEA).
Additional reporting by Joseph Hostetler and Ryan Smith.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, click here.
Title: Reminder: Amex to start charging for most Centurion Lounge guests next month
Sourced From: thepointsguy.com/news/amex-centurion-lounge-new-guest-policy/
Published Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2023 14:00:46 +0000
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