Originally Posted by
garykung
OP - if your card is issued by China Merchant, ICBC, or China Minsheng (per your FT profile), yours is a Platinum
Charge Card. Due to the special arrangement AMEX has in the Mainland China, yours is still considered a Global AMEX Platinum card, although serviced by your bank.
The main reason is due to misalignment of the lounge design between a non-AMEX Centurion lounge and a Centurion lounge in the U.S.
Most lounges in the U.S. do not have the food offering while food offering is a par among lounges in the world.
Since the Centurion lounges are more superior, people tend to choose Centurion lounges even they have access to others as well.
This explains the crowded situation.
You will get access with this one:
https://www.americanexpress.com/uk/c...platinum-card/
Not the one you post.
HUH? What do you mean by non-AMEX Centurion lounge? AFAIK all of the Centurion lounges are related to AmEx, even though they might be operated by some other entity on a contract basis.
Also, IME the Centurion lounges in the USA do have very good food (and drinks, including an interesting choice of wines). There are a couple smaller setups in the USA that aren't real Centurion lounges (SEA is an example IIRC) that aren't staffed as well and have more limited food.
Do you mean that people pick the Centurion lounge rather than a PP lounge that their PP membership (free from AmEx) would give access, or are you comparing Centurion lounges to those operated by airlines or alliances?