krazykanuck

While that's possible, I think it's more just, what's the point of spending millions of $ to put a Centurion Lounge where our customers are already covered, thinking on Amex's part. It's been pretty clear that Amex has prioritized AA/UA hubs and airports that are not really dominated by any one carrier. I'm sure that Amex would have looked at ORD and put a CL there if it were practical, but it would have to be a large space and I quite frankly don't know where you'd put it. ORD is busting at the seams as is.

While that's true, can you even begin to think how big such a lounge would need to be? Don't get me wrong I'd love to see a CL at ATL, but I imagine it has to be near the bottom of the priority list, or at least it would be if I worked at Amex. Amex Plat/cent cardholders have access to 10 lounges at ATL, 9 Skyclubs and 1 crappy Priority Pass lounge. I'm perfectly happy with them spending their capital building lounges in airports that have no suitable alternative like we're seeing at CLT, PHX, and LAX, as opposed to doubling down in places where there are already serviceable options. I was a bit surprised they decided to build at JFK T4 given there is already a big SC there and JFK's piss poor airside connectivity means it realistically won't serve anybody but DL/Skyteam customers and the grab bag of intl carriers that call T4 home. Will be interesting to see if or how it siphons off people from the SC...

jamesteroh

I'm excited for the new CL at JFK. I love the SKYCLUB at JFK, especially in the Summer with the skydeck, but they could use two skyclubs in T4. Will be interesting to see how many people that normally go to the skyclub will use the CL at JFK, especially with the nice enhancement Delta reserve AM EX cardholders are getting being able to access the CL now if they are flying delta.

I agree it would be foolish to put one in ATL. They have at least one skyclub in every terminal at Atlanta and there is the PP lounge in Terminal F which partners with the non-delta airlines for their premium international passengers.

VFR

The JFK T4A expansion plan includes a new Sky Club on the other side of the terminal.

Amex gets a good amount of information about where its cardholders are flying and which lounges they access with their Platinum card. Their data scientists likely phrase it as "which airports have a high number of Platinum / Centurion cardholders (or folks with other cards who are potential premium cardholders) originating / connecting at which we don't have a (good) lounge option for them?" At the DL hubs, most of the customers in their study group will be flying Delta and have access to the Sky Clubs, so that is likely a lower priority. Once they have some candidate airports, management then steps in and decides where to build.

In the case of JFK T4, I think it's likely that Delta leaned on them a bit saying "Hey, there aren't many airports where Delta customers can get to your premium lounge, and we're having capacity issues at the Sky Club in JFK..." This is likely a significant benefit of their close relationship.

In the case of ORD, Amex knows that a significant portion of the airport is being rebuilt soon; with the SkyTeam airlines moving to T5 it seems likely some of the Priority Pass lounges will move to the new global terminal. They are likely looking at getting space in the global terminal as well, but as we have seen in PHX, space at the airport is limited and sometimes airport authorities have specific requirements such as the ability for the public to buy a pass at the door.

My guess for the next Centurion lounge would probably be somewhere like IAD or MCO. Maybe they will start filling in some smaller but high value airports like AUS or BOS, but coverage is getting pretty good at the larger airports, and space and rent are an issue.

jamesteroh

I'm not looking forward to the Delta move to T5 at ORD. It's so convenient being be able to access the Delta gates when taking CTA or when having an early morning flight and staying at the ORD Hilton the night before.

I'm glad Delta reached an agreement with AMEX to allow access to am ex delta reserve cardholders to the CL lounges. That benefit alone makes the $100 increase in the annual fee worth it since the main reason I am holding on to my Am Ex platinum if for the CL access at LAS.

VFR

It's kind of unfortunate that the access is so restrictive to be honest. I can understand requiring the person to be flying Delta (you don't want your most premium credit card to encourage folks to fly with a competitor), but no guests (to match the Sky Club access) and a requirement to buy the ticket with the DL Reserve card is somewhat excessive. I actually wonder if Delta is paying Amex somehow for this benefit (by a debit against Amex's payments to DL for the Sky Club visits).

jamesteroh

On the one Delta thread it sounds like the policy has been changed that the ticket has to be purchased with any American express, not necessarily the reserve card, but you do have to be a reserve card holder. Am Ex holders haven't able to guest people into the skyclub for a few years, the only way you can guest people in now at the skyclub is if you have an executive membership or chose the guesting benefit as a diamond choice gift or are flying international as skyteam elite or in J.

Seeing I'll be cancelling my platinum Am Ex on the renewal (due to the enhancements to the reserve), I'm going to have to remember to charge tickets to LAS on my Am Ex since my CSR card is my card I use for all travel expenses once the MQD spend waiver is met on my reserve.

smgainey

Prior to the pandemic, I worked in Atlanta and therefore flew to ATL almost every week. I used to live in Chicago but moved to DC, however I frequently return to or through Chicago and therefore fly United (plus, my 100 segments and $18k in spending will earn 1K status as opposed to Platinum on Delta)! I wasn't impressed with the United Clubs so I downgraded that credit card, and now have no lounge options in either ATL or ORD. I know that ATL is a major Delta hub airport, and that I can access a Priority Pass lounge there, but having a Centurion Lounge would be great for the handful of us who are not flying on Delta. However, I completely understand if that is very low on their priority list. BUT, ORD is the only airport I can think of that has both a United hub and an American hub...and my understanding is that the Amex Platinum card used to offer access to those lounges, but lost access with the mergers and therefore started the Centurion Lounges. I really wish they could open a CL (that's not exclusive to the international terminal) at ORD. There must be a ton of United & AA flyers who hold Platinum cards but can't access the Delta Skyclub there. I agree with the person who said that they're probably waiting for the airport expansion as there is probably not enough space, but it's taking so long.☹

cmd320

There have been rumors about a Centurion Lounge coming to ORD for probably half a decade now or more, pretty much all of them unsubstantiated.

It seems like a logical location for one given most of the terminal is accessible within security, plus it's a huge operation for both AA and UA, the prime target flyers for Centurion Lounges. As to when it will ever happen, who knows. ORD is owned by the City of Chicago which isn't exactly known for being easy to deal with, especially when it comes to their aviation department. Bureaucracy and red tape issues could be serious problem delaying this. There is also ongoing construction at ORD so it's also possible Amex wants to wait until new terminals are built before investing in a lounge.

econ

Getting a CL at ORD would be way overdue. Almost no other lounge options there for domestic flyers unless you pay to get into AC/UC or are flying DL.

I'd also venture a guess that given that it's an AA & UA hub and that the domestic terminals are connected airside, that it would likely become the busiest CL in the entire network.

krazykanuck

As has been said by myself and others for years, I imagine ORD is probably near the top of Amex's wish list too. The main problem is where the F would you put it?! ORD is full. There is literally nowhere you could build a lounge the size that a Centurion Lounge would need to be in the main terminals. Add to that the ORD reconstruction...

cfabar1

MCO (Terminal A)
DTW (North Terminal)

cmd320

By MCO Terminal A do you mean landside?

jamesteroh

I don't think we'll ever see a lounge at DTW north seeing AmEx is in bed with Delta and McNamara terminal at DTW is Delta's second biggest hub. The Luthansia lounge is part of priority pass at North Terminal

krazykanuck

Neither of these are going to happen in the foreseeable future. The former is too much of a leisure market - a leisure market with an airport with bifurcated airside gates, the latter is a DL fortress hub that has at least 2-3 SkyClubs

jona970318

Announcement coming soon:
-new Centurion Lounge in DCA, expected to open some time in 2022
-additional expansions at SFO and SEA


DCA makes a lot of sense strategically, my personal guess is it might be landside in the B/C area?
Frankly not sure where they will find the additional space for SEA expansion, but will certainly be helpful given the crowding nowadays