Jan 24, 2019, 7:51 am
Last edit by: mia
Policy Changes effective March 22, 2019
Source: https://thecenturionlounge.com/info/access/
NOTE: FOR PLATINUM CARD MEMBERS ONLY
The Centurion Lounge is a day of departure lounge. We will not admit arriving Platinum Card Members with boarding passes for flights that have just landed. We will admit Platinum Card Members with layovers or connecting flights who produce proof of connecting flight.
We will not admit Platinum Card Members more than 3 hours before the departure time on the Platinum Card Member’s same-day, confirmed boarding pass. This does not apply to Platinum Card Members with a connecting flight.
We will admit children under 2 years of age free of charge, provided an accompanying parent or guardian is able to produce a “lap infant” boarding pass or proof of age
The Centurion Lounge is a day of departure lounge. We will not admit arriving Platinum Card Members with boarding passes for flights that have just landed. We will admit Platinum Card Members with layovers or connecting flights who produce proof of connecting flight.
We will not admit Platinum Card Members more than 3 hours before the departure time on the Platinum Card Member’s same-day, confirmed boarding pass. This does not apply to Platinum Card Members with a connecting flight.
We will admit children under 2 years of age free of charge, provided an accompanying parent or guardian is able to produce a “lap infant” boarding pass or proof of age
Centurion Lounge crowding (2015-2019)
Mar 25, 2019, 10:48 am
#1741
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 861
Overcrowded Lounges are not new nor exclusive Centurion lounge problem, I personally hardly ever visit a centurion lounge, I’ve been to several AA, DL, AS, KE, UA, CX, SQ, AF, OZ lounges in the last 12 months domestic and international, you name it they are all overcrowded, the problem is not solved by limiting access either, YMMV but I go there mostly for free food & drinks, and other guests services. some airline lounges limit the number of complimentary drinks and they’re still crowded, as we all know Centurion & Amex Plat cards have the most extensive network, including Centurion, PP, Air Space, Plaza, and Escape, it is a problem not easily solved, probably the only way to improve is by adding space, which is costly and not always available.
Mar 25, 2019, 3:42 pm
#1742
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Programs: UA 1K, AA Lifetime Platinum, DL Platinum, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 7,969
I don't think that's true. Most (all?) US-based airlines don't offer lounge access as an elite benefit for US/Canada flights.
Mar 25, 2019, 8:25 pm
#1743
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: LAS ORD
Programs: AA Pro (mostly B6) OZ♦ (flying BR/UA), BA Silver Hyatt LT, Wynn Black, Cosmo Plat, Mlife Noir
Posts: 5,992
I don't think its unrealistic to find more space, they've done so in MIA.... I don't know that there are so many people sitting in the lounge for 3+ hours getting hammered, it does seem that there is an intersection of the well-to-do travelers and plat cardholders and in a place like SFO, there are simply too many of them for the lounge capacity. I doubt the 3 hour limit will help that much.
You keep saying it's a bad policy as if that's a given, but I completely disagree. Who arrives at SFO 3+ hours early to access the Centurion lounge, and why should that silliness be allowed?
Centurion access at SFO is a scarce resource. It is properly being rationed. Turning away people who want to sit in the lounge and drink free alcohol for 4 hours seems eminently appropriate to me.
Centurion access at SFO is a scarce resource. It is properly being rationed. Turning away people who want to sit in the lounge and drink free alcohol for 4 hours seems eminently appropriate to me.
Mar 25, 2019, 8:27 pm
#1744
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,450
I concur that cutting down the guest benefit would have a substantial positive impact at SFO.
I net literally thousands of dollars worth of benes on my Plat card every year. Not everyone can get that kind of value, but these kinds of inaccurate overgeneralizations ("other benefits aren't so great") simply do not support the point advanced.
I net literally thousands of dollars worth of benes on my Plat card every year. Not everyone can get that kind of value, but these kinds of inaccurate overgeneralizations ("other benefits aren't so great") simply do not support the point advanced.
Mar 29, 2019, 4:23 pm
#1745
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 117
I think the next step is guest passes. Primary card member gets X guest passes a year and AU gets none or x/2 passes. It seems everyone is bringing one/two random people they just met at security line to the lounge.
Mar 29, 2019, 4:32 pm
#1746
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Philadelphia
Programs: Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,787
Limiting primary card holder to X number of visits per year would be way more effective.
Mar 29, 2019, 6:59 pm
#1747
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 861
Most seating at the Centurion Lounges are designed with a companion. So I'm not sure if limiting guess access is magically going to create more "space" since most people probably won't want to sit and eat directly across a stranger in such close proximity. Unless limiting guess access limits primary card holders from using the lounge or people cancelling the card.
Limiting primary card holder to X number of visits per year would be way more effective.
Limiting primary card holder to X number of visits per year would be way more effective.
take up another two seater for the 3rd guest. How does that not help? And, given the conditions I have seen at many of these lounges lately, I am happy to sit directly
across from a stranger rather than stand for an hour. I'm also happy to ask the staff to make an announcement to have people taking up seats with their coats and bags
to remove them so others can be accommodated.
Mar 29, 2019, 7:13 pm
#1748
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Marin County, California
Programs: Amex Centurion
Posts: 412
I'd be willing to eat directly from the food line if others are OK with that. Moving forward, the food items should be more gruel-like so only spoons would be needed as we shuffle past the food trough to get our fill. It would be very efficient and we could possibly eliminate seats altogether.
Mar 29, 2019, 9:58 pm
#1749
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,200
Aside from the fact that I think the seating set up is wasting prime space, if the number of guests were cut from 3 to 2, 2 people could share the companion seats, and not
take up another two seater for the 3rd guest. How does that not help? And, given the conditions I have seen at many of these lounges lately, I am happy to sit directly
across from a stranger rather than stand for an hour. I'm also happy to ask the staff to make an announcement to have people taking up seats with their coats and bags
to remove them so others can be accommodated.
take up another two seater for the 3rd guest. How does that not help? And, given the conditions I have seen at many of these lounges lately, I am happy to sit directly
across from a stranger rather than stand for an hour. I'm also happy to ask the staff to make an announcement to have people taking up seats with their coats and bags
to remove them so others can be accommodated.
Mar 30, 2019, 12:04 pm
#1750
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: HKG • Ex SFO, NYC
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Marriott Amb; Hyatt Globalist; Shangri-la Diamond; IHG SpireAmb; Hilton D; Accor G
Posts: 3,319
Some lawyer type was trying to read the Amex terms & conditions to the LGA Centurion dragon yesterday complaining about the 3h rule. The whole thing is rather ridiculous.
Apr 1, 2019, 8:36 am
#1751
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: HH, Asiana club, Elevated, Skymiles, Fairmont President's Club
Posts: 42
DL Diamond medallion SkyClub complimentary
membership (option)
AU 1K UnitedClub anual membership 60K miles
AA Admiral Club anual membership 50K or complimentary for Concierge Key and/or AAdvantage EWE MC.
AS MVP Gold 75K 4 anual complimentary passes.
Out of the major US airlines, UA elite status program is probably the least generous, you’ll still get access to UC & Star Alliance lounges on international flights.
Last edited by ZJ3000; Apr 3, 2019 at 1:45 am Reason: Typo
Apr 1, 2019, 8:43 am
#1752
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
There is no meaningful sense in which lounge access is complimentary with the AA Executive, DL Reserve or UA Club cards. Those are paid memberships bundled with a credit card.
Apr 1, 2019, 10:40 am
#1753
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: HH, Asiana club, Elevated, Skymiles, Fairmont President's Club
Posts: 42
To your point Centurion lounges are a paid membership bundled with Amex Plat & Cent.
Last edited by ZJ3000; Apr 3, 2019 at 1:45 am Reason: Typo
Apr 1, 2019, 11:22 am
#1754
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
I am also not sure that flying weekly would be sufficient to earn DL Diamond or AA Concierge Key, but I do not keep track of the tier requirements. I think it is likely that many weekly flyers will have top tier status in one program, but that others will not, and both groups might find Centurion lounge access a useful adjunct to whatever lounge access they might receive from an airline program.
Apr 1, 2019, 9:20 pm
#1755
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: HH, Asiana club, Elevated, Skymiles, Fairmont President's Club
Posts: 42
At the end, I think (pure personal opinion) most of us want to have access to a decent lounge, the 3hr rule doesn’t bother me as much as the ban on arrivals, as someone mentioned at the beginning of this thread, we all voice solutions that doesn’t affect us but do to someone else, ultimately, Amex will do what they seem appropriate to solve a problem they created by building a very successful product “centurion lounge”
Last edited by ZJ3000; Apr 3, 2019 at 1:46 am Reason: typo