FallenPlat

Ok, maksimfa, that's the funniest post I've seen in a good while!

Personally, I loved showing my Spirit BP to the good Centurion folks at LGA. They said they actually see quite a few of those, maybe because the club is practically right on top of the Spirit gates. Plus, after a Spirit flight, I was hungry.

asus12

I am a bit unclear as to whether we are allowed entry to a CL as an "arrival lounge." For instance, I will be flying into LGA and that is my end point - can I stop in for a meal before heading into the city?

Thanks

Apieinthesky

Yes, it is 100% allowed. Same-day boarding pass still required.

Hammer0425

Had a not so great first experience with the Centurion Lounge in SFO yesterday. Upon showing them my boarding pass with "awaiting seat," I was sent packing.

Per the website: If you are a Platinum Card® or Centurion® Member, access to The Centurion Lounge is complimentary as part of your Card Membership. To access The Centurion Lounge, the Card Member must present The Centurion Lounge agent with the following upon each visit: his or her valid Card, a boarding pass showing a confirmed reservation for same-day travel on any carrier and a government-issued I.D.

My interpretation of that, a confirmed "reservation" is a ticket with a ticket number, a confirmation code, something that shows your name on it and a pair of cities that you're flying between that day. It does not say anything about them needing to see where you are sitting on the plane, and in this case, until the gate opened for departure (an hour early), I can't get a seat assignment. After calling AMEX directly, they agreed but I wasn't going to go back and argue. As I said, say you have a boarding pass on your phone with a seat and your flight cancels. They add you to standby for a flight an hour later. You can go from being allowed in to not being allowed in over the span of 30 seconds.

Of course I was connecting and had a boarding pass from the flight into SFO which I now see would have been fine to get in but the desk agent didn't think to ask about that. She was more concerned with asking me to get a seat assignment and to come back and then telling her co-worker "you really have to look at boarding passes closely" as I was leaving.

Just curious what everyone's thoughts are ... it seems like there are different ways to interpret what a "confirmed reservation" means. No question the lounge access program has gone downhill in the past couple years with AMEX. Just doesn't seem to be good business to start hassling card holders paying $450 a year over verbiage that they can't really justify.

nyc2socal

I've used the CLs in DFW, LAS, SFO and LGA. All of them allow usage upon arrival.

Regarding the seat assignment, I really doubt it. When I go into the CL at LAS, I usually fly WN, which has no seat assignments.. My bet is that there is something else going on with your boarding pass.

WheelsFirst

If the facts are exactly as you state, it doesn't make any sense that they would deny you entry. If you were on standby and didn't hold a confirmed seat, then I suppose they were in the right, but it's just bad customer service.

I would write in a complaint, probably worth spending 5 minutes of your time on that, see what they say/do. Ask for some extra MR points.

u2g0d

So, I'm trying to get into the SFO lounge tomorrow, but I forgot my card at home. Will they let me in with my card number instead of the physical card?

Wyfind

I had the same thing happen to me last week at SFO. I called Centurion customer service (I was transferred from a Platinum line) and they said they are now interpreting "confirmed reservation" as a reservation with a confirmed seating assignment. She noted that this was a recent policy change because of overcrowding at the Centurion Lounges and will be the policy going forward.

bgriff

I hope they fix this ... this is a really silly way to address overcrowding. If they moved to charge for guests like Delta has, for example, I would not be a fan, but I would at least agree that approach stands a chance of fairly addressing overcrowding. But turning away people who have not yet had their seats assigned just means that some people will be denied entry practically at random (and probably won't do that much to address overcrowding, either).

FriendlySkies

Though not SFO, I had no problems accessing the LAS CL with my NRSA BP for LAS-NRT in January. Had no seat assignment on it (just said STBY)...

nrr

From post #38, it seems this is a (new) policy, which began very recently.

Patricia Hogan

For 25 years I've used the Centurion Club in Mexico City airport (which is outside of security) for waiting when someone I'm picking up is on a delayed plane. I just learned today that I can no longer use it unless I have a boarding pass. Since the club is outside of security I will never use it when i'm flying because I'll go on past security and go to Priority or Admirals Club. Since it no longer serves any purpose, I canceled my Amex today. I do think Amex should rethink this.

nrr

If they are (NOW) requiring a SEAT ASSIGNMENT (and you don't have one), one can purchase a fully refundable ticket to "somewhere" as a last resort--then cancel it when you leave the lounge.
PS: Since LGA is landside, this I the only lounge where I see a justification for having a bp.

hawaiian330

I had the same experience today. I think that since American Express is making its Platinum Card less valuable and other banks are aggressive in pursuing the traditional American Express customer base that we consider these other cards. I am considering Cities Prestige Card myself.

garykung

Welcome to FT.

1. It is Citi, not Cities.

2. AFAIK - SFO is the first U.S. major airport that does not have a PP lounge. So unless you want to go to T2 for Admiral Club, you are stuck even you switch to Citi.

3. I believe "confirmed reservation" means you are not using a ID90 ticket.

You can standby an earlier flight. You simply need to show the one with the confirmed seat.