Amex Plat best lounge option if SFO is primary?
Sep 29, 2016, 4:37 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 56
Amex Plat best lounge option if SFO is primary?
I'll be canceling my Prestige card at the end of the term as they're dropping AA. My experience with cards that just offer PPass is that the lounge coverage never seems to pair well with my travels; and the times I can use an eligible lounge they seem Tier 2 at best.
Is Amex Plat my best bet if I'm traveling out of SFO as a home city; since here there is a Centurion lounge? If so, are there particular versions of the Amex I should consider? I won't be using it for primary spend, mostly for the travel benefits, extended insurance on certain purchases, and rental car coverage (assuming it works well as primary ins. on rental cars).
Appreciate the insight in advance!
Is Amex Plat my best bet if I'm traveling out of SFO as a home city; since here there is a Centurion lounge? If so, are there particular versions of the Amex I should consider? I won't be using it for primary spend, mostly for the travel benefits, extended insurance on certain purchases, and rental car coverage (assuming it works well as primary ins. on rental cars).
Appreciate the insight in advance!
Sep 29, 2016, 8:26 pm
#2
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No primary insurance coverage for rental cars with the card.
The Centurion lounge at SFO is nice (though of course crowded at times). Is your primary carrier UA? If not, would be a hassle to get to from other terminals other than Intl G. I don't think there is any airside connection between T2 and T3.
Keep an eye on this thread - speculation of a new Amex premium card coming real soon: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...mium-card.html
The Centurion lounge at SFO is nice (though of course crowded at times). Is your primary carrier UA? If not, would be a hassle to get to from other terminals other than Intl G. I don't think there is any airside connection between T2 and T3.
Keep an eye on this thread - speculation of a new Amex premium card coming real soon: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...mium-card.html
Sep 30, 2016, 4:12 pm
#3
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Location: ZOA, SFO, HKG
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Assuming you primarily travel with AA, Centurion Lounge is in T3 while AA is in T2.
Although you can get access to the terminal, you will have to clear security for each terminal individually.
Sep 30, 2016, 5:46 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
Well, you also miss on out the guest availability for the Citi Priority Pass (with the amex it costs $27).
The Centurion lounge is better than the other lounges in SFO, but post-security access from other terminals is limited. So you have to go through TSA twice. Do you have enough time, and is that worth it to you?
The Centurion lounge is better than the other lounges in SFO, but post-security access from other terminals is limited. So you have to go through TSA twice. Do you have enough time, and is that worth it to you?
Sep 30, 2016, 5:52 pm
#6
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That happens when the lounge attendant mistakes Citi Prestige for Citi Executive. If you replace Prestige with Executive you would have a full Admirals Club membership and you would be entitled to enter when flying any airline.
Last edited by mia; Oct 1, 2016 at 8:22 am
Sep 30, 2016, 8:39 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 4
I just finished my 6th SFO to east coast trip. I will say, unless you have plenty time to burn before you board your flight, if you are a heavy AA traveler, I wouldn't get the Platinum Card just for the centurion lounge benefits. I traveled AA on a couple of times, but transferring between two terminals are not that convenient.
Sep 30, 2016, 10:32 pm
#8
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: SFO
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Posts: 1,539
I am a United flier and fly out of SFO every week. Unless you plan to switch to United the lounge wouldn't make sense. As others mentioned T3 is not connected to the other domestic terminals air-side. However, if you fly out of SFO on United or any other *A carrier you can access the Centurion lounge as T3 and International Terminal G are connected air-side.
Oct 2, 2016, 8:53 am
#9
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,752
With TSA Pre, T2 security wasn't bad the past year. The average time it had taken me to go from the Cent Lounge though T2 security was about 15 minutes? Sometimes even less if I use the tram, but I usually just prefer to walk.
However, recently I've noticed more of the TSA inclusion thing where the lines have gotten longer and many have aren't familiar with the SFO TSA process. This has delayed things considerably and would reduce the convenience of the Amex Lounge for those leaving from T2.
For UA it's great, but it's...er...UA. So...
However, recently I've noticed more of the TSA inclusion thing where the lines have gotten longer and many have aren't familiar with the SFO TSA process. This has delayed things considerably and would reduce the convenience of the Amex Lounge for those leaving from T2.
For UA it's great, but it's...er...UA. So...
Oct 2, 2016, 3:48 pm
#10
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Oct 4, 2016, 11:34 am
#11
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Verdi, NV, SFO & Olympic (aka Squaw )Valley.
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For what it is worth, I think Amex offers the best lounge option at SFO. Choices include:
Terminal 1 +2:
Delta Sky Club (when flying DL)
Terminal 3:
Amex Centurion Lounge
International Terminal
G connected to T3
A AF lounge via Priority Pass.
Terminal 1 +2:
Delta Sky Club (when flying DL)
Terminal 3:
Amex Centurion Lounge
International Terminal
G connected to T3
A AF lounge via Priority Pass.
Oct 4, 2016, 12:05 pm
#12
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: San Francisco
Programs: Amex MR, SPG Gold, HHonors Gold, AS MVP
Posts: 518
Yeah the onion in the ointment is that there's no lounge option if you're flying AA (or VX or anything else but DL out of T1 or T2). AFAIK there aren't even any plans to build an airside connection between T2 and T3.
Last edited by taliesin; Oct 4, 2016 at 12:06 pm Reason: grammar
Oct 4, 2016, 12:37 pm
#13
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It looks like that will take years to happen. I love the SFO Centurion Lounge, but if I were regularly flying out of T2, T1 or International-A (unconnected airside), I would seldom have enough time pre-flight to justify two trips through security, just to visit the lounge.
Oct 4, 2016, 5:37 pm
#14
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 207
It looks like that will take years to happen. I love the SFO Centurion Lounge, but if I were regularly flying out of T2, T1 or International-A (unconnected airside), I would seldom have enough time pre-flight to justify two trips through security, just to visit the lounge.
Oct 4, 2016, 6:17 pm
#15
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 14
I'd go for the Amex Platinum. You have great lounge coverage for SFO (except for AA, but as other people have mentioned, you can just go through security twice if you have time) as well as at most other airports.