redrock

Added, thanks.. One of the links that I found mentions a partner club in Recife.
Maybe someone can confirm.

Please if anyone else has pictures of any of the clubs please post.

Pickles

There is a nice one in GDL on the domestic side of the terminal, airside. Currently closed because they are doing some renovations to the area, but it is supposed to reopen sometime, although it has been over six months...

redrock

Congonhas-São Paulo Airport-CGH is the domestic terminal in Sao Paulo Brasil. There are flights to many parts of Brazil but best known for the SP-RJ shuttles. I was flying to Belo Horizonte Confins Airport (CNF). Otherwise known as "Confins do mundo" = "at the edge of the world", as its quite far from the City of Belo Horizonte.

As alemdohorizonte had reported of this one I figured I would pop in and have a look. Once again my lowly "Rewards Plus Gold Card" got me in. The placard on the front desk showed "Gold Personal Card, and Personal Platinum as well as Platinum Business". No picture of Centurion/Black card was there. Don't know if they are issued in Brazil or not. I was asked where I was flying to and where I was based but not much more and welcomed into the Club. Not very big and crowed SRO in some sections but still better than being outside in the terminal. Mind you it was on a Friday evening when it was raining and there were a lot of delayed/slow flights. Still the services were pretty darn good, plenty of drinks (soft drinks), pan de quejo, sandwiches, didn't look for beer/liquor so I don't know if they have. Had a cappuccino which they made with a Nespresso machine and you could choose the flavor/strength of the pod you wanted.

Again these pictures are from my iphone so the quality is so so. Nonetheless they are the only pictures posted on here thus far so they are the best ones yet. . Figure out how to embed here are the pics.

Entrance


Outside of Gate 5.. You can't really see it but there is an advert for the lounge on the wall.


Club View#1.. It was pretty crowded but better than outside and it was a Friday afternoon.


Club View#2.. Espresso Bar(with authentic Nespresso machines) (look at the very end of the wall in this pic) and soft drinks as well. All complimentary. Even saw the Barista mixing some ice cream and espresso drink that looked Yummy.


Club View #3.. The end section I think had a TV and opposite to this picture there were 3-5 computer terminals with free internet access.


Please post pictures from the other clubs. I will add the missing ones to the top thread once we have pictures and confirmation of a visit.

justmeagain

Just a quick update for the EZE Centurion lounge - tried to get in with a Corporate Gold card (July '09) and was told that only Platinum and Centurion cards were accepted.

I've heard that Gold card was accepted before, but apparently too many people have been getting in

+1 good to know about the "Confins do mundo" piece. I was in Belo Horizonte last year and it was definitely a drive from CNF to the city.

Vasco

There is also an American Express lounge in Toronto at YYZ Terminal 1. Centurion, Platinum, Platinum Business, and the Aeroplan platinum get in for free. Gold charge cards seemingly also can get in but they have to pay an entry fee.

prefers1a

As I have frequently started flying back and forth between GRU and EZE with TAM and am still waiting for TAM to join *A, I have had to resort to the Amex lounges (I am a gold card holder) there.

GRU
Hidden on the 1st floor of terminal A in an obscure corner - small but not overcrowded with decent offer of snacks and drinks. Main drawback being before security which sucks when your flights get delayed and you are loitering around the gate...

EZE
Decent sized lounge after security but tends to get very crowded in the evenings when all flights depart to the rest of the world, but it tends to be better than hanging around in the main concourse.

jerryjerry

As stated, the Rio club is outside security, at the far end of the old terminal, in the red zone, Past Continental. It's small, but offers great service. Hot food, salads, pastries, and individual cup coffee pod machine with several varieties.

Any gold card, debit or credit, gets you in. They normally do not speak any English.

Amex is not widely used in Brasil, and they are using these clubs to add value and increase Brasilian cardholder rate. It seems to be working, as the clubs are getting more crowded. Since I don't travel to Brasil with this card, I have always brought a photocopy. They've checked validity and let me in. Now they want me to bring the real card, saying it's because they're sometimes getting crowded.

Centurion

Thanks nice find and information from flyertalk again.

prefers1a

UPDATE: As a gold card holder I was denied access to EZE recently unless I paid a U$60 entrance fee, which I preferred to invest in Malbec wines...

prefers1a

Amex is very well accepted in Brasil. Acceptance rates are far superior to Europe, but still below to the US, but as a resident in Brazil I use my AMEX for 80%+ of all my card-based purchases.

The crowding of the lounge unfortunately is due to the fact that AMEX rents out capacities of the lounge to airlines without their own lounges - so you will not only have AMEX members inside but also C-Class passengers of random airlines...

jerryjerry

We will have to disagree on how widely used Amex is in Brasil. Perhaps in the most upscale places it is more widely accepted. But where I am likely to eat or shop, well under 50% of those who accept plastic will take Amex.

Perhaps this is more true in Espirito Santo, where I live part of the year, than where you are.

stimpy

I visited the Centurion Club's at MEX recently, including the "inner" Centurion room at the one street side. Not sure if it was mentioned before, but the club has a nice kids room filled with toys. In the Centurion inner room they were serving Don Julio and Casa Nobles which are top shelf tequilas that you don't see everywhere. They also had the good stuff in the air side Club which does not have a Centurion room. I noticed a shower in the air side club too. Both clubs were pretty busy while I was there.

yyz-kin

My wife and I try and get as much value as possible from the Centurion Card and part of the game is going to as many lounges as possible. Currently in Buenos Aires and went to the Red Carpet Club and nothing special. We were on the way to Salon VIP and came across an American Express lounge and were really happy - yet one more lounge to add to the trip!

We were both a bit shocked when the attendant asked us to follow her and she opened the door to the Centurion Card lounge. This is awesome! Someone came to take our drink and food order. Big Screen with Sat and two really comfy couches.

This is awesome - what a treat!

cdncent

That sounds great - I was just in BA a few weeks ago and didn't know about that lounge. Thanks for the tip - will have to check it out next time.

Centurion

What Amex MR partner would most of you use for best value and best service to go from PHX to EZE?