Centurion Lounge Entry Policy is part of Freddie Awards to New Orleans Binge Weekend Trip Report which covers:
I used to love arriving in Vegas or LGA and going to the Centurion Lounge (see Amex LAS Centurion Lounge: The Full Day Freeloader Review and see Amex Centurion Lounge LGA: Welcome Back to NYC). I tried to do this in Dallas and was denied entry. The agent stated that there is no access on arrival and if there is a same day connection, access is only for two hours before departure. For flights out of DFW, access is restricted to three hours before departure. The policy isn’t even three hours before boarding which means that lounge access is closer to two hours. This policy is understandably meant to curtail crowds (see Amex Centurion Lounge SEA: Crowded as Duck!) and probably cut down on all day moochers like myself. Still, for an annual fee of $550, members should be able to go in whenever they want or for as long as they want. This experience validates why don’t regret skipping airport lounges and why I cancelled my Amex Platinum. #prioritypassforlife
What happens if your flight is delayed? Do they kick you out? What a buzzkill.
Just book fully refundable southwest ticket
Not worth the trouble is my point
You only need a boarding pass that departs within 2 hours.
1. Use your Southwest RapidRewards points to book a flight (any flight)
2. Save the boarding pass to your phone.
3. Enter the AmEx lounge
4. Cancel the trip, it refunds 100% of the points back to your account.
I do this every week. They will not eject you from the lounge if you stay longer than 2 hours. I recently arrived to the airport a few hours early and used the Centurion lounge for 4 hours.
This trick works for me almost every week.
Yeah I just don’t care that much
I believe the published policy for connecters is no limit, not 2 hours. I think it’s a reasonable step to take for overcrowding. And as a kidless person, I’d prefer limiting to 1 guest period. https://thecenturionlounge.com/info/access/
No kids!
That will do little to ease crowding
Yeah but there won’t be kids.
Connectors have to be on same day; or at least I was denied entry at SEA at 9 PM (with a 6:45 AM +1 departure)
Jerks
I’ve given up on the AMEX offerings, it’s just not worth it anymore.
Yes! Exactly
Now that I can’t use the $200 air credit for gift cards anymore, the card will not be renewed.
Southwest doesn’t fly into DFW or MIA so buying a refundable ticket won’t work there, nor will it work in JFK once they open that new club.
Good point! I think the idea of refundable was what the reader was saying to do. And I’m saying it’s not worth it.
While I’m not in love with Amex’s policy, the number of comments above saying how to hose Amex will only lead to more abuse, which in turn will lead to even tighter policies. Just another 6 Alaska Air card applications on the same day situation.
> What happens if your flight is delayed? Do they kick you out?
At LAX, the Alaska Lounge has a 3-hour-before-departure rule for Priority Pass. My flight was delayed 11 hours. When I came 5 hours before the new estimated departure — that is, 6 hours after the time printed on the boarding pass — they weren’t really sure what to do. We got in, but they made it sound like a big favor.