Visit a large enough airport and you’ll probably notice an abundance of lounges. Some are reserved for business-class travelers, others restrict their admission to holders of certain premium credit cards. For many weary travelers, the benefits of spending time here — from free food to shower access — makes them worth the detour. But with increased interest in lounges comes the possibility of overcrowding, and that’s led some lounge operators to change their policies.
The latest to do so is American Express, who began rolling out a reservation system to some of its Centurion Lounges in 2024. As Stephanie Stevens reports at The Points Guy, the company is once again updating its access policies for those lounges, a decision that may frustrate some travelers while also increasing the available space within.
One change will be familiar to many frequent flyers: American Express is limiting when eligible travelers can enter Centurion Lounges when on a layover. When the new policy goes into effect, travelers will be able to enter the lounge no more than five hours before their flight departs.
Some Premium Airport Lounges Are Getting…More Premium
Would you pay more to be guaranteed access to the right lounge?The other change relates to guests. Eligible cardmembers will soon only be able to bring a guest into the lounge with them if both are traveling on the same flight.
That said, existing policies are set to endure for a little while longer. These two changes will go into effect on July 8 throughout the United States, as well as in several international airports — The Points Guy’s reporting cites airports in Australia, Japan and the U.K. as also implementing the new policies.
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