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American Express Centurion Lounge LAX Pop-Up
Since 2015, it’s been pretty widely reported that Amex was going to put one of their Centurion Lounge at LAX. Most information points to that lounge being somewhere between terminals 6 and 7, but there hasn’t been a whole of status updates published since the news was reported in 2015. Well, back in December Amex surprised everyone and debuted a Centurion Pop-up lounge at LAX in Tom Bradley International. I recently in TBIT while laying over and visiting the Korean Air SkyTeam Lounge and decided to check out this American Express Centurion Lounge Lax Pop-up.
There isn’t really much to it
It’s essentially a collection of tables and chairs, some places to charge a device, and nothing having to do with food, beverage, or other Amex Centurion lounge amenities. It’s almost like this is a 3D poster…
There are some renderings of what the lounge may or may not look like…I’m assuming these renderings are for the LAX lounge, but there isn’t anything that states that. 
Overall:
We’ll see how long the pop-up lasts in it’s current state. I think the idea has some potential, but I think they need to have more “wow” factor. They have the space, why not do some pop-up food and beverage events, or free massages. Market some of the fantastic amenities that members enjoy in a normal lounge to the general public. Do some manis and pedis…get a hashtag or something going…They could have priority lane for current Plat/Cent members, and everyone else gets to try it too. Combine that with some amazing sign-up offers and I think it could be a good buzz-worthy event until the new space is completed. Just an idea.
This review is a part of the Trip Report: Miles Traces his roots in Southeast Asia
- Delta SkyClub Indianapolis IND
- Delta First Class IND-LAX
- Amex Centurion Pop-UP TBIT
- China Air Business Class 777-300ER LAX-TPE
- Grand Hyatt Taipei
- Grand Hyatt Taipei Club Lounge Review
- Taipei 101 Tour
- EVA Air Infinity lounge TPE
- Plaza Premium Lounge TPE Zone A1
- Plaza Premium Lounge TPE Zone A
- EVA Royal Laurel Business Class TPE – SGN
- Vietnamese Visa on Arrival Experience
- Park Hyatt Saigon
- Park Hyatt Saigon Breakfast
- Cu Chi Tunnels Tour Ho Chi Minh City
- Orchid Lounge SGN
- Cambodian Visa on Arrival Experience
- Park Hyatt Siem Reap
- Viator Ankor Wat Private Tour
- Afternoon Tea Park Hyatt Siem Reap
- Plaza Premium Lounge Siem Reap
- Intercontinental Hanoi
- Dragon Legend Ha Long Bay Cruise
- Hanoi Hilton
- ACV Business Lounge Hanoi
- Qatar Airways Business Class 777-300ER HAN-BKK
- Louis Tavern CIPFirst Class Lounge Bangkok BKK
- Louis Tavern CIP Business Class Lounge Bangkok BKK
- Japan Airlines Business Class 787-8 BKK-NRT
- American Airlines Admirals Club Tokyo NRT
- Japan Airlines First Class Lounge Tokyo NRT
- Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo NRT
- Japan Airlines First Class 777-300ER NRT-ORD
Agree with your (food/beverage, massage and hashtag) marketing ideas for this pop-up lounge. At present, it looks more like a Priority Pass (than Centurion) lounge. Some wrapped finger sandwiches, bottles of water and fruit yogurt cups at the table side of the mini-lounge would be a step up (without taking up too much space).
If they just want to stick to the tease mode, they could replace the brown rectangular (3′ x 8′ ?) table with one with a large embedded flat screen that displays colorful pictures of sushi and other VR culinary delights that might someday be served at a Centurion lounge there.
A follow-up comment… I live near Dulles airport, and it’s disappointing that Amex doesn’t have a Centurion lounge at IAD or DCA (or BWI). As an Amex Platinum holder, no D.C. area Centurion lounges makes it harder to justify keeping the card an additional year (with the $450 annual fee).
Some pop-up lounges like this at Dulles and Reagan would give flyers a taste of lounge benefits. (There are Priority Pass lounges at Dulles but the hours of service are limited.)