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American Express Centurion Lounge policy
One of the benefits of the American Express Platinum and American Express Business Platinum is access to Centurion lounges. They’re great lounges, but do to their popularity, we’ve seen a ton of overcrowding, reduced access, and overall devaluation of service. As a result, starting February 1st, 2023, there are guest access limitations that will go into effect that pretty much eliminate brining guests in unless you spend over $75k in 12 months, or add them as authorized users.
The new Centurion Lounge access rules
- No guests allowed unless
- You spend over $75k in the prior 12 months
- You get 2 guests
- Once you hit the $75k it can take up to a week to register guest access
- Complimentary Guest Access applies from the time it becomes effective until January 31 of the second calendar year thereafter. For example, if Complimentary Guest Access becomes effective on May 1, 2023, it will remain effective through January 31, 2025.
- Spend $50 per guest you bring in
- Spend $30 per child aged 2 to 17
- You spend over $75k in the prior 12 months
The authorized user work around
If you add Platinum authorized users ( not the free gold and green authorized users ) but instead pay the $175 for 3 additional Platinum card members to your account. They too will have access. So… if you add your spouse and two kids, your family of 4 could still enter without paying the guest access fee.
Full Details Here
U.S. Basic Platinum Card Members and Additional Platinum Card Members on the account and U.S. Basic Business Platinum Card Members and Additional Platinum Card Members on the account may bring up to two (2) guests per visit into locations of The Centurion Lounge in the U.S., at Hong Kong International Airport and at London Heathrow Airport for no per-visit guest fee (?Complimentary Guest Access?) through January 31, 2023. Effective February 1, 2023, Platinum Card Members, Business Platinum Card Members and Additional Platinum Card Members on the account will be charged a $50 fee for each guest (or $30 for children aged 2 through 17, with proof of age). To receive Complimentary Guest Access at these locations after January 31, 2023, the total eligible purchases on the Platinum Account must equal or exceed $75,000 between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022 and in each calendar year thereafter. Complimentary Guest Access is limited to two (2) guests per visit, per Card Member, regardless of whether you are eligible for complimentary guest access through multiple Platinum Accounts or through other Amex Cards. Guest access policies may vary internationally by location and are subject to change.
Beginning February 1, 2023, eligibility for Complimentary Guest Access will be processed within a week of the Platinum Account’s meeting the purchase requirement in most cases, but may take up to 12 weeks to become effective. Complimentary Guest Access status will be reflected in the Benefits tab of your online account and in the American Express App. Once effective, Complimentary Guest Access will be available for the remainder of the calendar year in which it became effective, the following calendar year, and until January 31 of the next calendar year (for example, if Complimentary Guest Access becomes effective on May 1, 2023, it will remain effective through January 31, 2025). Eligible purchases made by any Additional Card Members on the Platinum Account will contribute to the purchase requirement. Eligible purchases to meet the purchase requirement are for goods and services minus returns and other credits. Eligible purchases do NOT include fees or interest charges, cash advances, purchases of travelers checks, purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, purchases of gift cards, person-to-person payments, or other cash equivalents. If a Basic Platinum Card Member upgrades or downgrades from a different American Express Card, eligible purchases made on that Card Account will count toward the new Platinum Account’s Complimentary Guest Access purchase requirement.
Platinum Card Members have unlimited complimentary access to all locations of The Centurion Lounge. Gold Card and Green Card Additional Cards on your Platinum Card account are not eligible for complimentary access. All access to The Centurion Lounge is subject to space availability. To access The Centurion Lounge, the Card Member must present The Centurion Lounge agent with the following upon each visit: his or her valid Card, a boarding pass showing a confirmed reservation for a departing flight on the same day on any carrier and a government-issued I.D. Note that select lounges allow access to Card Members with a confirmed reservation for any same-day travel (departure or arrival). Refer to the specific location’s access policy for more information. Failure to present this documentation may result in access being denied. Card Members will not be compensated for changes in locations, rates or policies. A Card Member must be at least 18 years of age to enter without a parent or legal guardian. For locations with a self-service bar, the Card Member must be of legal drinking age in the location’s jurisdiction to enter without a parent or legal guardian. Must be of legal drinking age to consume alcoholic beverages. Please drink responsibly. American Express reserves the right to remove any person from the Lounge for inappropriate behavior or failure to adhere to rules, including, but not limited to, conduct that is disruptive, abusive or violent. Soliciting other Card Members for access into our lounge is not permissible. Hours may vary by location and are subject to change. Amenities vary among The Centurion Lounge locations and are subject to change. In addition to the complimentary services and amenities in the Lounge, certain services, products or amenities may be offered for sale. You are responsible for any purchases and/or servicing charges you authorize our Member Services Professionals to perform on your behalf. Some American Express Cards are not eligible for all services provided by Member Services Desk. American Express will not be liable for any articles lost or stolen or damages suffered by the purchaser or visitor inside The Centurion Lounge. If we in our sole discretion determine that you have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with lounge access in any way or that you intend to do so, we may remove access to The Centurion Lounge from the Account. Use of The Centurion Lounge is subject to all rules and conditions set by American Express. American Express reserves the right to revise the rules at any time without notice.
Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card went through a major refresh in 2026 adding new bonus categories, travel protections, statement credits, and remains one of the best travel starter cards in the market. It earns Premium Ultimate Rewards that can be transferred into over a dozen partners many of which are US based including Hyatt, Southwest, United, IHG, and Marriott. Note that Hyatt is now a 4:3 transfer partner
Welcome Offer
Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Annual Fee
$95
Points Earned
Transferrable Chase Ultimate Rewards
Earn
- 5x on all travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- NEW ACCELERATED EARN CATEGORY: 3x points on gas and EV charging
- NEW ACCELERATED EARN CATEGORY: 3x points on vacation homes at top brands
- Cardmembers will earn 3x points on vacation homes at these top brands: Airbnb, Vrbo, Plu Guide, HomeAway, Homestay.com and Vacasa.
- 3x on dining, including eligible delivery services for takeout & dining out
- 3x on select streaming services
- 3x on online grocery purchases
- (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
- 2x on all other travel
- 1x on everyday purchases
- 5x points on Lyft rides Earn 5x total points on eligible Lyft rides including ride share, bike and scooter rides and subscription and membership products through September 30, 2027.
- 5x total points on Peloton equipment Earn 5x total points on eligible Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $150 through December 31, 2027.
Benefits and Credits
- $100 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit via Chase Travel℠
- NEW: $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS fee credit Cardmembers will receive one statement credit of up to $120 every four years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to the card.
- NEW: Complimentary Apple TV subscription for one year
- Points are transferrable to 14 Ultimate Rewards partners
- No foreign transaction fees
- Suite of Travel and Purchase Coverage
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver is my favorite
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists the best ever offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Historically 80k is a very, very good offer and hit in both 2022 and 2023. In 2021, we saw the offer hit an all time high of 100k. Who knows if that will ever come back.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is great starter card and offers transferrable Ultimate Rewards, and pairs well with other Chase cards.
If you carry this card alongside Chase’s cashback cards like the Chase Freedom Flex® and Chase Freedom Unlimited® or the business versions: Chase Ink Business Cash® , Chase Ink Business Unlimited® you can combine the points into the Sapphire Preferred account and transfer into hotel and airline partners
Annual fee remains quite low at $95 a year and if you use the $100 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit via Chase Travel℠ you’ll wipe out that annual fee every year. It has great bonus categories and other useful statement credits to enhance your travel.
One thing that is a bummer is Chase lowered the transfer ratio to World of Hyatt from 1:1 to 4:3.
The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.