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Amex isn’t kid-ding around, limits Centurion Lounge access
Just in case you missed the news that was circling around the blog-o-sphere last week: Amex has reduced the number of guests you can bring into the lounge with you. What’s the big deal? It used to be that you could bring in your immediate family without limitation. Now? Sorry kiddos…the limit for guests is now 2, regardless if you’re related or not. Immediate family means 3 people now. Amex isn’t kid-ing around with Centurion Lounge Access and you better have your seat assignment!
Points with a Crew pointed out the newly advertised policy on their website: 2 guests OR immediate family.
I’m not married and have no children, but I can see how this would be a pretty big devaluation to those who travel with more than 3 total people, and it’s a real zinger when it comes with the news that the annual fee is going up by $100! So less perks and more fees? You’d better make use of those Uber credits 😉
There is always the strategy of paying $175 for 3 authorized users. Each of those users would have access + 2 guests, so there is at least a possible way around the restrictions and limit the cost to $175.
Also…you better have your boarding pass with assigned seat. The unaccompanied flyer reported this:
As a matter of fact, any lounge that isn’t affiliated with a particular airline won’t allow you into their lounge unless you have a seat assignment or boarding pass from another flight with a seat assignment. He explained to me that many agents don’t enforce this rule. However, he did say that the American Express Centurion Lounge in Miami is the one exception in which this rule is enforced 24/7
In case you’re wondering where cardholders have access…Here are the Centurion Lounges in America and Internaional Amex lounges worldwide.
Is it too soon to start using the family room/kid’s club as an impromptu wine tasting room? 😉
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
Welcome Offer
$300 Chase Travel℠ Credit + Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual Fee
$95
Points Earned
Transferrable Chase Ultimate Rewards
- $300 Chase Travel℠ Credit + Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- That’s worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel℠. Plus, get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel℠ purchases within your first year
- 5x on all travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 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)
- $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit via Chase Travel℠
- The begins immediately for new cardmembers and after your account anniversary for existing cardmembers
- 2x on all other travel
- 10% Anniversary Bonus
- Every year you keep the card, your total spend will yield a 10% points bonus. If you spend $10k in a year, you’ll get 1k bonus points
- Chase Sapphire Preferred continues to redeem at 1.25c in the Chase Travel℠ and the slew of other benefits remain in tact including Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver ( primary ), purchase protections, etc.
- Points are transferrable to 14 Ultimate Rewards partners
- Redeem in Chase Travel℠ for 1.25 cents per point
- No foreign transaction fees
- Suite of Travel and Purchase Coverage
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver is my favorite
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
- $95 Annual Fee
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® is exceptional 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: Ink Business Cash® , Ink Business Unlimited® you can combine the points into Preferred account and transfer into hotel and airline partners
Annual fee is quite low at $95 a year + you get a 10% anniversary bonus on points + $50 hotel credit in Chase travel.
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