First look: Amex’s stunning new Centurion Lounge in Atlanta

The world’s busiest airport is now home to the world’s best American Express Centurion Lounge.

On Wednesday, Feb. 14, the issuer will officially open the (blue) doors to its newest outpost at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).

This lounge has been a long time coming for Amex, and it’s packed with a handful of firsts for the Centurion Lounge network.

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Not only is it the issuer’s largest location to date — it spans nearly 26,000 square feet — but it’s also the first Centurion Lounge to offer a whiskey bar and outdoor terraces. There’s lots to love about this lounge, and it’s sure to become an instant hit with cardmembers.

In advance of the opening, Amex invited select media for a tour of the space, so here’s your first look at this hotly anticipated lounge.

Related: Guide to lounge access with the Amex Platinum and Business Platinum

Amex Centurion Lounge Atlanta access

The lounge is open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

American Express cardmembers with a Centurion or Platinum-branded card such as The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express have access to Amex Centurion Lounges.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card members also get complimentary access to Centurion Lounges located in the U.S., Hong Kong and London when flying on a marketed or operated by Delta.

This will likely be a popular way to gain access to this Centurion Lounge, given that Atlanta is Delta’s largest and busiest hub.

Note that you can’t purchase Centurion Lounge access even if you carry another American Express card.

As of Feb. 1, 2023, guest policies have changed at Centurion Lounges to clamp down on overcrowding.

Centurion and Corporate Platinum cardmembers can bring up to two complimentary guests into the lounge.

Platinum cardmembers cannot bring complimentary guests into the lounge unless they meet a $75,000 annual spending requirement on their cards. Otherwise, you’ll pay $50 per adult guest and $30 per child (ages 2-17). Children under two can enter for free.

For more about accessing the Centurion Lounge network, be sure to check out our comprehensive guide.

Amex Centurion Lounge Atlanta location

Amex’s new Atlanta location is located in Concourse E, near Gate E11.

Finding the lounge shouldn’t take much work — just head to Gate E11, and you’ll find the entrance lined by frosted blue glass doors just near the gate area.

Every terminal in Atlanta is connected post-security, so you can access this lounge regardless of which airline you’re flying. If you’re departing from a different concourse, you’ll need to either walk through the underground tunnels or take the Plane Train to get there.

Just be sure to factor in enough time to transit between terminals if you visit the Centurion Lounge. Trust me, it’s easy to forget about timing once you step foot inside the lounge.

Amex Centurion Lounge Atlanta layout

Amex’s new Atlanta outpost is in a league of its own, and it ushers in a new generation of airport clubs for the issuer.

For one, at 26,000 square feet, the space is nearly 11,000 square feet bigger than the second-largest Centurion Lounge (in New York).

Of course, time will tell if the lounge will be large enough to handle the number of Amex Platinum cardmembers passing through the nation’s busiest airport. But, kudos to Amex for making the space as large as it could. (The issuer didn’t share the lounge’s official capacity during the media event.)

If I were a betting man, I’d posit that this space will still suffer from overcrowding, but at least cardholders can also use any of Delta’s Sky Clubs in Atlanta if they prefer (albeit not on an unlimited basis come next year).

Plus, with a design I found to be mesmerizing, I’m guessing this place will be a hit with cardmembers.

Speaking of the design, from the moment you step inside, you’ll notice some familiar elements, as well as some that are unique to this outpost.

After you enter, you’ll find a variety of traditional seating options that include couches, chairs and benches for relaxation.

No matter where you go, you’re bound to find somewhere to sit. As for me, I love how Amex installed bar-style seating along the perimeter of the lounge area.

This is great for solo travelers and should give aviation enthusiasts views (of Delta jets) for miles.

After passing through the lounge’s main relaxation area, you’ll find yourself in the central core of the space, which features a 50-year-old olive tree. Inspired by the city of Atlanta and its reputation as “the city in the forest,” Amex designed this space with lots of greenery.

This doesn’t just make for a nicer design, but it also promotes a sense of calm and serenity in an otherwise busy airport.

Even the light sculpture above the lounge’s main core was custom-designed to represent a forest canopy. You might not necessarily see that at first glance, but the lighting sure looks modern and snazzy.

Behind the olive tree is the lounge’s main bar and dining area. There are a handful of tables and booths here, and with two buffets in this room, this is likely where you’ll find most of the diners.

For years, the bars in the Centurion Lounge were all designed with similar motifs, but this one feels like it was custom-created for this outpost in Atlanta.

While the overall design may be reminiscent of Amex’s other Centurion Lounges, it’s clear that the issuer is turning a new chapter in its airport lounge lookbook as it seeks to build more locally-inspired (and fewer cookie-cutter) spaces.

Along the interior edge of the lounge is a room designed for those looking to catch up on work — there’s a shared coworking table with 10 chairs, as well as five solo workstations built into the wall and four private phone booths, available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

All in all, the outpost’s layout and design are a step up from nearly every other credit card-branded lounge in the country — but perhaps what’s equally exciting are all the one-of-a-kind amenities.

Amex Centurion Lounge Atlanta amenities

The Centurion Lounge in Atlanta offers a slew of amenities that will surely be a hit with travelers.

As an aviation enthusiast, my favorite features are the lounge’s three outdoor, year-round terraces.

There’s one lining nearly the entire perimeter of the lounge, and this one offers not only a bunch of different seating options, but also some of the best views you’ll find of Delta jets in the country.

I could easily spend an hour outside here — even on a rainy day — watching Delta’s Airbus A330s and A350s move around the airfield. (The Centurion Lounge is located in a primarily international concourse, so you’ll mostly find widebodies parked at the nearby gates.)

Even travelers who can’t distinguish between the A330-200 and A330-300 will enjoy this outdoor space. That’s because the seating options are comfortable, augmented by a bunch of greenery lining the terrace.

The lounge’s two other terraces don’t boast any views (they’re located on the interior of the space), but they do offer some overflow seating that’ll likely be less crowded than the main lounge inside.

In fact, one of the terraces — along with its attached rooms — is reserved for Amex’s Centurion members. If you have a “black card,” a lounge agent will escort you into your private relaxation room, which features a small beverage station with some snacks, as well as a handful of seats and the aforementioned terrace.

While the highlight of the amenities will likely be the terraces, the Centurion Lounge also has a long list of “standard” features.

This includes four private phone booths, a multi-purpose room (that doubles as a family room), power ports and USB-A and -C outlets at nearly every seat.

The lounge also features men’s and women’s restrooms — possibly the nicest ones in the entire airport — three shower suites, and two all-gender private restrooms.

The shower suites are decorated with marble finishes and feature Amex’s signature L’Occitane products.

Amex Centurion Lounge Atlanta food and drinks

Amex was the first credit card issuer to open airport lounges, and one of the issuer’s key differentiators from traditional airline membership clubs has been elevated culinary offerings.

Given the increase in competition in recent years (both from airlines and other issuers), Amex is raising the bar — literally and figuratively — with the food and drinks.

It starts with the opening of the so-called “The Reserve by American Express,” which is the issuer’s first Centurion Lounge whiskey bar.

The design fits the bill for a whiskey bar, and you can have your pick at a curated selection of whiskey-based cocktails crafted by Centurion Lounge mixologist Jim Meehan.

All of the food and beverages are included with lounge admission, so you can sample as many whiskeys as you’d like. (Don’t forget that you still have a flight to catch.)

In addition to the whiskey bar, the lounge’s main bar is happy to whip up your favorite drink or pour you a glass of one of 10 wines picked by Centurion Lounge wine director Anthony Giglio.

As for the food, Amex is teaming up with Atlanta-based Deborah VanTrece, the James Beard Award-winning chef behind local favorites Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours, Oreatha’s At The Point and La Panarda. (Funny enough, VanTrece is a former flight attendant.)

VanTrece curated a menu of Southern and international favorites for the buffet, including pea biryani, za’atar grilled chicken thighs and “twisted soul” salad.

A media preview isn’t the best time to get a sense of how the food will taste on a daily basis, but if Amex can replicate what it offered on Tuesday, then travelers are likely to leave satiated.

In addition to the buffets, the issuer installed a few wellness stations throughout the lounge. These stations offer gluten-free and vegan options, including protein bites, salads, smoothies and immunity booster juice shots.

Amex doesn’t offer a grab-and-go station (like Capital One does), nor does it offer a la carte dining (like Chase does), but the dining choices are still a notable step up from the existing Centurion Lounges and from most airline membership lounges.

Amex Centurion Lounge Atlanta bottom line

Amex’s new Centurion Lounge in Atlanta is in a league of its own.

It’s the issuer’s largest location to date, and it begins a new chapter for the Centurion Lounge network with a locally inspired design, unique amenities and top-notch food and drinks.

For travelers passing through Atlanta, this is undoubtedly the nicest lounge in the airport (trust me, I’ve been to all of them). As such, I’m sure it’ll get quite busy during peak times.

But all of this innovation comes as Amex faces even more competition in the airport lounge space. While Amex had a nearly decade-long head start, Capital One and Chase are working hard to close the gap.

Credit card-branded lounges are popping up in more airports nationwide, and each seems nicer than the last.

Amex’s latest opening is sure to impress, and with 28 outposts across the globe, including one in the world’s busiest airport, the Centurion Lounge network is very much still the leader.

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