Is a new American Express Centurion Lounge coming to Los Angeles International Airport? Brian Summers points to a recent LAX employee newsletter claiming that one is coming between Terminals 6 and 7.
It does seem odd that American Express would place two couches and a big “Centurion Lounge” sign in the Tom Bradley International Terminal without plans for a lounge, but I am curious about the alleged placement of the lounge. “Between Terminals 6 and 7” is a long hallway, neither wide nor tall enough for a lounge:
It is conceivable the lounge would somehow be built above it like the new United Club coming to Terminal 7 or that the lounge would be landside (before security) where there will be a lot of extra space if American Airlines consolidates its operations in T4, but I think the logical place for the lounge is in Terminal 6 at the home of the former United Club. That lounge itself is too small for a Centurion Lounge, but if expanded to two levels or further down the concourse, it would be an ideal spot. Maybe LAX could then reopen the smoking lounge too…but I digress.
I reached out to American Express and received what appears to be the boilerplate response:
I can’t speak to the airport’s employee newsletter, but I can tell you that LAX is an important and much frequented airport for our Card Members, and we are actively exploring ways to bring The Centurion Lounge to Los Angeles. At this stage in the process, we’re still in discussions with the airport about finding the right space and location for a lounge that will fit our Card Members’ needs.
So no firm denial that the lounge is coming to Terminal 6/7, but it does seem that the location decision has not been finalized. AMEX is attacking AA and UA hubs because the legacy carrier lounges offer poor competition — even with recent improvements in food, the SFO United Clubs have nothing on the Centurion Lounge. Same with Dallas and Miami. The Las Vegas and New York LaGuardia lounges also offer a far superior product to any airline lounge. That makes more people (like me) likely to hold on to AMEX Plat cards, even with high annual fees.
A lounge in Houston is coming and I think we will see Denver and LA before long…bringing an elevated lounge experience to these U.S. airports in frankly desperate need of a decent lounge. I am excited that my home airport is getting Uber and now an AMEX Centurion Lounge!
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