I was at LAX on Saturday and pleased to see that the American Express Centurion Lounge looks about ready to open. An opening date has still not been announced.
The Los Angeles lounge was originally slated to open in 2019, but was delayed. The latest Centurion Lounge will be a large one, with over 13,900 square feet of floor space and a special tranquility area and spa.
For the first time, American Express will be introducing an enhanced tranquility area, offering both brightly-lit and dimly-lit quiet areas to help global travelers adjust to new time zones as they travel internationally. The new lounge will also feature a spa, a kid and adult-friendly family room, custom, visual wall installations, complimentary chef-crafted food menus, premium wines and specialty cocktails from sommelier Anthony Giglio and mixologist Jim Meehan, enhanced workspaces, access to high-speed Wi-Fi, premium restrooms and showers, power outlets, private noise-buffering work stations and American Express Member Services Professionals to provide onsite Card-related and travel-related services.
The lounge will be located in the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT), meaning you can get there fairly easily from all terminals except Terminal 1. Terminals 4-8 are connected on the secure side by walkway and Delta offers shuttle service from Terminals 2 and 3.
The lounge entrance will be on Level 4, one level below the Qantas First Class lounge, near the bridge that connects TBIT to Terminal 4. It appears you’ll enter the lounge then proceed down an elevator to the lounge itself, which is located on the arrivals levels. It’s almost like an island in the midst of baggage claim between passport control and customs. The glass is frosted on the lower windows, providing some degree of privacy.
Already, you can see a large American Express logo, countertops are complete, and even furniture has been moved in.
CONCLUSION
I am looking forward to finally having an American Express Centurion Lounge in my home airport. You can bet I’ll be one of the first to check it out once it opens.
I’ll have a 7 hour layover in LAX in March 11th. Hope it’s open by then!
This is the worst clock bait I’ve seen.
I’ve seen worse many times.
I am willing to waste 3 hours on a connection to use Burbank or Ontario as the airport. It beats going to LAX.
LAX is a nightmare and should be avoided at all costs. ‘Sides, it’s easy to connect with SEA or DFW or DEN using Ontario, Burbank or Long Beach.
PS. Ontario has a Amex platinum network lounge. Have u ever used it? I think as an Los Angeles-based travel blogger, u will eventually have to do a whole bunch of articles on specifically avoiding LAX.
I did visit the Escape Lounge in Ontario and enjoyed it: https://liveandletsfly.boardingarea.com/2019/04/01/escape-lounge-ontario-review/
Very nice. Now time for some articles to make us experts on avoiding the LAXative.
@AK I am a Los Angeles-area traveler. I live in the Long Beach area (love,love LGB), and travel at least once per week. I agree, LAX is a tough place… but, honestly– if you are traveling somewhere that has a non-stop or even a more premium (upguaged aircraft, first/business class availability, and lounge access) flight experience, and better pricing… I think your argument about taking a connection instead of heading to LAX is not ideal. I dont know about you… but the opportunities to misconnect are not worth the stress. Plus, I try hard to time my visits to LAX… specifically– I don’t mind early morning flights from LAX– usually no trouble, and very little delays. Its the arrival experience that is terrible, so I try hard to arrive between 10AM-2PM, or after 8PM or on a weekend to avoid traffic issues. Finally, honestly– departing is quite pleasant at LAX, ESPECIALLY in the TBIT. The terminal is a pleasure, with all the amenities I expect from a world-class airport. And, in addition, even though LAX has been “under construction” for most of my half century plus in Socal, it is indeed getting better. Sure, it will be 7 more years of construction– but it IS getting better.
But this is my point tho, it has become impossible to “time” flights from LAX. Any and every trip here is a disaster.
If you look at ONT-DFW, you will note a whole bunch of connection options.
Last year I did EZE Buenos Aires to DFW and then to john Wayne. It was 3.5 hours longer than EZE to LAX, but so worth avoiding the jungle pick up area for Uber and super slow and rude immigrations at LAX.
I still stick to my avoid-LAX-despite-some-delays strategy.
Fantastic news. I usually fly fairly early 6am, so the AMEX lounge is pretty empty then. LAX is not the best, but avoiding the stress level by spending a little more to have a car service pick you up Helps
I am much closer to BUR than LAX- but to be honest the airport has totally outgrown itself and the infrastructure, amenities, frequent lack of pre-check etc make it not worth it to me. That, plus mostly CRJ service up to SFO make it an unideal option.
I’d rather go to in plenty of time and enjoy a lounge + other real amenities.
Matthew you will never again see that lounge empty like that….
It will be very interesting to see how AMEX handles the LAX crowding.
I don’t think it will be as bad as SFO because of the location, since it is a 15+ minute walk from anywhere besides T4 I think a lot less domestic users will crowd it. T3 isn’t connected yet either so the whole north side of the airport will have to go through security 2x to use it as well.
I love LAX. I’d inconvenience myself in order to connect there. Great lounge options, lots of great planespotting opportunities, plenty of IRROPS coverage.
If you have Precheck and global entry there are no real delays. LAXit doesn’t waste more time than driving to Ontario and connecting in Phoenix.
Do u mean connect at LAX? I am sure that’s fine. I am worried about the Angelinos who actually have to drive there and be picked up there. It is uniformly a disaster.
The only two airports I’ve been to that suck more are Manila and JFK.
I’ve been waiting for this lounge…. So happy yo see it’s nearly ready. Since AMEX Plats crewed us over by ditching the PP restaurants there are slim lounge pickin’s at LAX. True Bradley is connected under the terminals, but damn it’s a long walk back to UA. This would be worth it though I hope.
reading this after taking the bus.. while captive in standing room only LAX SC term 3!!! they little annex lounge next door is even worse.. a mess