What’s Happening Now at This AMEX Centurion Lounge Needs to Happen at All Airport Lounges ASAP

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Before I discovered miles and points and travel credit cards, I had never stepped foot in an airport lounge.  But now I almost take these special spaces full of free food and drinks and WiFi for granted.  But there’s a major problem that’s gotten worse in recent years.

I’ll explain, but first, in case you don’t know, here are a few credit cards that come with airport lounge privileges:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express – Centurion Lounge access
• The Platinum Card® from American Express – Centurion Lounge access
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard®

Airport Lounges Are Suffering From Overcrowding — AMEX Centurion Is Doing Something Positive About It

There are a record number of air passengers, perhaps due to the strong economy.  And more credit cards have added airport lounge access as a free perk.  And that’s why we have a problem… some airport lounges are stuffed with people all trying to stuff their faces with the tasty food, beer, wine, coffee, and more.

And that defeats the purpose of having a somewhat-exclusive lounge where you can relax in quiet before your flight.

The AMEX Centurion Lounge at Miami International Airport is about to be closed for part of January.  American Express says they’ll be upgrading and expanding the lounge.  This is what needs to happen at many airport lounges in the US.

I’ve visited more than a few Priority Pass airport lounges in the US and Europe and haven’t experienced overcrowding yet.  (You can get Priority Pass membership with cards like Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express.)

But when talking with folks here at Million Mile Secrets and listening to reader comments on the blog, overcrowding is certainly an issue in the more popular lounges, especially during peak travel seasons.

American Express realizes that their AMEX Centurion Lounges are one of the treasured perks that comes with The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express so they’re right to invest in expanding the spaces.  I hope they accelerate this process! 

• Here’s my explanation of why AMEX Centurion Lounges are the best in the US, along with the list of locations.
• And here’s our complete rundown of the best credit cards for airport lounges.