Why The AMEX Platinum Card Is My Go to Card for Airport Lounge Access

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I truly believe The Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the best values for travel credit cards!  While the $550 annual fee (See Rates & Fees) can be hard to swallow, the value extracted can become worth it very quickly.

Among the benefits is access to a wide variety of airport lounges, including the Centurion lounges, Priority Pass, Escape lounges, Delta SkyClub, AIRSPACE lounges, and others.  A wide selection like this means you are nearly guaranteed to have a lounge to visit during your travels.

Here are two reasons why the AMEX Platinum card is a must have for travelers who love airport lounges, and how to access all of them!

American Express Platinum Airport Lounge Perks

The AMEX Platinum Has A Large Lounge Selection

Many credit cards that are airline specific only grant you access to that specific airline’s lounge.  For example, the Delta Reserve for Business Credit Card only grants you access to Delta SkyClub lounges (and beginning in 2019, you must be flying Delta or one of their partners in order to access the lounge).  The same goes for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard® and the United MileagePlus Club Card.

And with both American Airlines and United Airlines adding similar restrictions to their lounges, unless you are only flying one specific airline (or alliance), these cards aren’t as advantageous when it comes to enjoying more lounges during your travels.

However with the AMEX Platinum, there is a much higher chance you will be sipping a glass of champagne in an airport lounge because you have so many different options!

Quality Of Airport Lounges With The AMEX Platinum Are WAY Better

The mantra of “you get what you pay for” couldn’t be more true.  The American Express Centurion lounges are some of the best airport lounges, and are only accessible with The Business Platinum® Card from American Express, The Platinum Card® from American Express, or the American Express Centurion Card (invite only card).

I finally visited my first American Express Centurion lounge in Las Vegas recently and it was gorgeous!  The amenities were incredible, the employees were super friendly, and the food was outstanding.

I’ve visited a few lounges that have been pretty sub-par unfortunately, but with the large selection of the American Express Global Lounge Collection, there are plenty to choose from!  If you need to find a lounge you can access with your AMEX Platinum card here is a step-by-step on how to do it.

So how can you access any of these lounges known as the American Express Global Lounge Collection with the American Express Platinum Card?  Well here you go!

Note:  For most of these lounges you will need to bring your AMEX Platinum card with you, have a same-day boarding pass, and your government issued ID in order to get in!

Centurion Lounge Access With American Express Platinum

The Centurion lounges are located in 9 airports (with many more on the way) – Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Hong Kong (HKG), Houston (IAH), Las Vegas (LAS), New York – Laguardia (LGA), Philadelphia (PHL), Miami (MIA), Seattle (SEA), and San Francisco (SFO).  These lounges are accessible to any active American Express Platinum or Centurion card holder.  You are able to bring up to two guests for free.

Priority Pass Lounge Access With American Express Platinum

Priority Pass is a network of 1,200+ lounges across the world you will have access to for free with the American Express Platinum Card.  Once you are approved for the American Express Platinum, you will need to register for your Priority Pass membership (here’s how to do that).  Be sure to activate the card prior to travel.

Most lounges will accept the digital card you can find in the Priority Pass app, but carry the physical card just in case!  Lounges vary in quality, but it is reassuring that you will almost always have a lounge at your airport.  You can bring up to two guests with your card!  Check out the full list of lounges here.

Escape Lounges Access With American Express Platinum

The Escape lounges are another smaller network that is included with your AMEX Platinum.  With locations in airports such as Minneapolis, Reno-Tahoe, and Oakland, you can access any US Escape Lounge with up to two other travelers free of charge.  Check out the full list of lounges here.

Delta SkyClub Lounges Access With American Express Platinum

The Delta SkyClub lounges are some of my favorite lounges!  Living in Salt Lake City and it being a Delta hub, I’ve become very much a Delta SkyClub regular.  With the American Express Platinum, you get access for yourself to any Delta SkyClub as long as you have a valid boarding pass for that day and starting in 2019, you’ll need to be flying with Delta or one of their partners.

Unfortunately, guests cost an extra $29.

Airspace Lounge Access With American Express Platinum

The Airspace Lounge has two locations, one at the Cleveland International Airport and the other at the San Diego International Airport.  These two lounges do vary a bit in perks and amenities, so be sure to check out their website for further details.

But the best part is that the cardholder and up to two guests are completely free!

Bottom line

Your American Express Platinum Card can get you into a TON of lounges!  But you’ll often need to be carrying the physical card on you to enter, have a same-day boarding pass, and your government issued ID.  If you are interested in having access to all these different lounges across the globe, consider applying for The Business Platinum® Card from American Express or The Platinum Card® from American Express!

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For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum Card, please click here.