Inside the New Amex Centurion Lounge at Washington DC’s Reagan National Airport – The Points Guy

The war over airport lounges with credit cards has a new battleground: the country’s capital.

On Tuesday, American Express unveiled its highly anticipated Centurion Lounge at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) near Washington, D.C.

The outpost, which was first announced in 2021 and opens Wednesday, becomes the first credit card-branded lounge at DCA, which will be welcome news for the most premium Amex cardholders who travel through the airport. (Until now, DCA has only hosted airline-branded lounges.)

Amex’s move is a powerful one. The DCA Centurion Lounge measures nearly 12,000 square feet and offers a multitude of amenities and relaxation areas, as well as a first-ever culinary concept for the Amex club network.

Of course, Amex has also long been the leader in the credit card-branded airport lounge wars. It opened the first Centurion lounge in 2013 and has since expanded its network across the country and to major cities around the world.

That said, Capital One and Chase are playing catch-up; the former even plans to open a new restaurant-focused “Outpost” concept at DCA in the coming months.

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So what does the interior of Amex’s new Centurion Lounge look like? Read on for all the details.

Location of Amex Centurion Lounge at DCA

Amex’s new Centurion Lounge at DCA is located in a newly constructed extension of the airport’s Terminal 2.

You will find the lounge in the airside domestic concourse, near the entrance to Gates B. The space is located just after the south security checkpoint, so I recommend going through security here if you plan to use the lounge after you have completed check-in and security.

It’s hard to miss the entrance once you’re at the National Hall. It’s located right across from Lucky Buns, and its glass entrance couldn’t be more visible.

Access to the Amex Centurion DCA lounge

The new lounge opens every day at 5am. It closes every day at 9pm, except Saturdays when it closes at 7pm.

American Express cardholders 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.

American Express Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Card And American Express Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business Card Members also enjoy complimentary access to Centurion Lounges when traveling on a Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight.

You cannot purchase access to the Centurion Lounge even if you have another American Express card.

Please note that Centurion Lounge guest policies have changed in the last year to combat overcrowding.

Platinum cardholders cannot bring complimentary guests into the lounge unless they meet a new $75,000 annual spending requirement on their cards. Otherwise, you will be charged $50 per adult guest and $30 per child (ages 2-17). Children under the age of two are free. Centurion and Corporate Platinum cardholders can continue to bring up to two complimentary guests into the lounge.

To learn more about accessing the Centurion Lounge network, be sure to check out our full guide.

Amex Centurion DCA Lounge Layout

The new Amex Lounge is located on a newly constructed upper level above the Departures Hall.

After entering the space, you will either need to take an elevator or climb approximately 50 steps to reach the reception.

As soon as you enter the space, you feel like you are in a Centurion Lounge. Between the wood tones, the green plant wall and the signature Amex fragrance, the transmitter has brought all the key elements of Centurion Lounge to the space.

After being admitted to the lounge, you will turn left and enter the various relaxation areas. The first, located right next to the reception desk, is a pseudo-art gallery featuring works by local Washington, DC artists. I particularly liked Maggie O’Neill’s colorful canvas of the Capitol Building.

The gallery is delineated by a beautiful interpretation of the iconic Amex logo that is found in every Centurion Lounge. This piece, however, is an updated version of the historic Amex logo and fits perfectly into the space.

In the corridors of the gallery there are a few sofas and individual chairs.

Passing the gallery, you can continue straight to the traditional lounges. Here you will find a mix of sofas and recliners, all in the same dark blue and dark grey tones that you will find in Amex’s new Centurion lounges.

A few chairs also line the perimeter of this rectangular relaxation space.

As you reach the end of the lounge, you will find two open lounges. The first is more of an entertainment space with a television built into the wall of Amex’s iconic bookcase.

Behind this library wall is the second lounge area; this one will likely be popular with business travelers.

Here you’ll find a long coworking table as well as high bar-style seating lining the perimeter of the space, perfect for those looking to catch up on work. This is also where you’ll find the lounge’s shared printer.

One thing I particularly appreciate about the whole living room is all the natural light – the living room has windows on all sides, providing ample amounts of light throughout the day.

Finally, there is a small dedicated seating area reserved for Centurion cardholders, the Amex guest-only credit card popular with the rich and famous. This area has no more than 15 seats, but it is sectioned off and seems to be the most relaxing area in the entire lounge.

Overall, this new Centurion Lounge is similar to most other Amex Centurion Lounges. It’s not a one-of-a-kind space like the new Atlanta outpost, but it covers all the bases (and more) in a relaxing and welcoming environment.

Catering at the Amex Centurion Lounge at DCA

Although the lounge itself may look similar to other Centurion lounges, Amex is introducing a unique dining concept in this lounge.

The menu was designed in partnership with three award-winning chefs who have collaborated with other Centurion lounges across the country. These include Chef Michelle Bernstein, Chef Ravi Kapur and Chef Michael Solomonov, all of whom have successful restaurants in Miami, San Francisco and Philadelphia, respectively.

With this trio, travelers will be able to enjoy a wide range of cuisines at the lounge’s all-day buffet. As with all Centurion lounges (and unlike the Capital One Lounge and Chase Sapphire Lounge), there is no a la carte dining here.

That said, the dishes I tried at the media preview were all delicious, especially the Shabazi Spiced Salmon.

I’m personally a huge fan of Chef Solomonov’s Zahav restaurant in Philadelphia, so being able to sample some of his creations at another Amex lounge is a huge win in my opinion (especially considering how difficult it is to get a reservation at his flagship restaurant).

At the bar, you can order cocktails from the menu created by Centurion Lounge mixologist Jim Meehan or from the wine list designed by the issuer’s wine director Anthony Giglio. Amex always strives to offer a fairly comprehensive and quality drinks menu, and this lounge is no exception.

In addition to the buffet and signature bar, two beverage stations are located throughout the lounge. Here you will find Eversys coffee machines, Vivreau water taps and even delicious chocolate chip cookies.

While the dining experience is enhanced by delicious food and drinks, be sure to check out the dining room, which features a stunning light fixture hanging from the ceiling. The light fixture is a collection of 260 lanterns designed to mimic the topography of the Potomac River.

There aren’t many tables in the dining room, so during busy times I imagine guests will have to take their plates to other areas of the lounge.

Amex Centurion Lounge Facilities at DCA

While this space doesn’t offer a spa or outdoor terrace, it does offer all the basic amenities (and more).

There is a phone booth and a meeting room in the living room. They are soundproof and have floor-to-ceiling windows. I love the design of the walls in these rooms.

Instead of a family room, the lounge has a multi-purpose room, which can be used by families and people traveling in groups. This space is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

There is a set of toilets in the center of the living room. The men’s toilet consists of three stalls and a few urinals.

There is even a shower in the lounge, located right next to the reception. Be sure to book a time slot with the reception upon arrival.

The shower room is gorgeous and looks to be the nicest shower in the airport. After all, it wins by default because it is the first shower available to travelers at DCA.

Most seats are within easy reach of power outlets and USB-A ports. Unfortunately, I didn’t see any USB-C charging ports here, although that’s quickly becoming the new charging standard.

Wi-Fi is available throughout the space, and download and upload speeds reach 300 Mbps.

Conclusion on the Amex Centurion Lounge DCA

The long-awaited Centurion Lounge in Washington, DC is finally here.

This is DCA’s first lounge to be dedicated to credit cards, and it sets the bar high. With plenty of space to relax, delicious food and drinks, and thoughtful amenities, expect the location to be a hit with travelers. (So much so that I imagine overcrowding will unfortunately be a reality during peak departure times.)

While this space doesn’t have special amenities like a spa or outdoor terrace, it perfectly meets what Amex cardholders visiting DCA likely need most.

If you find a place to relax, this lounge is definitely worth a visit. I for one will definitely be back for Chef Solomonov’s salmon.

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