Two Different Experiences at Two New (or New to Us) AmEx Centurion Lounges
One of the greatest disappointments in our tenure as American Express Platinum Card holders was the increasingly delayed opening of the Centurion Lounge at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Had it opened a couple of years ago as originally planned, we would have reaped a lot of value out of it – as that’s our departure airport nearly half the time. Had they waited even another year to open the lounge, we might have even canceled the card, but we held off when they finally opened the doors in mid-July.
The initial reviews were mixed, but we took any negativity with a grain of salt – the product of early growing pains and perhaps writers who were overly picky. Accordingly, we looked forward to our first visit on Saturday, September 7 as we headed off to Texas and Louisiana for a fishing and hunting trip.
After we checked out bags and went through security, we headed toward our United Flight at gate B14, and the lounge was conveniently located on our right, clearly marked and inviting. We got in the elevator with another woman and arrived to find no one in line. All three of us were granted entrance within perhaps three to four minutes, provided an internet password and directions toward the various amenities. We walked into find it not only extremely spacious, but relatively empty at 6:30am (they’d opened at 5). There was a large bar area and an open section with the buffet prominently featured.
We grabbed a table by the windows (the view of the outdoor drop off area was one of the few negatives) and got breakfast. The buffet included various plentiful and continuously restocked items – including multiple egg dishes, tons of fresh fruit, smoked salmon, and other options. It was clean, the food was warm and there was no wait. Even an hour later, when we left, it wasn’t much busier. Hanna had some eggs and chicken apple sausage – I had the latter plus a bunch of berries, melon, and the pancakes with raspberry coulis.
We never felt crowded and didn’t need anything else, but I felt compelled to do a lap. There was an area with comfortable seating and a large TV, the usual coffee stations, a family room, and various soundproof “offices” for those needing quiet or privacy. I did use the restroom and found it to be borderline pristine (rare in a men’s room, even early in the day), with premium soaps and products.
It was almost sad to leave because it was so peaceful and accommodating, but we had a flight to catch. This initial experience was a huge win.
On our trip home from Louisiana through Houston, we ended up with three hours at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). After checking in at the C Terminal and going through Clear, I googled the Centurion Lounge location and the first link I found said that it was near D6. We headed that way, only to find that there was no D6 – the hallway toward “D” led us to numbers starting at D7. We eventually asked a friendly airport employee who informed us that it was “past the duty free shop.”
We walked to D12, took an elevator, and found ourselves in another long and relatively non-descript hallway. But for the couple of signs pointing toward the Centurion Lounge we would have assumed we were in the wrong place. Finally, we were there. Once again, it only took a few minutes to check in (we’ve yet to experience the long Centurion lines that others have reported, although I’m sure it’s coming).
Once we’d cleared that hurdle, a helpful employee directed us to an open couch, one of the few free seats in the place. Indeed, it was packed. I’m not sure if that was typical of a Tuesday afternoon/evening, or if it was because an impending hurricane had people leaving the region early. Either way, while I would have rather been at a table, at least we were in a “quiet room” where cell phone calls were prohibited. That didn’t prevent a man across from us from opining loudly about all sorts of things, but that wasn’t intolerable – as we had Wi-Fi, food/drink and comfortable seats.
One really nice thing about this lounge was the waiter service. Young Jeremy was extremely friendly, constantly refilling our drinks or asking if we needed anything. He was interested in travelers’ plans without being nosy or overbearing. That was a huge plus – we didn’t have to go to the bar on our own.
The buffet was less impressive. We freshly-baked cookies were excellent, but the other choices were limited, which was a bummer at mealtime. There were the makings of a salad, two soups (one with cauliflower, one miso-based, neither of which appealed to me) and chicken and rice, both of which were ample but cold. We each had a plate, and it was filling and probably saved us $40-50 on dinner, but otherwise was underwhelming.
While the Houston lounge was less crowded by the time we left at 7pm, the food remained lackluster, and the layout was less inviting or comfortable than the new DCA lounge. It felt like an afterthought crammed into a random space, rather than a truly inviting venue. Perhaps we caught it on an off night, or we were just tired, but if that were my regular departure airport, that particular lounge perk wouldn’t be a major factor in favor of keeping our Platinum Card.
Overall, though, this was a win. Not only did we forego spending $70+ on two meals for two, but it made us more likely to go out of DCA (Washington Dulles is slightly closer, but it’s effectively a distinction without a difference). We may find that the DCA Centurion is much more crowded in the future, but this time it was a joy that made the trip better, and held us over until we had lunch at around 1pm Central (2pm at home) with a Texas friend.
