American Express Platinum Charge and Centurion cardmembers are entitled to complimentary access to The Centurion Lounge across the globe. There are currently lounges in Dallas, Hong Kong, Houston, Las Vegas, New York (La Guardia), Philadelphia, Miami, Seattle, and San Francisco.
Over time, American Express has tightened its access policy, now only allowing the aforementioned cardmembers plus two guests complimentary access. Note the subtle difference between Platinum and Centurion cardmembers with regard to the guest policy.
At Houston (IAH), The Centurion Lounge is conveniently located after security in Terminal D near gate D6. It is open from 5:30 in the morning through to 9 in the evening. My outbound flight on Singapore Airlines SQ51 was to depart from gate D1, so the visit to The Centurion Lounge was very convenient.
The lounge entrance was inviting, with a simple yet lovely white marble finish.
Stepping inside, all I had to do was to present my American Express Platinum Charge card and I was in.
Of course, I had to stop to admire the signature wall in living green, which was a nice natural touch.
The bar and dining area was sufficiently large to handle the crowd. You could seat yourself at one of the dining tables, or if you’re happening to be travelling alone and need someone to talk to, try the bar counter. The bartenders are more than happy for a chat while fixing your drink.
The main seating area with sofas can get a little crowded with guests that overflow from the dining area. Even after the tightening of its guest policy, Houston (IAH) is a pretty busy airport so that explains the crowd at the lounge. Those travelling with kids can opt to hang out at the kids playroom located in the far end of the lounge.
For those who wish to complete some last minute work before the flight, the study area is perfect for that. There’s a large table to work on and multiple power sockets should you require some recharging for your devices.
And now for the living room, great for those who just wish to laze in front of the television.
The front wall just screams TRAVEL at you, a truly inspirational work of art. I wonder if anyone would like to have this for their home interior design, but I wouldn’t mind it at all.
So you can see that The Centurion Lounge at Houston (IAH) is just like a home, with guest areas to suit your every need. By all means feel free to pick from the wide selection of food and beverage and seat yourself anywhere as you deem fit, and whether you find yourself in the study or living area, you’re sure to feel very much at home.
The Centurion Lounge network is set to expand, with new lounges opening in New York (JFK) and Los Angeles in due course. For those travelling between US and Asia, a good route to take would be from Las Vegas (LAS) to San Francisco (SFO), with an onward connection to Hong Kong (HKG). This way, you’ll get to try 3 Centurion Lounges on a single trip!
Till next time, happy lounging!