One of the most common issues with Amex Centurion Lounges before the pandemic was occasional congestion.
The issuing company created lounges that premium cardholders genuinely wanted to use, and they were frequently completely booked.
Thankfully, Amex has stepped up efforts to increase the size of its current facilities to accommodate more visitors, as well as consistently increasing the network's presence by opening new locations.
In the near future, LaGuardia (LGA), San Francisco (SFO), and Seattle airports will all undergo improvements (SEA).
The (much-needed) enlargement of the issuer's first Centurion Lounge in Las Vegas was finished this month.
One of Amex's largest lounges to date, the area has grown by 50%, from roughly 9,000 square feet to more than 13,400 square feet.
The outpost hasn't changed sites; it's still directly across from Gate D1 and just a short distance from the boarding areas for Alaska, American, Delta, Frontier, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Sun Country, United, and other airlines.
On Wednesday morning I went to the freshly remodeled lounge armed with The Platinum Card® from American Express.
There are many things to enjoy about the new layout, despite the fact that it can appear familiar from the outside.
Check out the inside, shall we?
When you walk into the Las Vegas location, the first thing you'll see is the brand-new reception room, which is decorated with Amex's recognizable green living wall, wood accents, and bright lights.
The majority of the extension is located in the main area of the lounge, which can be reached by turning left from the reception desk.
The additional space is linked to the lounge's original layout by a new rectangular passageway.
Three new seating places may be found here.
With so much foot activity entering and going, the first room, which only contains a few couches and tables, may get extremely noisy.
A poster of the business's watchdog logo may be found here as well, with two chairs immediately beneath it.
The second room has some couches on one wall and seven separate relaxing nooks on the other.
A zigzag couch, as well as several standalone seats, recliners, and tables, are arranged in the room's middle.
The issuer's most recent design themes, which you'll discover at some of its newest locations in New York-JFK and Los Angeles, have been updated in all of the furniture.
The third room at the end of the corridor features a shared printer and library (which has since been digitized owing to the pandemic), as well as a six-person co-working table and six independent freestanding sofa chairs.
A brand-new self-serve beverage station featuring an Eversys coffee maker, a pitcher of orange juice, and a Vivreau water tap is located across from this room.
In the new expansion's back is a tiny private lounge that is inaccessible to the majority of visitors.
I wasn't even able to take pictures of it because it is only accessible to select Centurion cardholders and VIPs.
According to local city regulations, the extended lounge may host 464 guests in total, versus 391 in the original area.
Despite the fact that this is only an increase of about 20%, there is undoubtedly greater space.
Amex remodeled the space and added two new phone booths.
They are both situated on either side of a pillar that serves as the lounge's main axis.
Amex converted the designated family room into a new multipurpose room during the expansion; it is no longer set aside for families and does not have any toys for kids.
The dining room also had a significant renovation.
It has a lot more booth seating, a variety of high-top and freestanding tables, and is substantially bigger.
The bar has undergone renovation and modernization as well, but it continues to serve Centurion Lounge favorites including the iconic Blue Door cocktail created by renowned mixologist Jim Meehan.
Previously, the buffet was next to the bar, which frequently resulted in crowding as cardholders snatched up food and beverages.
It is now positioned in the corner of the room at a standalone station.
The buffet will be self-service from two ways once the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, which will help to ease congestion.
For the time being, an Amex representative plates and serves all of the food.
When I arrived in the morning, breakfast options included biscuits and gravy, chicken apple sausage hash, and more.
Another brand-new, distinctive seating arrangement is located next to the buffet; this one features numerous four-person dining tables arranged in a zigzag pattern.
The issuer constructed a second set of restrooms near the buffet, in addition to the ones already present in the lounge.
The one shower room is still there, but it can't be used right now because of pandemic limitations.
The wide glass windows facing the ramp provide lots of natural light since they are situated throughout the external perimeter of the lounge.
This region was mainly unaffected by the refurbishment.
Apart from what appeared to be new upholstery, there were a few new pieces of furniture in this area of the lounge, which will probably be the area that returning guests are most familiar with.
The access policy is one aspect of the expansion that hasn't changed.
To gain entry to the Centurion Lounge, you must have either The Platinum Card® from American Express, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, or The Centurion® Card.
When traveling Delta and paying for their ticket with any American Express card issued in the US, holders of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card are granted free entry to the Centurion Lounge.
In conclusion
Overall, the new lounge is a huge upgrade over the old one.
The facility now has a nearly 50% greater size in addition to an improved visual and tactile experience.
Two new phone booths, lots of extra workstations, a bigger bar and dining area, and additional restrooms are all present.
In accordance with Amex's most recent brand guideline, the furniture has also been updated.
The new Las Vegas Centurion Lounge won't be fully populated for some time, but returning guests will undoubtedly notice the changes.
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