American Express is expanding its Centurion lounge network again, with plans to open two new locations and enlarge an existing one. The updates, slated for 2027 through 2029, include new openings in Charlotte Douglas International Airport and Boston Logan International Airport, and an expansion to the Centurion Lounge at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
For American Express, the move continues a steady build-out of its Centurion lounge portfolio—a core perk tied to its premium credit cards—and reflects how the company is evolving the concept as usage patterns change.
At each of the three lounges, along with many other U.S. locations in the Centurion lounge network, seasonal menus will be crafted by James Beard Award–winning chefs who are part of the Culinary Collective by the Centurion Lounge. Similarly, bar director Harrison Ginsberg will create locally inspired cocktails, while sommelier Helen Johannesen will curate the wine programs.
Here’s everything you need to know about the forthcoming spaces.
A second Sidecar lounge is coming to Charlotte
To complement the existing Centurion Lounge at Charlotte Douglas International Airport in concourse D/E, American Express will open a second Sidecar in 2027 in concourse A. It will expand a concept it first introduced at Las Vegas’s Harry Reid International Airport in March 2026.
Sidecar lounges are designed to be more compact than traditional Centurion lounges, with a focus on shorter visits (guests can only enter within 90 minutes of their flight’s departure) and more restaurant-style service, with small plates and drinks ordered via a QR code.
The new Sidecar lounge at Charlotte Douglas International Airport will be a more compact, design-forward space tailored for shorter visits, with restaurant-style dining and barista-made coffee.
Courtesy of American Express
“When we looked at customer behavior in the lounges, there are a lot of customers who come on their own with less time available but still want to be able to experience a lounge,” said Audrey Hendley, president of American Express Travel. “We decided to design a lounge in a smaller space to suit the needs of those types of customers who want to come have an elevated experience. They want something to eat, probably want something to drink, and then get themselves on their way.”
The Charlotte location will follow a similar model but will add a Blue Roast Coffee Bar (something the brand offers at its New York and Seattle lounges), providing barista-made drinks alongside the food and beverage program. The 4,600-square-foot space will also feature private restrooms, power outlets, and Wi-Fi.
Boston Logan will get a new lounge with an outdoor terrace
A new American Express Centurion Lounge will be landing at Boston Logan International Airport by 2029, the first at BOS.
While the company has not released full design details, it confirmed that the space will span 20,000 square feet across two floors in Terminal C, making it one of the largest in its network. In addition, it is slated to include an outdoor terrace (the first at Boston Logan) with views of the airfield.
The Boston location will also include the standard Centurion Lounge amenities, which typically feature chef-driven food, premium cocktails, high-speed Wi-Fi, and a mix of workspaces and lounge seating. Artwork and design elements by local artists will reflect the city’s academic legacy, green spaces, and harbor vistas of the Charles River.
The addition of a Boston lounge will fill a notable gap in the network, giving cardholders another option in a major East Coast market with heavy business and international travel.
Dallas Fort Worth lounge will expand
And at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, American Express will expand its existing Centurion Lounge by 50 percent, with the updated space expected to reopen in 2027.
The current lounge is one of the most consistently crowded in the network, often with wait lists pushing past an hour during peak travel periods. The expansion will add significantly more seating, a new dining area, a second full-service bar, and a walk-up ice cream window.
The expansion will also include a refresh to the overall design of the lounge (the second ever in its portfolio), meaning there may be periods of reduced capacity while the changes are made.
Other Centurion lounges are already in the pipeline
The newly announced U.S. lounges are one piece of a broader global expansion.
This year, American Express will also open a 6,000-square-foot Centurion Lounge at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol—its first proprietary lounge in continental Europe. (There are already locations in London and Stockholm.) The plans at Schiphol call for Dutch-inspired design, a locally driven food and beverage program, and a dedicated coffee bar.
Also in 2026, the first long-awaited Centurion Lounge is expected to debut at Newark Liberty International Airport, featuring a 14,000-square-foot indoor terrace, skyline views, a cocktail bar, and a piano lounge inspired by New Jersey’s jazz history. When it opens, the new lounge will round out the Centurion Lounge presence across the three major New York–area airports.
Who has access to Centurion lounges?
Access to Centurion lounges is still limited to holders of certain premium American Express cards, including the Platinum Card, the Business Platinum Card, and the Centurion Card, and is subject to availability. Additionally, Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business cardholders can enter when flying with Delta.
The company recently announced restrictions to lounge access to cut down overcrowding. Beginning July 8, access to Centurion Lounges will be capped at five hours before departure, and any guest entering a Centurion Lounge must be traveling on the same departing flight as the eligible cardholder.
