"Will the third time be the charm?" That's the question on the mind of many savvy travelers who frequently pass through Seattle.
That's because American Express on Wednesday will open the doors to a brand-new Centurion Lounge at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). The grand debut marks the culmination of a years-long project that should alleviate some of the serious overcrowding that Amex's top cardholders have experienced in the past.
In June 2015, Amex opened a so-called Centurion Studio in Seattle, but it measured just 3,100 square feet. As Amex's top cards have since soared in popularity, so too did the Centurion Lounge network, and the Seattle location in particular.
Amex took a stab at addressing the overcrowding situation in Seattle by expanding the Centurion Studio in 2017, bringing the facility to 4,500 square feet with the addition of more seating and food service areas.
Despite the expansion, the issuer's Pacific Northwest flagship still remained overcrowded, even during the pandemic downturn.
Now, Amex is hoping to fix that once and for all by opening an entirely new Centurion Lounge in Seattle — one that's likely to impress anyone who has spent time in the old location over the past eight years.
The new outpost officially opens on Feb. 15, and with it comes a ton of upgrades — all of which you can read about below.
Centurion Lounge Seattle access
The lounge is open daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
American Express cardmembers 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.
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Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card members also get complimentary access to Centurion Lounges located in the U.S., Hong Kong and London when flying on a Delta-marketed or -operated flight.
You can't purchase Centurion Lounge access even if you carry another American Express card.
As of Feb. 1, 2023, guest policies have changed at Centurion Lounges to clamp down on overcrowding.
Centurion and Corporate Platinum cardmembers can continue to bring up to two complimentary guests into the lounge.
Platinum cardmembers cannot bring complimentary guests into the lounge unless they meet a new $75,000 annual spending requirement on their cards. Otherwise, you'll pay $50 per adult guest and $30 per child (ages 2-17). Children under two can enter for free.
For more about accessing the Centurion Lounge network, be sure to check out our comprehensive guide.
Centurion Lounge Seattle location
The new lounge occupies an all-new space in the airport's existing Central Terminal just beyond security checkpoint number three. In fact, the lounge sits on a newly created mezzanine level above the existing restaurants in the rotunda.
For most travelers, the new location should be a big upgrade, as it's more centrally located in the main part of the departures area.
You'll find the entrance to the Centurion Lounge tucked behind the Ever Greens restaurant. Just look for the elevator bank near this restaurant, and you'll quickly find your way into the lounge.
You can either ride the elevator up one level or walk 32 stairs (featuring great airside views) to get to the reception area.
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All gates in Seattle are connected post-security, so you can access the Centurion Lounge regardless of which airline you are flying. Just give yourself enough time to get to some of the satellite terminals if you plan to use the Centurion Lounge.
Centurion Lounge Seattle layout
Headlining the upgrades is the fact that the new lounge now occupies a footprint that's nearly three times the size of the previous location.
Measuring 14,000 square feet, the new Centurion Lounge has space for just over 400 guests, according to the fire safety code
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Once you enter past the green living wall, you'll find yourself in one of the lounge's main dining and relaxation areas.
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Lining the perimeter of the lounge are some recliners and high-top barstools, while the center of this space is decked out with plenty of two- and four-top dining tables that are flanked by a new signature bar.
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The dining area is lit from above by an array of eye-catching gold beams, which together give off a luxurious vibe. Plus, the open-air layout in this atrium means that there are soaring-high ceilings and amazing views of the airfield and Olympic Mountains out of the floor-to-ceiling windows.
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Just beyond these tables is the first-ever coffee bar in an Amex lounge — more on that below.
As you enter the "inside" of the lounge, the ceilings get lower, and you'll find yourself in a more traditional lounge space that features a few dining and high-top tables.
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Just beyond this space is the lounge's second dining room, which is adorned with beautiful green and gold wallpaper, brown wood ceiling accents and brightly lit yellow and gold sconces.
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This is one of the nicest dining rooms I've seen in any Amex lounge to date. There are 10 two-top booth tables lining the wall here.
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Beyond the dining room is the lounge's main relaxation area, which features a variety of seating options — many of which you've seen before in other Centurion Lounges worldwide.
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There are couches, individual recliners, personal workstations arranged in a zig-zag pattern, a co-working table and more.
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My personal favorite place to sit is in one of the two-person nooks that are built around the perimeter of the relaxation area.
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These seats offer unparalleled views of the B gates — it's just a shame that the windows are lined with a dotted film that makes it impossible to grab clean pictures of the planes.
As Amex builds its next generation of lounges, I've been impressed with the issuer's renewed focus on local artwork. That's on display here with a brand-new signature mural commissioned by Amex from Harold Caudio, who created a 40-square-foot display of the Seattle skyline using just coffee beans.
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From tall ceilings to stylish artwork to copious amounts of natural light, Amex knocked it out of the park with the new design.
It feels decidedly more premium and elevated than the original Seattle outpost and turns the issuer's Pacific Northwest flagship into one of the nicest Centurion Lounges in the country in terms of design — all while seating many more travelers than ever before.
Centurion Lounge Seattle food and beverage
Amex is also overhauling the food and beverage experience in Seattle with the debut of a brand-new dining concept and a revamped food menu.
Seattle is perhaps most famous for its coffee culture (as the birthplace of Starbucks), and Amex is leaning into that with its first-ever full-service coffee bar within a lounge.
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Dubbed "Blue Roast by American Express," the issuer worked with local Seattle roaster Caffè Umbria to create this counter-service outpost within the lounge. On-staff baristas will whip up espresso beverages, cold brew and rotating seasonal specialty coffee drinks — all included with lounge access.
The coffee bar will also double as a wellness-themed cafe, and you can order items like a mixed berry smoothie, crispy kale chips and oat-based power bowls throughout the day. There's even kombucha on tap here.
I personally love this concept, and I hope that Amex considers expanding it to other new lounges, so long as the baristas can serve customers quickly and efficiently.
Speaking of bars, Amex is also debuting a new co*cktail list at the flagship bar located just near the entrance. Unfortunately, the menu wasn't available during my tour, but I'll be sure to report back on what I try during my next visit.
In terms of food, Amex is upping the ante through a new partnership with Chef Kristi Brown, owner and chef of Seattle-based Communion Restaurant and Bar.
Brown will bring her "Seattle Soul" cuisine to the lounge, which focuses on bringing together flavors from communities represented in the Pacific Northwest, including Southeast Asia and East and West Africa.
I visited the lounge during breakfast, so I only got a chance to take a look at some of the early-morning offerings, but I left impressed. I was especially liked the sinfully tasty "Peach Cobbla" French Toast and the (far healthier) sweet potato frittata.
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All-day dining options include tuna croquettes with remoulade, Trinidadian-spiced pork belly and blackened chicken cobb salad.
All of these food offerings will be served on the buffet, which was built with access from both sides to help alleviate crowding.
Finally, you'll find three self-serve drink stations, which feature Eversys coffee machines and water dispensers, located throughout the lounge.
Centurion Lounge Seattle amenities
Though the new lounge doesn't offer any "special" amenities (aside from Amex's first-ever coffee bar), it's got many of the basics that were sorely lacking in the previous location.
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Perhaps the biggest improvement is the restroom situation. While the old lounge featured three single-use toilets, the new space has two sets of gender-specific restrooms that each feature multiple stalls.
There's also an all-gender single-use bathroom that features a walk-in shower.
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The lounge also does away with the dedicated family room in favor of a so-called multi-purpose room that looks eerily familiar to the family rooms of yesteryear. The only things missing are the games and colorful walls.
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Additionally, there are two (tastefully decorated) small phone rooms in the back of the lounge in the center of the relaxation area.
As you'd expect for a newly built lounge, there is access to power outlets and USB-A ports at nearly every seat. Fast and free Wi-Fi is also available throughout the lounge.
Bottom line
So, how does the new Centurion Lounge in Seattle stack up?
Well, it's no doubt a night-and-day improvement compared to the previous Centurion Lounge both before and after the expansion.
The new space isn't just significantly larger. It also features a more luxurious design, better views, more seating and some all-new dining concepts, including the first-ever coffee bar in an Amex lounge.
This will quickly become one of, if not the best lounges in the airport, and it's sure to be great news for Amex's top cardmembers who frequently pass through Seattle.
But is it the world's best Centurion Lounge? Well, that's harder to say, but it's certainly up there.
Related reading:
- The best credit cards for airport lounge access
- Guide to lounge access with the Amex Platinum and Business Platinum
- The 7 do's and don'ts in an airport lounge
- 7 domestic lounges that are worth going out of your way for
- Which is the best American Express credit card for you?
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
