American Express announced on October 8 what it called the largest expansion of its Centurion Lounge network so far, with news at four airports. Two of the lounges are new: Newark Liberty (EWR) and London Heathrow Terminal 5 (LHR). The other two, Philadelphia (PHL) and Houston Bush Intercontinental (IAH), will get major expansions.
For Platinum and Centurion cardmembers, this is good news for later. The new and expanded lounges open between 2027 and 2028.
Newark: now planned at almost double the size
Amex first announced a Newark Centurion Lounge in 2023. The plan is now much bigger. CNBC Select reports that the lounge was originally planned at about 18,000 square feet and will now cover more than 30,000 square feet over two floors. That would make it bigger than the current largest Centurion Lounge, in Atlanta. It will be in Terminal A and is expected to open in 2027.
Amex says the Newark opening will make it the first card issuer with its own lounges at all three major New York City-area airports. Planned features include:
- A Blue Roast by American Express coffee and wellness bar
- Three bars: a Main Bar with craft cocktails and wine, a Specialty Bar, and a Terrace Bar with gelato, Italian cocktails and pastries
- Food from the Culinary Collective by The Centurion Lounge, much of it locally sourced, in a design inspired by New Jersey's history of invention
Heathrow: a second London lounge in Terminal 5
Amex will open a Centurion Lounge of more than 9,000 square feet in Heathrow Terminal 5 in 2028. The Terminal 3 lounge stays open. According to Head for Points, the new lounge will be 30% bigger than the one in Terminal 3. Heathrow says it will be on Concourse A, near gates A1–A7.
Hannah Lewis, UK Country Manager at American Express, said: "Our lounge at Heathrow Terminal 3 has been incredibly well received since opening, so we're excited to expand our footprint to Terminal 5, giving Cardmembers a dedicated space to relax before their flight in a terminal we know they travel through regularly."
For people based in the US, this matters because Terminal 5 is British Airways' home terminal. Until now, getting into a lounge there has usually meant having BA or oneworld status or flying in a premium cabin.
Philadelphia and Houston: bigger lounges, but Philly closes first
- Philadelphia (PHL): The lounge will grow from about 6,000 to more than 12,000 square feet and will feature work by local artists. Posts on X report that the lounge closes October 16, 2026 for renovation and reopens by late 2027. We have not seen that date in the Amex announcement itself, so treat it as reported on X, not official.
- Houston (IAH): The Terminal D lounge will nearly triple, from about 8,000 to more than 23,000 square feet. It adds Houston-inspired specialty dining, a second full-service bar, and new restrooms and shower suites. Completion is expected in 2028.
What people are saying on X
Heathrow posted the news on its own account, and the airline-points community spread it quickly:
Head for Points' "WOW" post drew more than 18,000 views:
Several accounts focused on the timing. Travel Points Pro and Family Points Guide both warned PHL flyers about the October 16 closure.
The Points Frog take
More square footage is the right response to the long lines that have become normal at Centurion Lounges. Still, none of this helps before 2027. If you fly through Philadelphia often, plan for the closure now. Other lounge options at PHL are listed in the Lounge Frog directory. For Heathrow, a Centurion Lounge in Terminal 5 could change how useful the Platinum Card is for London trips once it opens in 2028.
Sources
- American Express Newsroom: https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/newsroom/articles/travel-and-dining/centurion-lounge-expansion-newark-london.html
- CNBC Select: https://www.cnbc.com/select/amex-centurion-lounge-expansion-2026/
- Head for Points: https://www.headforpoints.com/2026/10/08/american-express-centurion-lounge-heathrow-terminal-5/