Amex Platinum Airport Lounge Access Guide (2021)

The Amex Platinum affords a variety of useful perks. I’d argue that the only greatest perk of the cardboard is airport lounge entry, so on this put up I needed to go over every little thing it is advisable to find out about accessing lounges with the Amex Platinum. There’s not one other card that gives such complete entry to airport lounges, in my view.

Which lounges are you able to go to with the Amex Platinum?

The Amex Platinum Card affords entry to lounges throughout the worldwide, due to the American Specific International Lounge Assortment. On this put up I needed to go over all the main points of this, together with which lounges are included, what number of visitors you may deliver into lounges, and what you want so as to achieve entry to those lounges.

With the Amex Platinum you may entry Amex Centurion Lounges, Delta SkyClubs, Plaza Premium Lounges, Escape Lounges, Airspace Lounges, choose Lufthansa Lounges, and extra.

Notice that lounge entry perks are an identical on The Platinum Card® from American Express (review) and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (review). On prime of that, authorized users on the Amex Platinum additionally get the identical lounge entry advantages.

I’ll recap all of the lounge entry alternatives with the Amex Platinum under. In case you simply wish to see which lounges you’ve gotten entry to by airport, you may check out the Amex Platinum lounge directory here.

Amex Centurion Lounges

The Amex Platinum affords entry to Amex’s unique community of Centurion Lounges:

• You’ll be able to entry Centurion Lounges when flying with any airline, so long as you’ve gotten a boarding go for a flight departing inside three hours (you may’t use the lounge on arrival)
• You’ll be able to deliver as much as two visitors with you at no extra value (as of 2023, rules around guesting will change)
• You could current your Amex Platinum to be admitted; there’s no additional registration required

Amex’s community of Centurion Lounges is thought for providing nice sizzling meals and cocktails. It’s a big step up over your typical home airport lounges. At present there are over a dozen Centurion Lounge locations, together with in Charlotte (CLT), Dallas (DFW), Denver (DEN), Houston (IAH), Las Vegas (LAS), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), New York (JFK & LGA), Philadelphia (PHL), Phoenix (PHX), San Francisco (SFO), and Seattle (SEA).

Worldwide American Specific Lounges

The Amex Platinum doesn’t simply supply entry to Amex’s unique Centurion Lounges, but in addition to the community of American Specific Lounges:

• You’ll be able to entry American Specific Lounges when flying with any airline, so long as you’ve gotten a identical day boarding go
• Guesting privileges fluctuate by lounge, however you may typically deliver two visitors with you at no extra value
• You could current your Amex Platinum to be admitted; there’s no additional registration required

American Specific Lounges are basically much less premium variations of Centurion Lounges. There are American Specific lounges in Argentina, Australia, India, and Mexico.

Delta SkyClubs

The Amex Platinum affords access to Delta SkyClubs, with some restrictions:

• You’ll be able to entry Delta SkyClubs when flying Delta the identical day, both on arrival or departure (there’s no time restrict on how lengthy you may keep)
• If you wish to deliver any visitors with you, you’ll should pay $39 per visitor
• You could current your Amex Platinum to be admitted (alternatively it can save you your Amex Platinum to your Delta SkyMiles profile, and you then don’t even must current the cardboard); there’s no additional registration required

Usually talking Delta SkyClubs are superior to American Admirals Golf equipment and United Golf equipment, and have useful brokers, strong complimentary meals and drinks, and extra. At present there are over 50 Delta SkyClub locations, together with at many main airports round the US.

Precedence Cross Choose Lounges

The Amex Platinum affords a Precedence Cross Choose membership (enrollment required), which works a bit in a different way than the remainder of the cardboard’s lounge entry perks:

• You’ll be able to entry Precedence Cross lounges when flying with any airline, so long as you’ve gotten a identical day boarding go; nonetheless, particular person lounges might prohibit for the way lengthy you may entry lounges, and in addition how lengthy earlier than departure you may entry lounges
• You could register for a Precedence Cross Choose membership by your Amex Platinum account, and you then’ll be mailed a Precedence Cross card; you’ll then use that card (somewhat than the Amex Platinum) to entry Precedence Cross lounges
• You’ll be able to deliver as much as two visitors with you at no extra value, although particular person lounges might restrict guesting privileges past that
• Precedence Cross Choose memberships issued by the Amex Platinum aren’t eligible for complimentary entry to some “experiences” lounges, together with Priority Pass restaurants

So far as the registration course of for Precedence Cross goes, simply log into your Amex Platinum account, and click on on the “Advantages” tab.

Then scroll down till you see the enrollment hyperlink for Precedence Cross Choose. After you make the request, it’s best to obtain your Precedence Cross card within the mail inside 10-14 days.

Precedence Cross is the world’s largest community of impartial airport lounges, with over 1,300 lounges around the globe. You’ll be able to find all Priority Pass locations here, or you may at all times search the Amex Global Lounge Collection directory. The standard of Precedence Cross Lounges varies vastly — some are nice, whereas others, properly, not a lot.

Plaza Premium Lounges

The Amex Platinum affords entry to Plaza Premium Lounges, with some restrictions:

• You’ll be able to entry Plaza Premium Lounges when flying with any airline, so long as you’ve gotten a boarding go for identical day journey
• You’ll be able to deliver as much as one visitor with you at no extra value
• You could current your Amex Platinum to be admitted; there’s no additional registration required

Plaza Premium Lounges are among the many greatest contract lounges you’ll discover on the market. At present, there are over 50 Plaza Premium Lounge areas, with the group being notably in style in Asia and Europe. This profit is rather more precious than prior to now — nearly all Plaza Premium Lounges used to belong to Precedence Cross, however that’s now not the case. Thankfully, the Amex Platinum nonetheless will get you into the lounges.

Escape Lounges

The Amex Platinum affords entry to Escape Lounges in the US, with some restrictions:

• You’ll be able to entry Escape Lounges when flying with any airline, so long as you’ve gotten a boarding go for identical day journey
• You’ll be able to deliver as much as two visitors with you at no extra value
• You could current your Amex Platinum to be admitted; there’s no additional registration required

Escape Lounges have gotten more and more in style in the US, with nearly a dozen locations, together with in Cincinnati (CVG), Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP), Hartford (BDL), Minneapolis (MSP), Oakland (OAK), Palm Seashore (PBI), Phoenix (PHX), Windfall (PVD), Reno (RNO), and Sacramento (SMF).

Whereas not fairly nearly as good as Centurion Lounges, I’ve discovered the meals and repair at Escape Lounges to be above common.

Airspace Lounges

The Amex Platinum affords entry to Airspace Lounges, with some restrictions:

• You’ll be able to entry Airspace Lounges when flying with any airline, so long as you’ve gotten a boarding go for identical day journey
• You’ll be able to deliver as much as two visitors with you at no extra value; every individual being admitted receives a $10 credit score in the direction of meals and premium drinks
• You could current your Amex Platinum to be admitted; there’s no additional registration required

Sadly, that is of pretty restricted use these days. There was three Airspace Lounges in the US, whereas now there’s just a single lounge, in San Diego (SAN).

Choose Lufthansa Lounges

The Amex Platinum affords access to select Lufthansa Lounges, with some restrictions:

• You’ll be able to entry Lufthansa Lounges when flying identical day on Lufthansa, SWISS, and Austrian
• You’ll be able to’t deliver any complimentary visitors into the lounge
• You could current your Amex Platinum to be admitted; there’s no additional registration required

The kind of Lufthansa Lounge you may entry depends upon what cabin you’re touring in:

• You’ll be able to entry Lufthansa Enterprise Lounges with the Amex Platinum when flying economic system class
• You’ll be able to entry Lufthansa Senator Lounges with the Amex Platinum when flying enterprise class

You’ll wish to examine the Amex Global Lounge Collection directory to see which Lufthansa Lounges are collaborating at a given level. Nicely over a dozen Lufthansa Lounges are eligible proper now — United States areas embrace Boston (BOS), Detroit (DTW), Newark (EWR), New York (JFK), and Washington (IAD).

Does the Amex Platinum have the most effective lounge entry profit?

There are a number of premium bank cards these days that provide airport lounge entry, although I’d say no different card can compete with the Amex Platinum in relation to this. Clearly there’s no “one measurement matches all” card for lounge entry, however at a minimal no different card is as properly rounded because the Amex Platinum.

Like many playing cards, the Amex Platinum affords a Precedence Cross membership, however what units this card aside is every little thing past that. In contrast to different playing cards, the Amex Platinum affords:

• Entry to Amex Centurion Lounge entry
• Entry to Plaza Premium Lounges
• Entry to Escape Lounges

There aren’t any Chase or Citi playing cards that get you entry to these lounges. There’s just one draw back in relation to Amex Platinum’s lounge advantages in comparison with these of the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card (review), for instance. The Chase Sapphire Most well-liked’s Precedence Cross membership will get you entry to Precedence Cross eating places, whereas the Amex Platinum’s Precedence Cross membership doesn’t.

Tip: Add Amex Platinum licensed customers

Initially of the put up, I discussed how Amex Platinum authorized users obtain the identical lounge entry perks as the first cardmember. I feel it’s particularly price calling out what an excellent worth it may be so as to add licensed customers to the private model of the cardboard.

On the Amex Personal Platinum, you may add three licensed customers for a complete of $175 (Rates & Fees), which is probably beneath $60 per licensed person. That is a tremendous worth when you think about that every licensed person will get the complete suite of lounge entry perks.

This may be helpful should you often journey collectively as a household, however exceed the standard lounge entry guesting limits. For instance, say you and your loved ones often fly Delta. The Amex Platinum affords SkyClub entry, however you may’t take any visitors with you totally free. Nevertheless, should you make everybody in your loved ones a licensed person, they will every admit themselves into SkyClubs.

Backside line

For my part, Amex Platinum Card affords probably the most complete airport lounge entry perks of any premium bank card. Along with a Precedence Cross membership (which is fairly customary amongst premium playing cards), you additionally get entry to Amex Centurion Lounges, Delta SkyClubs, Escape Lounges, choose Lufthansa Lounges, and extra.

You’ll be able to’t beat simply how well-rounded the lounge entry provided by the cardboard is.

If in case you have the Amex Platinum, do you worth the airport lounge entry profit? Do you suppose there’s a greater card for airport lounge entry?

The next hyperlinks will direct you to the charges and costs for talked about American Specific Playing cards. These embrace: The Platinum Card® from American Specific (Rates & Fees).