The Amex Centurion Lounge Houston is a great place to relax and unwind before your flight. Located in Terminal C, it's easily accessible from most gates.
This lounge offers a wide range of amenities, including complimentary food and drinks, showers, and comfortable seating. You can even take a nap in one of their sleep pods.
One of the standout features of this lounge is its excellent food options. From gourmet sandwiches to fresh fruit and cheese, you'll find something to satisfy your cravings.
The lounge also offers a great selection of drinks, including wine, beer, and cocktails. Plus, you can enjoy live music and TV broadcasts to pass the time.
American Express Centurion Lounge
The American Express Centurion Lounge is a departure-only lounge that offers a range of amenities to make your travel experience more enjoyable. You can access it three hours before your same-day departure time.
The lounge has a family room that's a great perk, especially for families with young children. The room has a wall-mounted TV with kid-friendly shows and toys, and a door that shuts off the room from the rest of the lounge so kids can play without disturbing others.
The restrooms and shower are located in the back of the lounge, past the bar and dining area. The restrooms are large and have full-sized doors for each private stall, offering L'Occitane soaps and lotions mounted to the wall.
You can also print out your boarding pass or hop online using the printer and computer available for use. And if you're in the mood for some reading material, you can grab a free copy of Departures magazine next to the departures board.
Review
The Houston Centurion Lounge is a great spot to relax and unwind, but be aware that it can get busy, especially if you're visiting during peak hours.
The lounge spans about 8,500 square feet, which is pretty standard for a Centurion Lounge.
You'll find a variety of seating areas and types, but be sure to check out the quietest portion of the lounge, which is tucked away to the left.
If you can't snag one of the loungers, the cozy seats are a great alternative for some peace and quiet.
Power outlets are available throughout the lounge, so you can stay charged while you're there.
The lounge is a big investment for American Express, and they've secured a 5-year lease at Terminal D, with the option to terminate early if the terminal is replaced.
American Express also has a promise of a place in the new international terminal, which will come with a 10-year lease.
American Express Network
The American Express Centurion Lounge Network is a growing presence in key airports. American Express is investing heavily in its lounge strategy, as evident in the Houston lounge.
They're focusing on United and American Airlines hub cities, which includes airports like Dallas, Miami, San Francisco, and Houston. The Seattle 'studio' is also a strategic move, considering the limited space available in the area.
You can access these lounges with your Centurion or Platinum card, and same-day Delta flights are also covered through their partnership. However, it's unlikely that American Express will prioritize airports like Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, or Salt Lake City early on.
Here's a breakdown of some key airports and their status in the American Express lounge network:
- Dallas and Miami: American Airlines hubs
- San Francisco and Houston: United Airlines hubs
- Las Vegas and New York LaGuardia: important cities with a presence in the network
- Seattle: a 'studio' with limited space, but a strategic move
Amenities and Services
The Amex Centurion Lounge Houston is a great place to relax before your flight. The lounge has a small family room that's perfect for kids, with a wall-mounted TV showing kid-friendly shows and a selection of toys.
You'll also find large restrooms with private stalls and full-sized doors, offering a nice touch of luxury. The restrooms are stocked with L'Occitane soaps and lotions mounted to the wall.
If you need to print out a boarding pass or get online, there's a printer and computer available for use.
Amenities
The American Express Centurion Lounge is a great place to relax before your flight. The Houston Centurion Lounge has a small family room that's perfect for families with young kids, featuring a wall-mounted TV with kid-friendly shows and toys.
The family room is a great feature that's not found in every Amex lounge, and it's usually equipped with a door that shuts off from the rest of the lounge so kids can play without disturbing others.
The restrooms at the Houston Centurion Lounge are large and well-appointed, with full-sized doors for each private stall and L'Occitane soaps and lotions mounted to the wall.
You'll also find a printer and computer available for use if you need to print out a boarding pass or hop online.
If you're looking for some reading material, you can grab a free copy of Departures magazine next to the departures board.
The Wi-Fi at the lounge is very fast, clocking in at 55.0 Mbps download and 39.7 Mbps upload, making it perfect for catching up on work or streaming your favorite shows.
Food and Beverage
The Centurion Lounge in Houston offers a full hot and cold buffet that rotates from breakfast to dinner, designed by Chef Justin Yu.
You can expect to find a wide variety of dishes, including warm potato salad, jasmine rice, vanilla panna cotta, spiced cauliflower, braised chicken thighs, quinoa, and plenty of salad fixings and options.
The menu rotates seasonally, so you may find different options depending on the time of year you visit.
Less adventurous eaters may find it challenging to find something they love, especially past breakfast hours when the menu gets more eclectic.
The bar is a highlight of the lounge, with a bartender named Charles who has been there since its opening in 2016 and has a wealth of knowledge about drinks and the airport.
Charles is a master of his craft, and his drinks are a great way to make a day of travel feel more homey and familiar.
You can find beer on tap, beer by the bottle, wine, mixed drinks, spirits, and essentially whatever you can come up with.
The signature drinks include the Chinese New Year, a ginger-spiced mimosa that's light, refreshing, and delicious.
The Desert Oasis, on the other hand, wasn't my personal favorite, but some people love its smoky flavor.
George Bush Intercontinental Airport
If you're planning to visit the Amex Centurion Lounge at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, you'll want to know the access hours. The lounge is open from 5:30 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. daily.
To get in, you'll need a Platinum Card from American Express, Business Platinum Card from American Express, or Amex Centurion Card, along with your ID and a same-day boarding pass for a departing or connecting flight on any airline.
You can bring two guests with you at no extra charge if you're a Platinum Amex cardholder, or your entire immediate family if you have the high-end Centurion card. Children under two don't count against the guest maximum.
If you have the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card, you can access the lounge when flying Delta with a ticket purchased on the card, but you'll need to budget extra time as Delta gates are located in Terminal A.
Here are the American Express credit cards that grant complimentary access to Centurion Lounges:
- Card Name 1
- Card Name 2
- Card Name 3
- Card Name 4
- Centurion Card from American Express (aka The Amex Black Card)
Note that if you're a Delta SkyMiles Reserve Credit Card or Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card member, you can access the Centurion Lounge only when flying a same-day Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight.
Remember, you can't access the lounge once you've landed at your final destination, and if crowding is an issue, you might be restricted to entering the lounge within three hours of your initial departure.
American Express Strategy
American Express is focused on growing their network in key hub airports, particularly those that are hubs for United and American Airlines. They're making significant investments in lounges at these airports.
Dallas and Miami are American Airlines hubs, while San Francisco and Houston are United Airlines hubs. Las Vegas and New York LaGuardia are important cities for American Express to have a presence in.
They've already taken steps to establish a presence in Seattle, despite limited space available. This shows their commitment to expanding their network.
Here are some of the key airports that American Express is prioritizing:
- Dallas (American Airlines hub)
- Miami (American Airlines hub)
- San Francisco (United Airlines hub)
- Houston (United Airlines hub)
- Las Vegas
- New York LaGuardia
- Seattle
Their partnership with Delta also suggests that they're focused on United and American hub cities.
Access and Policy
The Amex Centurion Lounge in Houston is open from 5:30 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. daily, and you'll need a specific American Express card to gain access. To enter, you'll need a Platinum Card from American Express, Business Platinum Card from American Express, or Amex Centurion Card, as well as a same-day boarding pass for a departing or connecting flight on any airline.
You'll also need to provide your ID, and be aware that you can't access the lounge once you've landed at your final destination. If crowding is an issue, you might be restricted to not entering the lounge until within three hours of your initial departure.
Here are the American Express cards that grant you access to the Centurion Lounge:
- Centurion Card from American Express (aka The Amex Black Card)
- Platinum Card from American Express
- Business Platinum Card from American Express
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve Credit Card
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card
As for guest policies, cardholders with the Platinum Amex card can bring in two guests at no extra charge, while those with the high-end Centurion card can bring in their entire immediate family or two guests.
Access
The Amex Centurion Lounge is open from 5:30 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. daily. You'll need a Platinum Card from American Express, Business Platinum Card from American Express, or Amex Centurion Card to enter.
To gain access, you'll also need a same-day boarding pass for a departing or connecting flight on any airline. You won't be able to access the lounge once you've landed at your final destination.
If crowding is an issue, you might be restricted to not entering the lounge until within three hours of your initial departure.
Cardmembers with a Platinum Amex card can bring in two guests at no extra charge, and children under two don't count against the two complimentary guest maximum.
Those with the high-end Centurion card can bring in either their entire immediate family or two guests. If you're a family of four or more, you can use the tips outlined in the article to bring everyone in without paying extra guest fees.
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card holders can access the Amex Centurion Lounge when flying Delta with a ticket purchased on the card. Up to two guests may also enter for a fee of $50 each.
Here are the credit cards that grant complimentary access to Centurion Lounges:
- Platinum Card from American Express
- Business Platinum Card from American Express
- Centurion Card from American Express (aka The Amex Black Card)
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve Credit Card
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles Reserve cardmembers can only access the Centurion Lounge when flying a same-day Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight.
Guests can enter and remain in Centurion Lounges while accompanied by the cardmembers that provided them access. If you're a cardmember with a Platinum or Business Platinum card and spend $75,000 or more on the card annually, you qualify for complimentary access for two guests at all US Centurion Lounge locations.
Guests can enter for $50 apiece, or $30 each for children aged 2 through 17 with proof of age.
Comments
Comments play a crucial role in shaping access and policy. In fact, public comments on proposed rules and regulations can influence their final outcome.
The number of comments received can be significant, with some proposals generating thousands of responses. For example, the 2019 proposal to revise the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) received over 100,000 comments.
The quality of comments matters just as much as the quantity. Comments that are well-researched and clearly written are more likely to be taken seriously by policymakers. As seen in the example of the 2019 NEPA proposal, comments that provided specific examples and data were more effective in shaping the final policy.
Public comments can also be anonymous, but this can limit their impact. In the case of the 2019 NEPA proposal, many commenters chose to remain anonymous, which may have reduced the overall effectiveness of their comments.
Comments can be submitted through various channels, including online forms, email, and mail. The 2019 NEPA proposal, for instance, allowed commenters to submit their feedback through an online portal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 3-hour rule for American Express Centurion Lounge?
To access the Centurion Lounge, Platinum Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight with a valid Card, boarding pass, and government ID. This 3-hour window ensures a smooth lounge experience.
Is everything free at Centurion Lounge?
Yes, food and drink are complimentary at Centurion Lounges, allowing you to enjoy a full meal at no additional cost.
Sources
- https://thepointsguy.com/airline/reviews/centurion-lounge-houston-review/
- https://thepointsguy.com/airline/reviews/centurion-lounge-houston/
- https://travelsort.com/review-amex-centurion-lounge-houston-iah/
- https://viewfromthewing.com/and-the-next-american-express-centurion-lounge-will-be-houston/
- https://www.going.com/guides/american-express-centurion-lounges
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